Prepping for NaNoWriMo 101

It’s that time of year again. Crisp leaves crunching beneath our feet, a chill in the air, pumpkins everywhere. Autumn is a beautiful thing and I have many reasons to love the season. One of which is the NaNoWriMo challenge and the accompanying creative inspiration. NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month, is an online challenge to write a 50,000 word (partial) manuscript in November.

It’s a large endeavor and it can be helpful to keep a few things in mind:

1. Bring a journal everywhere.
2. Set specific goals.
3. Get to know the community.
4. Use the community’s resources.

Bring a journal everywhere

My NaNoWriMo notes are split across four journals (so far). Not full journals.

You never know when inspiration might hit. Ideas can flit by quickly if you don’t capture them as they come. Being prepared with a pen and notebook can keep your creativity flowing, even while you do other things.

I’ve found it much easier to have a journal nearby recently, given all of the time at home, but when I am out, I make sure to have a small notebook and a couple of pens on me. When I don’t have a small enough journal, loose pieces of paper are good enough until I get back home to expand upon the idea.

Set specific goals

A novel is a daunting prospect but it can be broken down into small pieces. If you have flexibility of time, create milestones such as a specific word count for the day or a particular section of the story to complete. If you have a lot of time-consuming obligations, try to set aside thirty minutes each day and see what can be accomplished.

Get to know the community

Writing in its nature is a solitary activity, but that doesn’t mean you’re alone. Plenty of people are working towards a similar goal and it is worth getting in touch with a writing community (digitally for now). You can ask questions and either gain or offer support to other writers in the forums. There are also opportunities to set up accountability partners and write-ins for that extra nudge.

Use community resources

The website has a wide range of useful resources. Other than a forum in which you can get in touch with the community, there are articles to read including motivational pieces by successful authors.

Prep materials

Don’t know where to start? The NaNoWriMo site has a PDF of tips and tricks to prepare for November. Highlights include:

1. Suggestions about developing an idea
2. Character development exercises
3. Tips on worldbuilding
4. Guidance on making sure you’re writing ready
5. Time management tricks

What does it mean to be writing ready?

We all have stuff going on in our lives that can easily be treated as excuses to avoid writing. Here are some methods to surpass the obstacles:

1. Make sure to have conversations with others in your household about designated writing time.
2. Bring whatever food and drink you might need into the room prior to your writing session.
3. Have a designated writing space.
4. Make sure distractions do not exist in your writing space.
5. Create or find a soundtrack that helps you focus on writing.

The hardest part is getting started.

This is my third year participating in NaNoWriMo and, every year, I build it up. It’s not meant to be stressful, though any challenging project has its share of obstacles. Enjoy the process and remember that it’s okay for first drafts to be unpolished.

Once you’ve followed your schedule for a few days, a rhythm kicks in. Sometimes this means your writing might extend into time that would otherwise be dedicated to something else. A proper balance between activities can take a conscious effort. I find that a content calendar that’s visible from my laptop can help.

I’m here and happy to help with challenges you’re facing. Please comment if you have any specific questions or are looking for more accountability.