How to Write a 50,000 Word Novel in 30 Days

Okay. I should admit right off the bat that the title is a misnomer. I have no idea how to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days.

But I’m going to try for it.

Beginning on November 1, I’ll be starting to write a relatively short book in the span of a month. I’ve always wanted to participate in National Novel Writing Month, which dares participants to do exactly what I’ve described.

NaNoWriMo is an international online community of amateur and professional writers banding together to take on a common challenge. There are even local support chapters — I missed the launch party in Ottawa last night, but how cool is it that there was one? All-night write-ins are scheduled, as well as bowling nights to keep your mind off of that word count. The online community support seems stellar, with lots of opportunities to share drafts or yell for a life raft.

This month I’ll be counting words, but I got used to counting of a different sort for a previous personal project. I tallied syllables to write 100 haikus in 100 days earlier this year. It re-inspired me in a way I can’t fully explain, and I’ve been looking for my next creative project ever since.

So this is it. I’m terrified to admit this publicly because it means, you know, that I actually have to do it. But here’s to being accountable, and pushing yourself in new ways to keep those neurons firing.

I’ll be trying to write around 2,000 words per day, which means I’ll get about five days of rest somewhere in there, or it’ll account for days when I just get stuck. They’re sure to happen, and no amount of wine or bubble bathing will bring it out. If I write 12,500 words per week, I’ll reach my goal.

This entire post, for reference, is 611 words top to bottom, so I’ll be writing 3.27 of these every day.

Preparations

I’ve done some legwork to make this whole thing easier. The scene (time, place, and mood) has been bouncing around my brain for a couple of years now; it involved worldbuilding, which isn’t something that happens overnight.

I just needed a plot to go with it. So I did some soul searching (read: drinking wine and tapping a pen frantically on my notepad, begging for inspiration to strike), and got something down on paper. I’ve parsed out a plot that seems at least a little bit interesting, so I’m going to start with that.

I’ve fleshed out various elements. These are the tabs in my notebook (I won’t give any more context than what it reads on those blue post-its for suspense’s sake):

• Test run
• Things of value
• Timeline
• Miriam
• Social setting
• Storyline and key words
• Tom
• Cast of characters
• Desirable and undesirable traits
• The Hallendy’s (M’s parents)
• Act and chapter breakdown
• Plan
• Opening and closing lines
• Plot ideas and prose
• Overview

How to follow along

It seems hard to believe I will have time to write about my writing experience as I go. But if you’d like to follow along, I’ll be using the hashtags #nanowrimo and #courtneywrites on Instagram to share any insights or (more likely) struggles along the way.

Tune in to watch me succeed or fail miserably; to perhaps learn something about the writing process or to impart some of your wisdom (please oh please impart some of your wisdom).

And so it begins… Wish me luck!