With NaNoWriMo slinking around the corner, many of us are saying quietly to ourselves…
“Oh no.”
There’s nothing like writing 50,000-words in a month to both fill you with anticipation and dread, basically DREADTATION. It feels so so good to complete NaNoWriMo, to finish a book, to conquer a challenge. But actually doing the writing part of it? That’s really really hard. Not impossible, but really [pauses to cry] really hard.
If you aren’t familiar with NaNoWriMo, definitely check out their website. But basically it’s a challenge. It’s like a challenge to drink 3 litres of water a day. The reward for that is you’re hydrated. The reward for NaNo is you’ve finished a book and you’re so sleep deprived you accidentally did a blood sacrifice with your neighbour to finish on time. (KIDDING!!! You totally would not…do…that…)
You only have to write the 1,700 words a day, which isn’t that much. You just have to know what to write everyday, which sometimes is rather hard.
This will be my 6th year of NaNo, and that’s not a streak I can break (obviously, c’mon, I am a Slytherin), but I confess that I am actually feeling underprepared this year. Probably because I have not prepared. But let’s stuff that little reality in the corner and look at it later. The fact is: I have done FIVE years of NaNoWriMo and won each time. My best time was finishing in 2 days. My most ridiculous/stupid time was cram-writing in the last weekย after having been away for a month. And my most exhausting time was launching in after I’d just finished a massive intensive rewrite on an epic fantasy on a deadline — my brain was MUSH. That NaNo was…a mess. But hey! I still won.
I love doing NaNo and knowing thousands of people are writing every day and spinning magic into the midnight sky. Worldwide WRITING CLUB. ๐๐ป
Also did you know my novel that came out this year with Hachette UK (The Boy Who Steals Houses) was my 2016 NaNoWriMo project!?? So SEE. Anything is possible.
But in case the idea of writing 50K in a month is making you feel like you have a swarm of anxious bees in your mouth, I thought that I would…
give you some tips to win NaNoWriMo and finish your book in a month!
You’ve got this. ๐๐๐ป Also feel free to add me as a buddy!
other posts you might find helpful…
๐ฌ How To Write a Successful First Draft
๐ฌ How To Win NaNoWriMo in 3 Days
๐ฌ How To Stay Motivated While Writing Your Book
1. remind yourself that you’re writing a first draft
So it can suck! Did you hear me? FIRST DRAFTS CAN SUCK. They !!! are globally known !!! to be awful !!! And even if you write clean drafts (which is fine, I’ve started focusing more on this myself, but it takes meย way longer to write a draft), the point still is to keep moving forward and get the draft done. Think of your first draft like a skeleton.
NaNo is for just digging the bones out of their gnarly grave and doing a little dark magic.
#SpookySeasonReference
2. take yourself seriously
And by this I mean ๐ don’t act like it’s not a big deal that you want to write a book. It is a big deal. It’s special and important. I can be wholly hard to carve out time (especially with school and family and work commitments), but snatch your times and make them sacred.
And seriously, get off twitter. Take yourSELF seriously means prioritising what you WANT. And you want the draft.
3. plan your time
Put aside time. Legit, wrestle it out of the darkness and claim it as your own. You only have 1 hour to write? Make it count. And try not to leave writing 2K to the 20mins before bed, because…I don’t know. Do you want to die? Do you? ๐คจ
4. plan your book
Even if you’re not a plotter, it’s still helpful to go in with SOME sort of plan. Look, you don’t have time for writer’s block and you don’t have time to restart your book 40 x while trying to find the right scene. Even if you just write a bullet-point list of things that need to happen, your characters’ goals, and a rough idea of the ending.
If you’re going to hurl yourself screaming into a novel on a deadline — then KNOW where you’re going!!!
๐ฌ How To Outline Your Novel (Without Biting Your Own Head off)
5. write your book’s blurb first
This is my favourite cheat-tip ๐คSo many people say to me “um, summarising my 80K novel into 3 paragraph is too hard”. Okay so: write 3 paragraphs and then summarise them in an 80K novel. Do the blurb FIRST. (Or query, or synopsis. Whatever fits for you.)
Also this is a great way to know if your book sounds unique and hooky enough. If you can’t write a blurb that makes your soul ignite — then your premise probably needs more work! You can plot it better now, before you’ve written it. And then you don’t have to rewrite so deeply later.
6. have you got your panic buddy!!!
Some people have writing buddies, but!!! The true term is: PANIC BUDDY. And you need one.
