With less than two weeks before Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month), there are a few things to take into consideration if you plan on participating in this annual writing challenge. For those of you who don’t know, Nanowrimo challenges writers all over the world to write a novel (defined by Nano standards as 50,000 words or more) during the 30 days of November. The goal isn’t to have a polished draft; in fact, the whole idea of Nanowrimo stems from ignoring your inner critic so that you can get the words on the page and worry about editing later. If you win you’ve got yourself the rough draft of a book and a lot of bragging rights. But 50,000 words is pretty daunting so here is a list of five ways to make that goal more attainable.
1. The writing routine.
As a writer, you must come up with a writing routine, catered to your lifestyle, that will help you get in the mood to write. It could mean that you wake up in the early morning, dress is your favorite pajamas and eat a bagel before you get start writing. Or perhaps you’d rather be seated at a desk in the library with a suit on because that’s what motivates you to work. Maybe you need to be outside on a bench with a coat on and a styrofoam cup of hot chocolate. Perhaps you start your writing session by editing what you wrote the other day or you read a book first to help you get in the right mindset. Whatever your writing ritual is, and no matter how strange it is, make sure you do something consistent that will train your brain to know it’s time to get down to business.
2. The writing tools.
Having the right tools around will help you get to work sooner than later. If you prefer typing up your story, then make sure you’ve got a laptop or access to a computer and a flash drive. If you like the old fashioned paper-and-pen method then don’t forget to pack your favorite notebook (lined paper or graphed? Spiral or composition?) and a pen or pencil (Eraser? Sharpener?). If you time yourself, make sure to have a watch and if you listen to music while writing, grab those headphones. As long as you’re prepared when it’s time to start writing, you won’t have to worry about getting distracted because you’ve forgotten something important. Preparation will make writing everyday a lot smoother.
3. The motivation.
What motivates you to write? Do you get the urge when you read a well-written book? Or when you pin writing relate-able posts on Pinterest? When you listen to your favorite author talking about their book? When you read your favorite inspirational quotes? When you surround yourself with people hard at work? Whatever it is that gets your fingers itching to type, you should have a large supply of it come Nanowrimo. Personally, I have a Pinterest board filled with quotes that remind me I am capable of achieving anything I want and when I start to lose steam during Nanowrimo, those quotes really help to keep me going. Whatever evokes the writer in you, expose yourself to it.
4. The pep talk.
While motivation tends to come from outside sources, sometimes the most powerful antidote to keep you writing comes from within yourself. You need to believe with every ounce of confidence that you can write a book in a month. Who says you can’t? No one decides what you can do for yourself except for you. Remind yourself that you are the only one capable of writing the story that you want to write. There is no one else you can write it as well as you can and no one else who will write it. Sure you might have other obligations in life that will by fighting for your attention like school work or your job. But never let that stop you from taking out just a little bit of your time, whether it’s one hour or ten minutes, to write your book because at the end of the day, you deserve to spend your time on something that matters to you. So whenever you start second-guessing your decision to join the Nanowrimo challenge, give yourself a little pep talk to keep you going.
5. The playlist.
Music is your muse. Not only can it get you in the mood to write but it can sustain you through the duration of your writing session, so use it to your advantage. Make a playlist of all the songs that reflect the story that you want to write. Is it romantic? Maybe some classical music will help reflect the mood of the dinner date. Are you writing crime fiction? Something loud and dramatic might help you sketch out those murder scenes. What about fantasy? The Harry Potter soundtrack would probably be spot on. Whatever your story is, find a list of songs that, like peanut butter and jelly, will complement your story perfectly.
Those are only a few tips to help you get ready for Nanowrimo or any writing challenge you make for yourself. Some may work for you and some may not. Whatever does work for you, use it! Remember, Nanowrimo is all about challenging yourself so don’t be put off if things get difficult. If you’ve got the routine, the tools, the motivation and the playlist, than you will be better off than most people. Good luck!
