Surviving NaNoWriMo

and Thriving

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NaNoWriMo believes your story matters, and so do I. Each November, thousands of people attempt to write a 50,000-word novel in one month. I've participated twice. Once successfully and once not. I'm still on the fence if I'm going to take part this year. I need to start another book, but I also have three other projects to complete, so I don't need another distraction. I'm thinking I can do NaNoWriMo on my own. I can pick a different month. It doesn't have to be November, but it is motivating to have thousands of other people and buddies to share the experience with, and there's something magical about being able to write a book in a month.

Okay, let's get started. If you want success, I can offer some advice, do some advance prep work in late September and October:

1. Create the book's title, hook, and tagline. It helps to know where you're going.

2. Download the printable document, NaNo Prep101: A Six-Week Workshop and Resource Guide for Writers, especially if you have never written a book before. It will help you with every step, from developing a plot to character development. This probably isn't necessary if you've written a few books, but it is handy. 

3. Create an outline of the plot (if you don't use the NaNo Prep Guide). I use Plottr. If you don't want to, fine, but write down something. Do not go into this cold. You say you're a Panster. Good for you. I thought I was too, but there's no time to figure it out when you're writing every single day for a month. Have a plan or face the consequences of a hot mess. I wised up the second time, so I didn't give up two weeks in. At the very least, take advantage of some of what NaNo offers under their prep to prepare a plot.

4. Develop your characters. Write character descriptions, back story, flaws, goals, motivations, and conflicts. Establish an entire character arc for at least your main characters. Again, refer to NaNo's prep if unsure what to do. If you think the questions on the form are overwhelming, you are not ready to write the book. 

5. Plan romance arcs. I'm a romance writer, so I need to know the romance beats of the story and how they will align with the rest of the book.

6. Research settings. I researched where the story took place, wrote down descriptions of each location, and found pictures to refer to. This made things more manageable, so I didn't have to stop writing to figure all of this out.

7. Identify writing software. What software are you writing in? Make sure it allows you to move scenes and chapters quickly. I use Living Writer, other people use Scrivener, you may use Word, whatever works for you.

8. Write beyond the suggested word count of 1667 words a day. I went for 2000 just in case I missed a day. I also started writing a couple of days early to bank words. It's not cheating. It's about ending up with a book and doing the prep work to get there. If you miss a day, it's not a tragedy. Pick yourself up and get back in the game. Keep writing! At the end of the month, I was over my word count, and because of all the prep, I had a solid first draft. 

9. Schedule a writing calendar. Figure out how many words you need to do a day to fulfill your quota, mark them on the calendar, and stick to it. 

10. Clear your calendar. Don't book other appointments in November. 

11. Find writing buddies. They can support you, and you can help them. Do this as soon as possible. It's what makes NaNo fun. You can search for them on NaNo. There are Facebook and Instagram NaNo groups, too, or if you are in a group such as CRW, buddy up.

12. Enter your word count. You can do this daily in Nano. It keeps you motivated. Also, celebrate your badges for each milestone, connect with other writers and celebrate theirs. I alas, failed to enter or pick up many of my badges near the end of NaNo even though I surpassed my word count and ended up with a great first draft.

13. Give rewards. Take yourself for a walk and/or enroll in a yoga class or buy a new journal. Thank your family for their support by taking them to dinner or to a movie. 

14. Create your project early. Describe it and design a fun cover. You can say you are in the prepping phase. Take advantage of discount offers, contests, etc., on NaNo. Also, give back, and donate to NaNoWriMo. 

I would love to hear how others found success or not with NaNoWriMo. Please leave a comment to help other writers.

Next week we’ll have a guest writer on What Do Romance Authors Think About? Judy Ichkhanian will tell her reasons for writing and reading Victorian Romance. It’s an exciting read. So you don’t want to miss this one. Anyone else out there who would like to share their take on romance, please reach out.

Have a great week writers!