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Okay, so last year I wrote a long thread of #NaNoWriMo survival tips. This year I'll actually post it (hopefully before my anxiety stops me) xD
Disclaimer:
Everyone's different, what works for me might not work for you. It's all about finding the things that work best for you
Disclaimer:
Everyone's different, what works for me might not work for you. It's all about finding the things that work best for you
Background: This is my 12th NaNoWriMo, and 11th in a row. It is not, however, going to be my 12th win. I struggled a lot in the beginning, but over the years I learned how to make it all work for me. I'm pretty confident that 2020 will be my 7th win.
But enough about that. On with the tips!
If you have the time/energy: always write more than the daily goal
Real life often throws things at you, making some days harder to get the words in than other days. Having extra words will make those days much easier to handle. And getting behind is super demotivating!
Real life often throws things at you, making some days harder to get the words in than other days. Having extra words will make those days much easier to handle. And getting behind is super demotivating!
Never think it's not worth writing if it turns out horrible in the end.
Firstly, it's the 1st draft, it's allowed to be bad. The 1st draft's job is to be a thing that can be improved into a 2nd draft
Secondly, you're gaining sweet XP in your writing skill
Firstly, it's the 1st draft, it's allowed to be bad. The 1st draft's job is to be a thing that can be improved into a 2nd draft
Secondly, you're gaining sweet XP in your writing skill
The only reason I manage to write the first draft is to promise myself that the first draft is mine and mine only. Nobody else gets to read it.
This removed a LOT of the need for perfection and let me experiment and play with the text in my own way, and I'm having much more fun
This removed a LOT of the need for perfection and let me experiment and play with the text in my own way, and I'm having much more fun
No deleting before December! You wrote a scene that messes up the plot, but it's several 100 words. Don't delete it! Mark it for later or move it to another document, & try writing the scene again. You wrote the words - count them even if you end up not using them in the story
Try writing in different places, at different times, in different positions (don't mess up your back!)
Do you get more words on the sofa than by the kitchen table? Do words seem to flow better at 7 AM than 5PM? Write in silence or with music? Experiment, find your personal thing
Do you get more words on the sofa than by the kitchen table? Do words seem to flow better at 7 AM than 5PM? Write in silence or with music? Experiment, find your personal thing
Listen to your body.
NaNoWriMo is great fun, but it's not worth getting burned out over.
Get up and move after long writing sessions.
Writing needs your brain. Your brain needs nutrition and hydration. Remember to eat, and stay hydrated!
NaNoWriMo is great fun, but it's not worth getting burned out over.
Get up and move after long writing sessions.
Writing needs your brain. Your brain needs nutrition and hydration. Remember to eat, and stay hydrated!
Seriously, DON'T BURN YOURSELF OUT
Again, listen to your body. If you're exhausted, maybe do the words another time and take a break. The words can wait. If you burn out it kan take super long to get back to normal. Sleep is important too!
Again, listen to your body. If you're exhausted, maybe do the words another time and take a break. The words can wait. If you burn out it kan take super long to get back to normal. Sleep is important too!
(2020 note to the above: I did burn out slightly after NaNo2019, so it's kinda amusing to see that I didn't follow my own tip here. I've learned now, though. I hope.
Let's continue this thread.)
Let's continue this thread.)
Community!
I'll always recommend checking out local write-ins if there are any close by. You might find new friends, maybe you write way better in a room full of people, or you might find it's not for you
I was super lucky with mine, and we made an all-year writer's club
I'll always recommend checking out local write-ins if there are any close by. You might find new friends, maybe you write way better in a room full of people, or you might find it's not for you
I was super lucky with mine, and we made an all-year writer's club
(Yes, I know, this is kinda hard to do due to the state of the world right now, with the pandemic and everything, but I wrote this last year when we could actually, you know, meet people in person and stuff. This tip is for when it's safe again.)
Maybe your region has an online community as well. A lot of them have discord servers now, where you can ask for advice, get inspired, share your frustrations about that one character that won't do as they're supposed to, and generally have a good time
Are you motivated by time limits? Writing sprints/word wars might be for you! Set a timer for a suitable time period (everything from 5 minutes to 2 hours) and write as much as you can before the timer runs out. It's super effective!
If long sprints seem daunting, try tiny sprints of 5, 10 or 15 minutes.
Hate short sprints because they mess up your flow? Do longer sprints of 20 or 30 minutes, or an hour, or two! Also, nobody said you needed to stop writing when the sprint is over. Follow that flow!
Hate short sprints because they mess up your flow? Do longer sprints of 20 or 30 minutes, or an hour, or two! Also, nobody said you needed to stop writing when the sprint is over. Follow that flow!
Are you stuck?
- Take a break
- Discuss your plot with a friend, a pet, or a potted plant/rubber duck
- Poke one of the online writing communities (there's loads on twitter/discord, also check out the NaNo forum)
- Throw conflicts/side quests at your characters
- Take a break
- Discuss your plot with a friend, a pet, or a potted plant/rubber duck
- Poke one of the online writing communities (there's loads on twitter/discord, also check out the NaNo forum)
- Throw conflicts/side quests at your characters
Are you stuck with an empty document? Write a paragraph or two with whatever comes to mind. These can be deleted later when you've actually started the story, or not. It's all about removing the empty from your document and start writing the words
Don't compare your word count with other people if it demotivates you. Remember that people have different:
- writing speeds
- amount of free time
- goals (writing for fun vs. writing to get published)
- lives/responsibilities
- energy levels
This is just some of the factors
- writing speeds
- amount of free time
- goals (writing for fun vs. writing to get published)
- lives/responsibilities
- energy levels
This is just some of the factors
Do compare your word count with others if you're competitive, but remember that the above factors and more might change your competitor's (and your!) progress through the month, so it might not be for you if you're easily discouraged.
Can't reach 50k? Set a personal lower goal!
There's no shame in not writing 50k, that's a lot of words, after all! If you try, remember that any amount of words is a win! Most people won't even try. You wrote more than most people in the world!
There's no shame in not writing 50k, that's a lot of words, after all! If you try, remember that any amount of words is a win! Most people won't even try. You wrote more than most people in the world!
I'm super serious about that previous one. Yes, I know, I'm one of those who write more than 50k during NaNoWriMo. That doesn't mean I'm not super proud of everyone who writes 50k, 25k, 10k or even 5k. You wrote the words! They wouldn't exist without you! You're awesome!
"But Milladamen, what do you know about not winning NaNoWriMo? You've reached 100k twice! And 150k last year!"
Because out of the 11 NaNos I've finished I've only won six of them.
My first four attempts had less than 10k when added together. The 5th attempt reached 33k words.
Because out of the 11 NaNos I've finished I've only won six of them.
My first four attempts had less than 10k when added together. The 5th attempt reached 33k words.
Also, I throw away my social life (except my NaNo writing buds) in November. My husband lets me obsess for a whole month and does most of the housework. I have no kids. I have zero sense of quality (my first drafts are horrid messes) which I write quickly...
...so I have a LOT of factors in my favor.
I spend all hours in November not at work or asleep either writing or getting ready to write. That's several hours a day on weekdays, plus probably 20 hours each weekend, because I love doing this so much and am just a tiny bit crazy
I spend all hours in November not at work or asleep either writing or getting ready to write. That's several hours a day on weekdays, plus probably 20 hours each weekend, because I love doing this so much and am just a tiny bit crazy
