Four tips for winning NaNoWriMo
30 days of writing, 50,000 words - impossible? It does sound totally overwhelming, but taking part in NaNoWriMo is one of the fastest ways to go from 0 words to a finished first draft. Writing so much in a short space of time really helps you outrun self-doubt and avoid indulging your inner editor (and it's great fun, too).
But how do you avoid giving up after the first few days? What actually helps when it comes to showing up to your story every day and getting those words down? How do you keep going if you get stuck or run out of ideas?
Here are four tips for winning NaNoWriMo from my own experience:
Make a plan (even if you're not a 'plotter'). Planning your writing for the month can take the shape of a detailed, complex outline, or a simple series of bullet points listing key scenes. Either way, having a clear direction to follow (even if it shifts and changes along the way) is really invaluable when you're trying to write quickly, stay inspired, and not get held up by trying to figure out where on earth your plot is going.
Prioritise. NaNoWriMo is an intense way to quickly write a first draft - so you may have to put other projects on hold for the month if you're able to. Avoid committing to any other challenges or starting any new hobbies or passion projects; you're going to have your hands full for the next 30 days, and adding anything else is going to get quickly overwhelming. Simplify the areas of your life that you can, and you'll have more energy and time to dedicate to writing throughout November.
Be kind to yourself. Writing every day for 30 days is a challenge, but at its heart, NaNoWriMo is designed to be a celebration of writing - and a month of enthusiasm and community. Don't beat yourself up if you miss a day or fall behind - any progress, any words at all towards your goal is a step in the right direction. Make some time to batch prepare meals or get ahead with life admin if you can, and remember to keep topping up your creative well throughout the month - incorporating rest and reading time where possible.
Have some quick wordcount-boosting tricks up your sleeve. It's easy to start flagging when you hit the midway mark of NaNoWriMo, that enthusiasm starts to ebb and you're worrying if you've used up all of your energy and good ideas. The solution is to have a few quick tricks to hand when your daily wordcount needs a boost (and remember, when you're writing a first draft - it's mostly about experimenting and uncovering your story - and you won't necessarily be keeping anything when you revise). Try:
Writing a scene or chapter from a different character's POV (works especially well for helping you to understand your antagonist and their motivations).
Writing a scene from a character's past (good for getting clarity on some backstory without infodumping).
Adding a scene that has nothing to do with your plot, but feels like a fun way to get to know your characters or world.
Timing yourself to a set wordcount. Set a timer for 30 or 60 minutes, and race yourself to 500 or 1000 words (works even better if you can pair up with a writer friend and race each other).
Taking your writing on the road. Move desks to a local cafe or library, and let the change in location give you a boost.
Whether you're on track for a 'winning' NaNoWriMo or not this year, remember that the ultimate goal is to get a finished first draft of your novel. In this case, it really is the taking part that matters the most, and any words you write and good habits you form are going to get you closer to that goal - whether you write 500 words or 50,000.
