If You’re In, Go All In
Planning Your National Novel Writing Month Win
If you’ve decided, it’s time to think a little further.
If you’re going to accept the National Novel Writing Month challenge, figure out how you’re going to do it. It is no small thing to write an original 50,000 word novel between November 1 and November 30.
Earnest, powerful intentions do not write a novel. A plan doesn’t write a novel, no matter how brilliant it is, even if it is color-coded, annotated, and excruciatingly detailed.
A great outline does not create the story that becomes a novel.
A writer writes a novel.
You are the person who is going to write your novel.
You are the only one who is going to write this novel — the NaNoWriMo challenge requires one author for a 50,000 word novel.
Writing groups, communities, and buddies are also powerful in accomplishing your win. There, you may find wonderful support and essential encouragement. However, deep, passionate participation in a group or camp or partnership is not the same as writing. Neither is helping a floundering fellow writer — although that is a very kind thing to do.
Nope, neither outline nor writing group is going to get your novel done. Books and guides, gurus and coaches can be buoyant and feel essential to girding yourself for writing, but again, these are not the same as writing the novel.
“In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is.” — Yogi Berra
My first NaNoWriMo novel was written in daily slogs of 1,667 words. Some days were more productive than others — which is a good thing because there were days when it was torture to get even 400 words down.
Later NaNoWriMo novels were written with more aggressive daily word goals. The goals were daunting, horrible goads to sit down and get the work done so I could breathe.
Goals of 2000 words or 2500 words meant I could host holiday gatherings and entertain guests without panicking about advancing my novel. These goals meant that I learned to write focused, not giving a second look at interesting side bits that would not advance the story. Occasionally, I had to break up my writing session for a dog that needed badly to go out, a person who needed a ride, real life. Then, the discipline meant I could be flexible and still get the words done for the day.
Don’t get me wrong. I hated leaving the story knowing that I’d return distracted. There were days when I’d be interrupted multiple times and it would feel a tremendous life achievement to work on the novel three or four times until I hit the daily goal.
It would take precious time to get back into the flow, but I found a way because I had committed to getting this 50,000 word novel done and there was nothing that would keep me from accomplishing my goal.
For every NaNo novel, I know these basics before November 1:
- Story: Who goes on what adventure for what goal? Why? Are they ultimately successful — or not?
- Characters: Who is this story about? Who else advances the story? Who is your protagonist/star and who is the antagonist who stands in their way?
What supports, guides, and goads help the protagonist prevail? - Setting: Where and when is this story? For example, my novels are contemporary women’s fiction, set in the present-day, real world of the United States. Knowing your timeline and places beforehand is critical to success. While you don’t have to know all the specifics, setting can contribute to the story with inherent rules, requirements, barriers, and supports.
- Themes: What worldview underlies the story? What perspective or point of view is the story written to express? Your themes can be as simple as love conquers all or more intricate and complicated.
- Genre: What kind of story are you writing? Is it a mystery, thriller, romance, adventure, coming-of-age? Are there expectations for the genre that are helpful or required? For instance, if you’re writing a cozy mystery, there is a murder, but violence is not shown and the killer is found by earnest, good-hearted amateurs.
This is my way. Obviously, other NaNoWriMo winners know more while others know less.
You don’t have to know all of this — or any of it — if this approach doesn’t work for you.
It’s your story and you’re going to succeed by telling it your way.
Now, in the days before November 1, it’s time that you know for yourself what you’re going to do to be successful.
