It’s that time of year for authors. November 1st. The first day of National Novel Writing Month, otherwise known as NaNoWriMo.
The biggest decision is whether or not to participate. It’s no small ask; 50,000 words is a lot. At the same time if you complete it you have a very solid foundation of a full-length novel. This will be my third year participating, but I’ll be honest, I didn’t make the final decision until today. The last two years have been pretty difficult for me between a concussion year one and severe bronchitis last year. As it is, I’m recovering from another round of severe bronchitis this time, but there’s something I love about NaNoWriMo, and decided I didn’t want to miss it.
That being said, there’s a lot of advice on how to get through a project like this in the time frame given. Even though NaNoWriMo is, technically, only one month long, many people start planning in September, then also participate in “Preptober,” using the whole month preparing for November. Authors who do this are considered “planners” but I’ll be honest, that’s not me. I would say I fall about 80% – 90% into the “pantser” mode of writing; as in I like to have an idea of what I’m going to write and some major plot points, but if I plan out too much I feel like my work loses its magic.
So today I’m going to give a few pointers if you’re in my camp and maybe still haven’t even decided whether or not you want to join. Please don’t think that because you didn’t do Preptober or sign up before November 1 you can’t do it, you totally can!
Ellie’s 5 Tips for Being a NaNoWriMo Pantser
1. Have an idea before starting.
Yes, I know, I said you can just jump in, and you can, but you have to have some kind of an idea of what you what to write about or you’re going to sit there and stare are your computer blankly and end up frustrated. I promise you if you get frustrated you won’t finish, so do yourself a favor and at least have a basic idea. Write a few notes or plot points, something to look at when you need it.
For example, I will be working on Book 3 of my Wildwood series this year. This morning I didn’t have more than some names and a location, so I sat down with my trusty dry erase board and markers and made some notes for myself. Can I fit a whole story on that board? Definitely not, but it gives me something to look at and an idea of where I’m going.
2. Set Goals
If you sign up for NaNoWriMo, your main goal is set for you. Write 50,000 words in the month of November.
However, you could decide to write more, and the project you work on is up to you. You could even decide to work on two short stories. Decide what will be best for you, and stick to it. Write it down so you can see it. Put it in the NaNo project slot.
3. Announce Your Intentions
You’ll see this one posted everywhere. Every advice piece will tell you to do this and I wholly agree. Put it on Facebook, Instagram, your blog, tell your friends, and join groups.
Why?
If people know you are participating, they can help support you in whatever shape that takes for you. They can cheerlead, make snacks, poke and prod, quietly sit and let you bounce ideas off them over coffee or tea, and so on. Whatever you need to help you get through this task because, as noted before, it’s not a small one, but it is a doable one. By holding yourself accountable and announcing yourself others can help you too.
4. Use Buddies
This one can come in multiple forms. You have friends in real life who are not writers but who can support you as noted above. Find groups on social media who can help you, including NaNo’s cabins and buddies. These are people who, unlike your non-writer friends, will be able to empathize with your struggles and successes, and are truly be happy for you when you complete the task.
Is this absolutely necessary? Not really, but trust me, you’ll be happier. You’re not alone in any feeling you have during NaNoWriMo, and it can be really helpful to have people who can relate to the good and the bad.
5. Have Fun!
Yes, this is TOTALLY worth listing!
It’s entirely possible to get caught up in the stress and numbers of NaNoWriMo and completely forget that you’re doing something you love. If you don’t have fun with this then you not only won’t want to do it again but you’ll have put all that effort into writing for nothing. If you don’t love your WIP no one else will either!
I nearly forgot this the first year. I had a concussion and wasn’t even supposed to look at my computer and felt so guilty about not writing enough (even though I was already over my word count) I posted about it. So many people gave me such wonderful responses telling me to remember this is supposed to be fun and to take care of myself it’s a large part of why I keep going now – the NaNoWriMo community is wonderful.
Commiserate with friends and buddies, laugh at the memes and other funnies, be excited for people having a good writing day, and remember you’re doing this because you love writing!
In Conclusion…
You don’t have to be a complete planner to succeed at NaNoWriMo, it’s a journey, not a race, enjoy it.
You’ll experience highs and lows and it’s important to remember that your low days will balance out with better ones. Don’t get too caught up in daily word totals and lose sight of the long-term goals. Write, have fun, and make some new friends!
NaNoWriMo is an experience you’ll never forget!
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