Ah, December. Fall semester is coming to an end, winter break is finally seeming more like a reality than a far-off dream, it’s finally acceptable to listen to Christmas music in public... Goodbye November, hello December!
Wait, November is over? That means NaNoWriMo is done! But it can’t be; I haven’t reached my word count yet! Now I have to wait a whole year to finish my novel. (Insert sad emoji here.)
Whoa, hold on one second. Yes, NaNoWriMo 2015 has officially come to an end, but that doesn’t mean your writing has to. This monthly celebration of creativity and writing is an excellent way to get your energy up and mojo flowing, but doesn’t dictate when you can and can’t write. Think of NaNoWriMo as a launch pad for your novel. You spent a month prioritizing it, thinking about it, and getting as much of that thinking on paper (or computer) as you could. So what if you didn’t hit 50k words? Don’t think of your unfinished novel as a failed attempt at NaNoWriMo; think of it as a great starting point for a long-term project. Authors can take anywhere between several months and several years to finish a book, so don’t beat yourself up for not doing the same in a fraction of the time. Few people can commit as much time to their creative passions as they’d like; it’s especially hard for students balancing class, a job, a social life, etc. Stop focusing on “winning” NaNoWriMo as the goal. That’s not the point. The point is to get your novel started and on it’s way to finished.
So what now? How can I keep up my motivation with finals and break? I was planning on spending all of break asleep on the couch!
As tempting as it is to veg out over winter break (and don’t we all deserve to after a semester of hard work?), we have to decide whether to spend our free time achieving our goals or doing nothing. A little rest is great, but too much is wasting time. You have to choose to continue making your novel a priority, and then follow through.
As for keeping your motivation up, no one said writing had to be a solitary affair. Get together with some of your fellow writers and get to work. You can even have a post-NaNoWriMo party to keep the energy and excitement flowing. Most importantly, believe in yourself. Yes, I am using a cliché to motivate you (it’s probably best if you follow my advice but ignore my example). Nevertheless, the idea behind the admittedly hackneyed phrase is true. It’s a major accomplishment to write a novel, and it’s not going to be an easy journey. You have to push yourself, and have faith that it is possible. You can write this novel. Don’t ever forget that. Write it on a sticky note and put it on your mirror. Makes those words the background on your laptop. Make a shrine to those words and worship them nightly—
OK, maybe that’s going a bit far. We’re going for productive writer, not fanatical zealot. Just remember to use your time wisely, get support from others when you need it, and stay motivated. NaNoWriMo can be the start of something great, so long as you follow through.
Good luck, my fellow writer.
