The glorious month of November is about to be upon us, and with it comes the annual event of NaNoWriMo, formally known as National Novel Writing Month. This highly foreboding challenge daunts its writers with the task of writing 50,000 words in one month, essentially the draft of a novel. Most people fail this challenge their first year, which is pretty understandable considering how intimidating it is. That being said, even if you do not win NaNoWriMo, you still benefit from just attempting it alone. So, without further ado, I present to you a list of ideas to help you power through NaNoWriMo this upcoming month.

1. Load up on all of the snacks.

One cannot write genius prose without the proper fuel to keep on keeping on. Let’s be real, most people write under stress anyway, so this SHOULD be a no brainer. However, do try to stay away from gluten because even if you’re not intolerant, heavy carbs do tend to make the brain a bit foggy. Stick with the healthier snacks in life, and if you want, occasionally indulge in some sugary sweets because I know you want to.

2. Keep at least one notebook so you can keep track of ideas when you’re not around your laptop.

Try to take at least one with you pretty much everywhere you go. If you’re really organized you could even go all out and keep one for specific parts of your story ie. characters, plot, major events.

3. Make a character board.

Speaking of characters, I find when writing a fiction story in particular, that it can be very helpful to create character boards, either on your laptop or your notebook. Basically make a collage of what your character might look like, their hobbies, their interests, their dislikes. Get to know your characters on a personal level (I mean they’re fictional so as personal as you can be) If this seems silly, just get used to it. Writing is weird and awkward, it’ll be okay.

4. You also really should have a laptop and a writing program you just click with.

Your laptop needs to be reliable and have the space to hold onto an entire novel. Make sure you protect it and ensure that it’s wiped of viruses before you begin. Make sure you update your word count on your NaNoWriMo profile each day as well. Your laptop is your new best friend, enjoy each other’s company.

5. A solid inspirational music playlist.

We all have those songs that can motivate us to do pretty much everything. Spend the next few days on Youtube, Spotify, and Itunes putting together your epic writing jams. Music truly can be the difference between kicking butt to push through and meet your writing goal each day. Put those tunes on shuffle and power through.

6.Books.

I know “I have to type I don’t have time to read!” Oooh yes, you do. Reading something new or a well-loved novel can really give you the inspiration and refresher that you need to write. It also is probably the best way to ensure that your grammar and spelling is on point because it’s write in your face. Pun intended.

7. And most importantly, have fun!

Don’t freak out if you don’t finish, because trust me it will make you a much-improved writer. If you DO succeed, and you achieve those coveted 50,000 words, refine it again and again. This is a great time to get your writing noticed.