If you're new to the blog, you may not know that I participated in a ridiculous challenge last November - along with thousands of other aspiring writers, I tried to write 50,000 words in 30 days. It's called National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and it's as (intellectually) hardcore as it sounds.
I ended up with half a book and 53,000+ words last November. It remains one of the most challenging and rewarding things I've ever done.
I had intended to finish that book this November, but I'm starting to think I'd like to try something new this year. Luckily I still have a few months to decide...
Because today is NaNo Inspired Day, I thought I would share ten tips I wish I'd known before I attempted the challenge last year. This advice might not work for everybody, but if you are a routine-driven, obsessively organised individual like me, the tips below might make your November even a tiny bit easier.
1. Do a test run to see how long your daily target wordcount will take you. I sat down on Day 1 completely unaware of how long it would take me to realistically hit 1,667 words. It would have relieved a lot of my pre-NaNoWriMo anxiety if I'd known I could achieve the daily minimum in an hour.
2. Designate an idea notebook, and take it everywhere. You don't want to lose a brilliant idea just because you've been struck by a lightening bolt of brilliance away from your computer.
3. Be deliberate about integrating writing into your routine. Write at the same time each day, in the same place. I found it much easier to write when I stuck to my routine. While I could achieve my target in one hour if I wrote in the morning, if I tried to write after a long day at work, it would easily take me 2.5 hours to reach the same 1667 word target.
4. Buy a writing candle. Seriously, it works. I bought a new candle before I started the challenge, and had it burning during my planing throughout October. From Day 1 in November, every time the scent of it hit me, I was ready to write.
5. Invest in software that will make your life easier. I used Scivener last year and it made staying on track so much easier. I only scratched the surface of the features, but loved how easy it was to jump between chapters and stay on target with my word count.
6. Draft an outline and character sketches before November arrives. I could never sit down and blindly begin to write. I need to know who I'm writing about and where they are headed. Obviously things may change as you begin writing, but I took solace in the fact that I had a general idea of how the story would track from beginning to end.
7. Explain your commitment to the challenge to those you live with. This has a two-fold benefit. For one thing, they'll be able to encourage you if you are slacking off and falling behind on your word count. It will also (hopefully) mean that they'll respect your need to complete the challenge and give you the time and space required. There is nothing more difficult than constant interruptions when you are writing on a deadline.
8. Don't beat yourself up if you have an off day. I had one day in mid-November where I only hit 1101 words in a day. Then towards the end of November, the day after writing a particularly dark scene in the story, I hit a wall, and after two hours in front of the computer, I had to call it a day at only 623 words. Aim for a few good days at the beginning (which should be easy to do - you'll be full of excitement and stamina) so that you don't end up behind target due to the occasional off day.
9. Reach out to the NaNo community. I found an amazingly supportive community through Instagram last year. For me, the link to other writers is what made this challenge so appealing.
10. Enjoy the process for what it is. For me, this challenge is not about creating the next great literary masterpiece. It's an exercise in self-dicipline and creativity. When I sit down to write my "real book" someday, I won't have a voice in the back of my head telling me I can't write a book because guess what? I already have! No matter how far you get in the challenge, your accomplishments are worth celebrating!
If you're thinking about participating in NoNoWriMo this year, I'd love to hear from you! Leave a comment below or add me on the NaNo forums (missdelaneypaige) and we'll chat!
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