Writing Tips and Tricks

Tips and Trick to Help the NaNoWriMo Process

It's NaNoWriMo time - which for those not in the know is National Novel Writing Month. The aim is to write 50K words in one month and it is a great way to get a project started or finished. Check out NaNoWriMo.org for all the details. I have won NaNo six times and I'm doing it for a 7th year this year and I'm having fun (mostly 😂). 

This article is a few tips and tricks I have picked up over the years of doing NaNo.

For some, starting a novel is the hardest part. The idea is there in our heads, but trying to form it into something that makes sense on paper is difficult. And of course there is the really big question, where do we start in the first place.

There is a lot of theory on where a writer should start a novel, and I'm not going into all that today, all I am here to say is:

Don't worry where you started, just keep going!

One of the key things to remember with NaNo is it doesn't matter how much terrible material we add to our novel, it's all about getting the words down. We can edit later, but we can't edit what doesn't exist. Sometimes the getting there is actually the important part, and it's definitely true with NaNo.

We are not aiming for a perfectly finished novel at the end of November, we are aiming for something that can be crafted into our perfect novel.

How to Get to the End and Win NaNo

There are many ways of approaching NaNo, but these are my tips for winning :

✒️Write more when possible - If we have time to write a little extra one day, do it. Sometimes it can be a struggle just to get to the daily total, but if it's not and it's a great writing day, exploit it. Getting ahead will boost our confidence and helps our motivation.🌠

✒️Be mindful of burn out - That being said, we should be careful not to burn ourselves out. If we write too hard and too fast we may find we run out of steam part way through the month.💨

✒️Try not to stress - On the other end of the spectrum, if we miss a day, we should try not to let it make us anxious and worried. That is usually counter productive. If you're like me, having a deadline is great motivation, but worrying about it constantly is a total creative wipeout. We need to find the balance where we can give ourselves a little slack.😔

✒️Make up any deficit quickly - A counter point to this is, try not to get too far behind. We all need the odd day or two off, but we should try and make up the word count we have missed as soon as possible. It may take a couple of days of adding on some more words to the daily tally, but we should try to do it asap. This is because, no matter how we tell ourselves not to worry, we probably will.⌨️

✒️Be generous with ourselves - We should reward ourselves when we hit a target. A cup of tea, a snack, a bubble bath - depending on the achievement. Positive reinforcement is a great way to keep up the motivation.🍪

✒️Break it down - sometimes the daily word target can seem utterly huge even though we know we've done it before. It can really help if we break down the total number into smaller sections. 100 words is nothing, and 200 isn't much more, so if the words are being a royal pain, set each smaller target and break up the process. It's amazing how fast the target can be reached.⚒️

✒️Get support - if we're feeling isolated and demotivated, talking to other people can really help. Find some buddies on the , join in the NaNo groups, tell all your friends and get them to cheer you on. It can all be so useful.🤗

And there you have it, my tips for not going bonkers when trying to hit the 50K target. And remember, we write because we enjoy it (really we do😜) - have fun! 😊

Best of luck to all writers having a go this year, whether it is your first time or your tenth. I hope your words flow and your plot evolves.

Anyone else have words of wisdom to add - feel free to drop ideas in the comments?