Tips on conquering Nano

themoormaiden asked you:

Hi! Your blog is super helpful, thank you for taking the time to answer all of our queries. :) Anyway, I’m taking part in Camp NaNoWriMo for the first time this July, not only will it be my first NaNo but it will also be my first time writing a full length novel and I’m terrified of failing horribly. I was just wondering if you had any tips when it comes to NaNoWriMo?

For those of you unfamiliar with Nano or Camp Nano, here’s a link! Camp Nano will be holding another session during the month of July, which, for lots of us, means no school and more writing. Hopefully.

Hitting a five-digit (or six-digit, in the case of certain crazies) word count can be intimidating, especially if we’ve never done it before or haven’t done it in a while or have never finished a manuscript before — whatever your case may be. But, it can be done. Here are some guidelines that always help me:

• Plan ahead. Even if you’re not an outliner, having some sort of battle strategy keeps you from hitting any ruts or the damning question of, “I don’t know what happens next.” This can take a chainsaw (the gritty horror kind of chainsaw that’s usually rusted, dripping with oil, and already somehow stained with blood) to your momentum, and momentum is hard to regain once lost.
• Make a schedule. Divide up your final word count goal by the days of the week that you’ll be able to write. If you have conflicts on certain days, don’t count those. Make a schedule of the word count you should reach every day. (Maybe this means counting to 1,700 words every day, or maybe that means adding up the total words you should reach every day, from 1,700 to 3,400, then to 5,100 – whatever feels comfortable to you.) If writing for 31 days straight is going to be a real bummer for you, then consider giving yourself weekends off and make up the words during the week. Make your schedule according to your needs.
• Clear your checklist every day. Eliminate as many stresses as you can before you start writing so that your brain is as clear as you can make it. This isn’t always possible, and sometimes housecleaning becomes very interesting when we’re supposed to be writing instead – but get a couple chores done, don’t fall behind on life things or neglect what you shouldn’t neglect. Find a balance.
• Focus on your daily goal. Don’t focus on your end goal, because 50,000 words is a hugely daunting number, like staring at the top of the mountain you’re supposed to climb when you’re still unpacking your gear into the parking lot. Focus on each step you make, and if you trip, catch yourself before you keep going. If you’re not accustomed to writing so many words a day, remember that the writing stamina builds slowly. Give yourself time to adjust.
• Get yourself pumped up before you begin. Make a soundtrack and listen to the song(s) you need before the scene you write. Draw. Heck, if you do your best thinking when you’re in the shower, then shower first, let yourself stew, and then get straight to writing afterward. If you’ve got specific things you like to wear while writing, put them on. I even used to play certain games before starting, just to get my head in the right place.
• Create a space for you to write in. Make a space around you that has your drawings up for you to see, or any art that reminds you of your story or characters. Surround yourself in your story, so that even if you look up from your computer (or notebook or what have you), you’re still fully immersed in your world. Change your desktop. Change the background on your phone.
• Write what you can when you can. The daily word count doesn’t have to be conquered in one writing session. Some of us can only write in short spurts here or there. Some of us can only write in the morning or in the evening. Some of us can only write while waiting at the bus stop, or on break at work, or while the kids are napping. Whatever the case may be, do what you can when you can and know your own limits. Don’t push yourself too hard or you’ll exhaust yourself too early.
• Participate in your cabin, or find a group of writers somewhere who are also participating. Be each other’s mentors, hold each other accountable every day. I like to prompt for progress reports (which are located in the “ksw nano” tag) so that, like last time, when I miss several days in a row, I have the pressure on me not to give up.
• Don’t compare yourself to others. You don’t know what the situations are for other writers – you only know yourself. If you can only barely make 1,700 words a day, if that’s a struggle for you, and you see other writers who clear 5k, don’t rip yourself apart over it. You don’t know where they are in their lives that allows them to do this. One of my friends can write twice as fast as I do, but all that matters is that I finish at the rate I’m most comfortable writing. To push myself any harder could potentially backfire.
• Take care of yourself. Eat, stay hydrated, sleep as well as you can, take breaks, get exercise, and for the sake of your organs, use the restroom. Part of keeping your momentum going is making sure your energy level is steady. If you get hungry, eat. Snack on carbs for short-term energy and protein for long-term energy. If you need caffeine, then drink caffeine. This certainly is not the month to be breaking any bad habits, or else you’ll be miserable.
• DON’T PANIC. Miss a day? Have trouble making your word count? Have trouble making your word count for the last three days? Cool it. Set the project down. Give yourself some space. Read on habits and taking care of yourself. You can always make up any time you lose – I’ve seen it done before. Just make sure you put yourself before your writing.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

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