November is National Novel Writing Month! Every November, thousands of people attempt to write a first draft of a novel. Most try to write fifty thousand words by the end of the month, but if you want to raise or lower that goal, you can work at your own pace.
Writing fifty thousand words in only thirty days may seem like a daunting task, but it’s entirely doable with these easy tips.
1. Be sure to pace yourself. You aren’t going to be able to write twenty thousand words in one sitting. Try to set a time each day devoted only to writing. If you can write for just an hour each day, it’ll start adding up.
2. Don’t worry too much about it being your best work. The point of National Novel Writing Month is that it encourages you to actually write. As long as you get something on paper, when you’re done you can revise it as necessary.
3. Use online writing resources. You might get stuck and not know where your story should go next. If this happens, there are many resources that can help you with ideas. You can use writing prompts or get inspired by a quote.
4. Find an idea you’re excited about. If you don’t even like your own story, why are you writing it? Think about what kind of books you like to read, and this may give you an idea of something you’d be good at writing.
5. Talk to your friends about your ideas. Especially if your friends are writers too, they might have insight on where you should go next or how you can improve your writing.