I read that you need to commit to writing at least 1668 words a day in order to reach the 50,000-word goal. That's not a light commitment for many of us. But it's possible. Really, it is! I figured out a few things that really helped me with getting on the NaNoWriMo train and I'd like to share them with you:
(1) Don't just think about it, DO IT! Make the decision to do it, sign up then pat yourself on the back. Yes, this is the easiest part about NaNoWriMo but so many don't even make that initial step.
(2) Surround yourself with NaNo Buddies. The one mistake I made the first year was thinking I could do it all by myself. Wrong. It so helps to have a few writing buddies going right alongside you. You can all cheer each other on, pull one another up when one is feeling low or give a much-needed pep talk.
(3) Have the support at home. If you're a 'Writing Mama' like me, it can be difficult to find the time when you have little ones afoot who need you. Tell your partner what you're trying to do and employ him or her to entertain the troop while you're typing away. That support is so important and it's awesome having a cheer squad on the homefront.
(4) Have a plan. I can't stress enough the importance of having some sort of plot plan and character sketches for each of your characters. Of course everything could change as you go along but having that initial plan really helps get you started.
(5) Set the time to do it each day. Okay, this is the difficult part. We all have busy lives. But if you're serious about this you need to set an hour or so each day to it. Personally, I can't dedicate the same time each day to writing but I can dedicate some part of each day. All I do is say, "Okay! This is Mama's NaNoWriMo time!" then take that time--whether it's early in the morning, while the kids are napping or late in the night (if I stay awake that long!)
(6) Find what motivates you and lean on that. What motivates me are my kiddos. Seriously. If my Jaimie and little man Xander can find the strength to get out of bed each morning and face what what the 'sensational' world has in store for each of them, I can darn well write 1668 words! Find what motivates you the most and draw strength from that.
(7) Give yourself little rewards. As you complete each chunk of your soon-to-be bestseller, reward yourself in little ways. Go to a movie, treat yourself to a little bevvie (unless you're having a few while you're writing), have a long, luxurious bubble bath. Whatever works for you.
(8) Keep your sights on the prize. Okay, so you won't win anything monetary. You will, as I mentioned, have a completed manuscript when you've finished. So many writers or authors-in-waiting start a novel but very few finish it. When you reach those lazy or frustrating moments, remind yourself of that.
(9) Plan a celebration party. It doesn't have to be anything big. Just a few big hugs by your support group and popping open a bottle of your favorite beverage of choice. Give yourself an ending celebration to look forward to.
(10) Join a local NaNoWriMo support group. There are many state, city and international groups listed in the NaNo site. Join on so you can get support from local writers doing what you're doing. Believe me, it really helps.
OKAY! There you go. Those are some of the things I do around here during November. What do you do to prepare, stay motivated, forge ahead? How many of you out there have 'won'? How did you get there? PLEASE share!!!
And guess what? Last year I 'won' NaNoWriMo for the first time and the manuscript I completed (Out Of Sync) will be released through Melange Press in March 2012. If I can do it...YOU can too! See you there!
Chynna (Chynna_L on NaNo. Sign me up as a 'friend'!!)
6 comments:
Signed up a month ago. Already have my character sheets ready (starting Book 3 of The Whistle Creek Series) and working on a brief outline. Have ready my NaNo coffee mug, book bag, t-shirts, and even my NaNo pens. This is my 5th year (3 wins and one loss...had other priorities like my daughter's pregnancy and delivery during November two years ago). I'm super excited. I only wished there was a NaNoWriMo kick-off party closer to where I live. *May have to change that next year :)*
WHAT? Stopping NaNoWriMo to give BIRTH?!?! (LOL!) I hear you. The first year I didn't finish because I gave birth to my Xander. =)
You are PSYCHED! That's so awesome. Very inspiring. You're even getting ME more excited! HA!
Have fun. And feel free to 'friend' me. =)
Chynna
We have a wonderful region headed up by two strong Municipal Liasons (MLs). If I had only one piece of advice for new NaNoers, it would be to sign up with your region and ATTEND THE WRITE INS! They are suprisingly social events and having the support makes things go a whole lot easier.
Good luck.
The best I've done is 60k in about 6 weeks. I write slower now rather than faster. So it's not for me. But I'll cheer the participants just like I did last year.
Great tips! This is my first Nano and I am super excited about it.
Great tips! I'm lucky enough to have 2 buddies from within our local writers' critique group who are participating. There also are a number of ladies from the "Late Bloomers" group on She Writes who are doing NaNo. We've been chatting and prepping for weeks now. Some "non-writing-related" tips we've shared (and it's still not too late to put them in place): 1. Get your house clean, especially your office or desk area. Then ask family to help out to keep it that way. 2. Plan some crock pot meals; reduce your cooking duties as much as possible. 3. Purchase any office supplies you think you'll need ahead of time. (A number of us are office-supply junkies! lol) 4. If you're not already doing on-line bill-paying, now's a good time to set it up. Really a time-saver.
Good luck to all the WriMos out there ! We can all do it :)
Buddy me: CandiceC
Post a Comment