NaNoWriMo, short for National Novel Writing Month, is probably one of the most fun yet stressful months of the entire year for writers. After all, 50,000 words of a novel written in 30 days is no small feat! With the proper tips and tricks, and planning if you’re the kind of writer who plans everything ahead of time, the goal is absolutely achievable. Here are some of my favorite tips for surviving NaNoWriMo!
- Writing Supplies
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This is arguably the most important thing you need; pencils, pens, paper, your laptop, charger, however you’re going to write your novel. Some people even write their novels via typewriter! No matter how you’re going to be logging those words, be sure to be prepared—have plenty of paper, a good charge on your electronic device, etc. Trust me, you’re going to need it. Don’t forget to count up those words and log them into NaNoWriMo’s website!
- Writing Snacks
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Make sure you’re properly fueled! Sometimes it helps to treat yourself—feed into your snack cravings, whether they be pretzels, chocolate chips or just tea and a sandwich. Even if you prefer not to eat while writing, don’t forget to eat during breaks and hydrate yourself. No matter how much you’re writing a day, health and self-care comes first.
- The Perfect Playlist
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Not everyone listens to music while they write, and that’s alright! If you do, however, sometimes it’s fun to just spend a week or so before (or during) NaNoWriMo finding the perfect songs to fit your characters and the mood of your novel. Make the playlist as crazy as you want! I use a blend of country, 80s and 2000s pop, musicals and Pokemon game music. See? Crazy!
- Cheerleaders
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Have people around you who cheer you on! Not only that, but they may be open to listening to you rant about your characters and plot, trying to figure out what should happen next. It’s an amazing feeling to have someone like that, even if you solve the issue completely on your own. Your cheerleaders believe in you and your novel, and that’s what matters.
- Inspiration and Passion
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It’s incredibly important to like what you’re writing about. You don’t want writing your novel to feel like a chore, after all. If you’re not passionate about your project, well, you can always change the subject part way through the month! Same goes for inspiration; if you can’t find any, try to look somewhere else. As they say, inspiration can come from some unexpected places.
- The Second Week Slump
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This is probably the hardest part of NaNoWriMo, trust me. It’s hard to avoid the second week slump—I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone avoiding it—but with the proper mindset, you can work through it! Just keep in mind that what you’re writing now doesn’t need to be perfect; it’s just a draft to be finished, edited and fully cleaned-up further down the road if you want to. There’s no pressure for you to be perfect!
- Burnout Supplies
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These differ from person to person. Personally, I have plenty of bookmarked fanart to look at and fanfics to read while I’m procrastinating. Some people use dialogue or scene prompts, which can be found with a simple Google search. Whatever will help you kill some time before you start working on your novel again! Recovery time, in my experience, gives you a chance to recharge your batteries so you can be at your best before continuing.
- Worldbuilding
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Many NaNoWriMo participants will have this done ahead of time, but if you’re not one of those participants, that’s fine! I know I always make decisions about the world itself as I go; the important thing is to write down the decisions so you don’t have to go searching through tens or hundreds of pages for the small details later. Trust me, you’ll thank yourself.
- Write for Yourself
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This is the advice I see floating around the internet most often, and it’s some of the most valuable advice I’ve ever found. It’s so easy to get caught up thinking about what your audience wants to see from you, and before long you lose interest or feel like writing is a chore. Once you focus on writing what you want to see and take the creative liberties you want, you’ll feel liberated.
- It’s Okay Not to Finish
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You don’t have to finish your novel. You don’t even have to hit the daily word goal. Finishing the 50,000 words in 30 days is a huge accomplishment, yes, but it’s not the end of the world if you don’t finish. You’re still that much further into your novel than you were at the start of the month, and that’s something to celebrate!
Hopefully these tips help you, whether you’re a NaNoWriMo veteran or amateur! I wish everyone good luck with NaNoWriMo this year!