National Novel Writing Month is just a week away from starting. I’ve only participated in the last two years, but I have met the goal of 50,000 words (or more) both times. For those who don’t exactly know what that means, but might be interested, National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo for short) is about trying to write at least 50,000 words in the single month of November. That’s roughly 1667 words every day. So, I figured I would give some tips that helped me get through so much writing in so little time.

 

1. Outline

This should be a pretty obvious one for writers. Though not everyone who is going to attempt NaNo is super aware of how helpful it is to outline a story. It would be a really difficult challenge to try and approach NaNo without any idea of what you even want to write about. 50,000 words is roughly a complete novel depending on genre.

Outlining is a pretty simple way of breaking your story, or characters, down into simple parts that makes it easier to look at the bigger picture. Here are some questions that you should answer to make an outline:

Setting: Where is the story taking place? What time period is the story taking place?

Main Character: Name? Background? What does the character want?

Antagonist: Name? Relationship to the MC? Background? What does this character want?

Situation: What is happening at the beginning of the story?

Inciting Event: What event upsets the situation and introduces the main conflict?

Conflict: How do the characters react to the inciting event? What sustains the conflict? What are the stakes? What choice must the hero make?

These questions will help you formulate the basic idea of your story. After you answer these questions, you can then get into more detail to link it all together and form the story. Some examples would be side/supporting characters, minor events, and the end game goals whether those align with the MC or antagonists wants or not.

2. Set Personal Goals

One of my biggest worries for writing during NaNo was not reaching the word count every day. Some days words flow really well and you might write passed the 1667 daily word count. Other days the scenes might drag and you might barely scratch together a few hundred words.

One of the biggest things to remember is THIS IS NOT THE FINAL PRODUCT YOU ARE WRITING. For things like NaNo, you really just want to get the story told, regardless if you are wanting to change scenes or not. Don’t fixate on editing or rewriting. Just write.

With that said, try to set any sort of goal for word count, or even what times you get to write during the day/night. It could easily be the 1667, or perhaps even larger. If you decide to go with a lower word count, try to write more times a day, or make up more words on other days. You don’t want to fall too short too many times, but it is okay if you don’t reach 1667 everyday. You just have to remember to try and write more words on other days. That’s when the good days of creative flow come in handy.

3. Attend Write-Ins

This one might not be for everyone, but I highly recommend joining a group closest to you on the NaNo website and attending some local write-ins. Write-ins are many gatherings of a few handful to several dozens of writers in your area that get together to write in a public space.

Write-ins can be pretty relaxing, just writing at a coffee shop or a library, and having some nice conversations with other writers. Some write-ins can be the kick that some writers need. Depending on who is hosting/organizing the write-in, there might be writing sprints! These are helpful 10 minute (time may vary) segments where you need to write as much as you can without backspacing or deleting. The idea is to get as many words as possible to keep you going in the story.

NaNoWriMo can be very social. Joining in a group and adding people on your account can keep you informed on how your local writers are doing overall. I can tell you that I’ve met some pretty amazing people because of write-ins! Check out Facebook and look for groups you can join to check in on several write-ins.

4. Listen to Music

This might be a personal tip, but I really recommend having playlists or artists that really fit the mood of your writing. Music can be a great help to keep in the mood of the atmosphere. Maybe your favorite bands/artists already do! It’s definitely worth checking out.

5. Drink It Up

CAFFEINE! Caffeine is a writers best friend. Or some I’m told. I will usually always have some sort of soda or iced coffee with me when I write. I’m sure healthier alternatives work just as nicely, but having your drinking vice with you could be the buzz you need to keep those words flowing! Though I don’t recommend following Hemingway’s advice.

6. Have Fun

Probably one of the most important tips I can give. Why is it at number 6, I couldn’t tell you. Seems kind of fitting to keep a really good one for last.

Many of us writers are aspiring to be full-time authors someday. NaNo is definitely good practice for meeting deadlines. But try to have fun while writing. I’m sure there are people out there that work best under pressure and think NaNo is a great time to get that “bestseller” idea out. Write a story that you’ll enjoy. If you’re writing for money, it’s probably not going to end up the best story unless you’re incredibly luckily like some bestsellers out there who have some of the worst stories ever written.

Overall, try to do your best writing something you’ll have fun writing. The writing will flow a lot easier if you actually enjoy yourself. Get immersed in the story and you’ll have a brilliant time. Good luck to all NaNo-ers out there! Wish you all the best in completing some stories!