5 Lessons I Learned While Preparing for Nanowrimo
A Yearly Tradition on Writing and Efficiency
NaNoWriMo, formally called the National Novel Writing Month, is a yearly challenge done every November. The challenge is to write a 50,000 word novel in November. This can be a rather daunting task, and many many don’t complete it. This can stem from many things: lack of time, priorities, etc. This doesn’t have to be the case for those who wish to partake.
I have done NaNoWriMo for about 3 years and I have made many words and written stories, however bad, in the timeframe given. I’ll go over tips to make this a more bearable and enjoyable challenge.
“Being terrified but going ahead and doing what must be done — that’s courage. The one who feels no fear is a fool, and the one who lets fear rule him is a coward.”
– Piers Anthony, Castle Roogna (Xanth)
1. Set Rules For Your Habits
Firstly, you must get your priorities in order. In order to commit to something, you must actively make time to do it; whether it’s the gym, writing or reading, you must prioritize. You must not conflate the important for the immediate. If you’re about to write but your friend called to go to a bar, you must decide wisely: will you go with the immediate and go out with your friend or stick to your habit and reinforce it? You must decide what is more important to you and the life you want for yourself.
2. Make A Plan
Writing without an outline is like driving a car with no headlights at night: you can crash, you have limited external help and you’re limiting yourself. Making a plan and creating an outline can save you time, make you prioritize the needs of the story and flesh out different parts of the story.
3. Set A Goal
The one thing that jumps out is most likely the word count of 50,000 words and rightfully so. You should strive for this word goal but if you don’t, it’s not a big deal. You can downsize the word count and have it be 20,000 or 30,000 if you want. But no matter the word count, the task can be daunting but if you combine the previous tips with this, you can achieve more success. Setting a word goal for when you write, whether you only write once a week or everyday, can minimize the work load. I have set myself a goal to write around 1,000 words a day. This has come with years of dedication and conditioning done beforehand. You should set a realistic and achievable goal tailored to the needs of you and your story.
4. Editing The Monster
When you have finished this monumental word challenge, congratulate and reward yourself first! After that, you can decide what to do with it: edit or let it get lost in your files. I highly encourage you to edit and send it to an editor; take that chance!
When editing, your first draft is going to be messy and not as cohesive as it could be; the first part was to write and finish writing not to make it perfect. When you edit, don’t worry about the word count or adhere to any requirements. Focus on how to tell your story in a way that is both cohesive, grammatically correct and true to you.
5. Trust & Enjoy the Process
Writing is meant to be a process of self-discovery and enjoyment. It’s where you fully trust yourself and your knowledge to figure out how to communicate something on the page. Enjoy this process, and don’t lose sight of why you write and who you do it for.
I hope these tips serve you well. I made them somewhat broad to apply to anything in your life but primarily focused in writing. I wish you the best in all your endeavors and your many trips around the sun!
