NaNoWriMo is now only a few days away, and millions of people are scrambling to prepare for the event. Although, if you’re a pantser like me, it may not be much of what others would term ‘preparation’.
So, in the vein of being like a Boy Scout, I’d like to give you 7 tips that should help you out with nano. These are in no particular order and are directed at pantsers and plotters alike (no bias here).
1. Get your sleep (and food, too).
This should be an everyday kind of thing, but during a challenge like nano, sleep (and food) can be the last thing on your mind when a daily goal is staring you down. Writing is physically and mentally demanding. Lack of sleep or nutritious food can take its toll on you and reduce the quality of your writing. Even though the goal isn’t to write the best or prettiest draft possible, you’d be amazed at the horrific crap a tired brain and lethargic fingers can spit out at 4 in the morning. And when you’re going back over your work (AFTER November is over, of course), it sure is nice to not have to ask, “What in the hell was I going for here?”
2. Tell everyone what you’re doing.
Pass the word on to everyone you know (or might be interacting with during the month), that you are attempting nano. Let them know that you will be cranky and probably won’t want to do anything but write. Tell your friends and family and coworkers and neighbors that your bottom will be firmly planted in a chair and you have not died or fallen off the face of the earth. But truthfully, not only is it a way to keep you accountable (because they WILL ask), but if they’re conscientious people, they’ll try to respect your wishes not to be interrupted too much.
3. Turn off the editor.
I have an internal editor that I call Mr. Editor. He’s a constant presence and nuisance to me. I have to mentally sedate and bury that jerkwad during the month of nano. If I don’t, it’s not possible to reach my daily goals. If you have ever taken a typing test, you will find that a majority of them tell you not to correct any mistakes you have made and give you your typing speed based on how many words you typed AND an adjusted score for how many words you typed correctly. Nano is not a typing test… it is a month long run, with a bear snarling at your heels the whole time. There is absolutely no time to be stopping to tie your shoes when you feel them flapping about. You run! Editing is for AFTER nano.
4. The 50K goal is not a pass/fail situation.
There is a goal for nano. 50,000 words in a month. There are daily goals (1,667 to be exact… a number burned into the minds of those that have participated in nano). Do NOT focus on these goals to the extent that they are the only things. We have good days, and we have bad days… but the true goal of nano is to just write. That’s it. There are hundreds of thousands of people out there that tell themselves, “One day, I will write a book.”, but they never do. They never sit down and put words on paper. It stays inside their head. Nano helps you to get the words out… to smack you in the back of the head and yell, “WRITE!”. If you have written anything during nano, consider yourself a winner, because that’s the biggest goal that too many people will never achieve.
5. Write more whenever you can.
If you can, write more than just the minimum 1,667 words per day. If that means you can only write 100 more, then that’s 100 words you don’t have to spend in utter anguish on a bad day. If you’re in the zone and chugging along… keep going. When the days where nothing is going your way and your brain just can’t process the simple task of forming a single sentence that makes any sense, you will appreciate every extra word you were able to churn out beforehand. All of this bit of advice comes with the caveat of following the first bit of advice up there… get plenty of sleep and food. Don’t let a great writing streak come in the way of your health.
6. Write in a group or with friends.
This one is a sneaky tip. It may not be for everyone, but I’ve found that it works with a majority of writers. There are chat rooms and local write-ins accessible across the globe. They give you a chance to hang out with people who are choosing to torture themselves just like you are, you’re also able to toss ideas out and get a reply almost immediately, and you can show someone a sample of what you’ve just written to see what they think. All of these options, and more, can be what makes it possible to finish nano.
7. A beginning and ending is the minimum you should work with.
A starting and ending spot is the bare minimum you should have before beginning a nano. Last year, I got the idea (just the idea) for my story the day before nano was to begin. I had no idea how many characters I was going to need… where, or what time it was to take place… what my MC was going to do (besides mess up exorcisms)… nothing. That was NOT a pleasant experience. My first nano, I at least had a beginning, a middle, and an end. Personally, I think you can do nano even without a middle, but it’s only going to be harder. Side Note: These don’t have to be concrete ideas. They can be as vague as you want. Having them, though, will get you off on the right foot at least.
8. Give yourself a reward.
Don’t forget to reward yourself throughout the process. Doing anything for 30 days straight (that you’re not used to doing), is tough. We all need ways to de-stress and unwind, and there are all kinds of ways we can do that… from playing video games, to watching movies or television shows, or even treating ourselves to some candy. Putting in a reward system not only gives you something to look forward to during the month, but also allows you to blow off some steam and look forward to the next reward during nano.
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