November is approaching fast. It’s time for another National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). Will you commit to writing 50,000 words during November?
Before I found out about NaNo in 2003, I was the queen of beginnings. I had lots of first chapters, some books of three chapters, a couple of books with six or seven chapters. However, I had never written all the way to THE END.
NaNo caused me to send my internal editor on vacation and actually get through the entire book. It’s a wonderful way to get through the first draft.
Planning to write 50,000 words in 30 days doesn’t seem as daunting when 100,000 others are doing the same thing. The forums on the website provide fellowship, support, and all sort of interesting research information.
Some people think that novel written in 30 days has to be worthless. Many NaNo novels have been published by major publishers including Harlequin, Simon and Schuster, Grand Central Publishing (formerly Warner), Harper Collins, Ballantine, and Berkley among others.
There are many reason to participate in NaNoWriMo.
- NaNo gives you a chance to try a different way of writing.
- If you are a plotter, try pantsing. If you usually writing into the mist, try drawing up an outline or a plan
- Try out a new idea.
- If you have an idea that you aren’t sure would sustain a full novel, give it a try. If your story doesn’t work out, all you’ve lost is 30 days. If if does work out, you have a first draft of a new book.
- NaNo provides opportunities for promotion.
- NaNo is a recognized world-wide event. It gets lots of media coverage. The website even provides a NaNoWriMo Media Kit to connect media professional with authors.
- Gain new readers.
- If you upload an excerpt of your novel to the website, you’ll find new readers who want to read the entire book.
- You can learn to ignore your inner editor.
- Quit trying for perfection on your first draft. NaNoWriMo gives you permission to write crap. Send your editor off on vacation to rest up before the hard work of the re-write, and just let the words flow.
- NaNo has local groups around the world.
- You can get away from your computer to talk with others who understand the challenge and the characters who whisper (or yell) in your ear. There are also “write-ins” where you can bring your computer, AlphaSmart, or notebook and write in the company of fellow NaNoWriMos.
It’s true that most novels are longer than 50,000 words. However, if you have completed that much (or more) you have a very good start on a marketable book.
It’s only 1666 words a day. I just read that Nichols Sparks sets his daily quota at 2000 words per day.
Give it a try. You’ll find that magic happens when you are completely involved in the story.
Take October to plan (or not). What have you got to lose? Just do it.
Write on,
Lynn Jordan
October 5th, 2008 at 9:56 pm
I am inspired! 1666 words doesn’t seem like that big a deal. If I succeed I will have a wonderful new habit!
Thanks and many blessings
October 6th, 2008 at 8:54 am
[...] are your tips for preparing for NaNoWriMo? Click on comments to leave your [...]
October 29th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
Thanks for the inspiring article. This will be my 3rd year and I made it last year but did not finish the year before. I have a few tips to add, they may not be very helpful but they did it for me last year.
1. My step son is an aspiring writer also so I have enlisted him as my NaNo buddy and we provide help and support for each other, but what really gets us going is that we are both thrive when competing. We set up an individual contest against each other. We made up our own rules last year and are working on them now. For example, in addition to the chores or things you do for people holding your goal cards we have a weekly word tally. The winner of most words each Saturday is treated to a “happy”
week one if I win, he walks my dog for me every morning (I hate to do this in the cold), if he wins I clean the kitchen of his apartment.
week two, we go small. If I win he brings me take out dinner of my choice vice versa, week three winner gets to pick out any new book at the bookstore and loser pays. Grand Finale. At the conclusion, assuming we both make it whoever goes over the most amount of words win the grand prize. My prize this year is a gift card for a full day at the spa(a much needed and well deserved treat) if he wins I buy him a round of golf-18 holes plus cart rental and watch his kids all day while he enjoys unwinding
2 Another tip that really worked for me was to really utilize the cards you give family and friends to hold to see if you meet your 2000 word goal or other daily goals. I literally make my chore so unenjoyable that I would rather write all night than do it, like cleaning out a friends car or planting her spring flowers- you get the idea
3. I enlist friends from the site- strangers in the beginning, but they are going through the same thing so it helps to have the moral support.
I love your idea about having a friend send you a word a day (if you complete 1600 words) I many incorporate this and add to it
4. I am going to engage the involvment of another writer friend and ask her to send me a random writing promt each day that I make my goal
5. I cleaned off my desk, upgraded my software made sure I have plenty of printer paper cartridges etc.
6. Buy the book and tool kit “No plot no problem”
7. I did not have time this October to work on character sketches or plot ideas so I really am writing from the seat of my pants, but i am gonna use the next two days to make a list of all the main plots (no subplots) just main plot-maybe ten, that I have always wanted to write
8. I did spend a good deal of time downloading random photos of peopke from different clip art sites and random symbols etc that will hopeully come in handy
9 this year I am going to finally buy disc to back up my work; so far I have been lucky but why chance it
10 and finally, i have just about convinced my hubby to treat me to a mid 2010 writers retreat put on by the authors of “how to write a breakout novel” this is a retreat full of published authors and agents that I have dreamed of attending. This year it is in New Orleans which is w/i driving distnace and I have been paying on the payment plan (assuming they accept me) and here is the real kick in my butt! They only accept applicants who have a completed or nearly completed manuscript, so i have all th eincentive i could need. I will complete this because it is my dream to go to this retreat
* I know the economy id bad and money is tight, but we are about te embark on a month long task that rivals with any others I have ever attempted. yes the reward is competing your novel, but the added bonus of a reward of something you have always wnated- a new laptop, a trip a writers course etc can really motivate and like my hubbie said the reward if expensive, does not have to arrive or be given on ecember 1, no rule for that. Suppose your bif reward is a new laptop or a trip. If you complete your novel-you win no questions asked, but the person contributing the most gets to choose when you receive it, for example a trip of a lap top is your reward, you get a card aknowledging such on December 1 that says your surprise will await you on July 6, 2010 (or any date month away) this gives you and the perosn doing this for you time to put money up each month to reach the goal. I have promised my stepson some new writers software that is pricey if he completes his novel. I intend to put $50 away each month until I have $299.00 and then he gets his extra reward
I hope more readers post their ideas; I love to incorporate as many helpful hints as possible
good luck everyone and
WRITE ON
Melissa