NaNoWriMo Tips Series (#2): Getting Through - Tips for Winning and Reaching a High Word Count

      10 Sure-Fire Tips to Surviving November
1. Write every day. Make writing a priority. Set aside time where no one is allowed to disturb you. No one. Put on a writing hat if you have to.

 

2. Try timed writing exercises. Turn off inner editor and write for 10, 15, 20, 30+ minutes without stopping.

 

3. Write nonlinearly. Write in whatever order you feel like to keep your creativity fueled.

 

4. Reward yourself. Buy a gift that makes you happy but is fairly cheap as a reward for reaching goals: chocolate, a cheap book, favorite drink, take out, a new clothing under $15, a mug, etc.

 

5. Go to write-ins/events. Register and then set home region. Check calendar for events, host own event, if you’re inclined. Writing in a supportive community is helpful in keeping motivated and building relationships. Don't let shame and being behind stop you from writing. Remember whatever word count you end with is more than you started with.

 

6. Engage in social media. NaNoWriMo has accounts on Twitter and Youtube. They offer timed exercises, prompts and encouragement. You can also be social with a network of people from all over the world trying to reach same goal. (Twitter: @NaNoWordSprints AND @NaNoWriMo, YouTube channel “National Novel Writing Month”).

 

7. Just say no! Say no to distractions, including extra requests from work, family and friends. This month is about you. Get ahead in order to be off on weekends or on Thanksgiving weekend. 8. Three clicks, that's it! Unless you're on social media to engage or up your word count, research is the only other reason to be online while writing. Click three times to find an answer and stop. Stop!

9. Don’t stop your flow, write a note. Highlight, bold, underline, change font color, etc., when you need more info/research for a scene/concept so you aren't distracted by having to stop your writing flow.

 

10. Push past burnout. NaNo is 30/365 days which is 8.219% of your year. Remind yourself this in order to reach the ultimate goal. This feat is like running a marathon. Ask for extra help and consideration from those depending on you.

 

HAPPY WRITING!

Stay tuned for last NaNoWriMo related blog post: "The Aftermath". The other two blogs in my NaNoWriMo Tips Series are "Plotting" AND "Getting Through".

NaNoWriMo Tips Series (#1): Plotting

I will tell you firsthand I'm not sure how people make it to 50,000 words without outlining a novel first. Yes "pansers" I'm talking to you and humbly bowing down at the same time. Don't get me wrong, if you can pants your way through NaNo then by all means do what works. But if you'd like to change your method, even a little bit and plot beforehand, then read on.

Plotting

NaNoWriMo runs during the extremely hectic month of November in which we all are particularly busy with the holiday season and our lives so of course it's hard to fathom carving out any time to write, let alone writing 50,000 words. That's why before NaNo starts I plot a lot so I can skip around to different scenes when I'm under the gun to write a daily word count. It's been my experience, after winning both years I tried, that if I have a scene to write, I can keep pushing toward the 50,000 word count with enthusiasm. Resource: Writers Digest offers these plotting resources.

 

Getting Un-Stuck
My fear is getting stuck. I feel like if I get stuck then I won't reach my word count. I don't want to have to come up with ideas under pressure. Fleshing out ideas is no problem but coming up with new ones is a brain overload for me. I have enough stress and pressure in my normal life especially during November. Tangent: Why November, I wonder. It's like the semi-but-not-really-calm-before the storm of holiday season.  

 

Ways to Get Un-Stuck

Make readers care about your characters and believe they are real, with flaws. This should be done in your first few chapters. Ask yourself what's at stake, what will happen if the characters or main character doesn't solve the problem. If you don't make us care and set the stakes, this may be why you find it hard to keep on going with these characters.

Create an inciting incident (conflict that begins action of the story) and a big enough problem to keep the story going. This incident and problem have to keep snowballing, branching out (tumbling), growing (inevitably getting worse) for the conflict to rise and persist. Your characters will then make decisions and act, learn, grow and overcome these obstacles set for them. If none of this happens, frankly you have a boring book that needs revising and forethought.

 

All these points can be accomplished through Writers Digest plotting exercises and Jami Gold's Worksheets for Writers before starting to write so there's a clear idea of what the book is about and where plot will go. "Pansers" don't be dissuaded, most "plotters" use outlines as a guideline not a bible and you should too. (Jami Gold offers Scrivener templates too.)

 

The Plan to get ready for NaNoWriMo:

1. Come up with an idea then plot the main action first. The beginning, middle and end. I usually go further and plot every scene with a scene goal written in a few sentences. I know this is hard for most so just having a beginning, middle and end is a great start. Resources: Alicia Rasley has a great blog post on Outlining Your Novel in Thirty Minutes that can help get you going. Also a beat sheet* from Jami Gold can help. (Jami Gold offers Scrivener templates too.)

 

2. If your novel will take place in a different world/time than the present then start imagining how that world functions. This is going to help sell your story, making the world believable. Resource: Plotting Your Sci-Fi Novel by NowNovel

3. I look at the characters at a superficial and basic level. What do they look like and wear, how do they talk. Then what are their goals and motivations, how will moving through the plot change them?  Resources: Character Worksheet by Jody Hedlund, Character Development Worksheet by Writer's Craft and Creating Well-Developed Characters from NaNoWriMo Youth Program notebook are three great resources.

I always say the easiest part about writing is writing the first draft. The rough draft. In the rough draft, I've outlined and plotted the story and proceeded to dump all I have on paper. I let the characters speak to me. Ideas, scenes and dialogue come from everywhere; while sleeping, showering, out with friends, sitting at a stop light, listening, talking, observing and basically living. Just talking about it makes my blood rise and my palms sweat. So let life speak to you. Whether or not you reach 50,000 words during NaNoWriMo is totally up to you. It can be done if you put writing and yourself first. 

Stay tuned for additional NaNoWriMo related blog posts. Planned blogs in the NaNoWriMo Tips Series are "Getting Through" AND "The Aftermath".