“oh but c.g. i don’t have friends,” you say in a small voice.
Eh, neither did I when I started blogging and writing. You make them. There are forums on NaNoWriMo’s website, or you can use twitter hashtags, or follow along with Instagrammers. Start conversations. Be friendly. Support others. Seriously, YOU can be the one who is friendly too. You don’t have to wait for friends to come to you — this is advice from someone with social anxiety!!! The internet makes friendship easier for some reason!!! Less eye-contact and you can answer messages when you’re ready, not before. ๐ SMART.
Also just give updates. I will be nattering away on my Stories on Instagram, because it’s rather motivating to talk about your own progress. You feel seen. But blog, tweet. Whatever it takes to keep you motivated.
7. take pride writing what you’re good at
Look we all have our writing strengths. Description. Incredibly imaginative worlds. Character banter. Emotional scenes. Action. Whatever it is! LEAN into it. Write the scenes you’re not good at and leave them. Then focus on the thrill of writing the parts you ARE good at. (You can fix the messy things all later.)
Getting through NaNo is about not feeling like piece of soggy bread. So cheer yourself on and revel in your strengths.
8. let your story evolve as you write
One of my personal biggest problems with writing a first draft is that, about 20,000 words in — I’ll always get a dash of sudden inspiration. Sometimes this derails my whole outline and I hate everything (mostly myself). But sometimes it’s just a smaller thing. The villain should have been younger. The book should’ve been set by the sea. I don’t need three characters were two could go. Etc. Etc.
The instant reaction is: oh no I have to start again.
But youย don’t.
Just keep writing from where you are, implementing the changes NOW. This way you’re not wasting time writing an old villain when you know it needs to be a young villain. You can fix the first 20K in edits. It honestly doesn’t matter if your book’s beginning doesn’t match the ending right now. Let it be a tattered jacket with elbow patches. Seriously, workย with your story and your muse, not against it.
9. don’t self-sabotage
Stop telling yourself you can’t do this!! I will quietly shake you, just a little, and remind you that you are NOT an “aspiring writer” and your writing isn’t “a total garbage fire” and you are not a “dead eyed llama stuffed into a trench coat”. (I mean MAYBE the last one is true, fine. I won’t judge.)
But don’t talk yourself out of writing your book. This is my #2 favourite hobby. My #1 favourite hobby is, of course, deciding my story is unimportant and nooooo one will ever want to read it. Then I move onto deciding I’ll never write it well enough. JUST ๐ฃSTOP ๐ฃTHAT.
It’s a lie, and you know it. Your story is important and you don’t have to get it “right” instantly.
10. write by not writing
And I cannot stress this enough…but I do my best writing when I’m NOT writing. ๐ I literally will get up for a glass of water, and think of a much better way to write a scene. I plan out all my scenes when I go for an afternoon walk. Or sometimes I lie on my bed daydreaming (fine, sometimes it turns into a nap; but other times it’sย work.)
If you want to have a very fruitful and productive writing session: KNOW what you’re going to write before you sit down!!
Mentally go through a scene like a movie in your head before you write it (even if it’s just one scene a day!). Let it morph as you go. Give yourself a plan but also be flexible. Writing becomes so much easier then. ๐
| what do you say? |
hellooooo tell me who is doing NaNoWriMo this year? give me a hint on what your book’s about? do you have any other tips to share for those writing a novel in a month?
uhm!!! eek! thanks for this post. i don’t think i’ll win nano this year but i am going to try and reach at least 20k!! because i still want to get something done! and i know i can’t do the 50k bc this school year is so genuinely stressful i think i might drown in everything i have to do. so i’m being realistic! BUT THIS IS SO HELPFUL. i really like the advice “take pride writing what you’re good at” because i think it’s so important to do the thing u write the best since it’s so enjoyable, and makes the first draft so much easier!! i’m still working on my novel from last year’s failed nanowrimo! the story has changed dramatically though and i’m excited to see where i can take it!
the amount of exclamation points! in theis comment should be illegal.
yes yes, you’ll be great!! ๐ค and honestly, the heart of NaNo is about writing hard and challenging yourself, so I’m cheering you on from over here!!
This is my first year of writing NaNo but you already know this because you’re the one who convinced me to do this. But these tips were super helpful, and I feel much more confident about getting through this. My book is going to be about some heavy shit, since clearly I choose for my first NaNo to go all in. Watch I still have 5 days I can still change to something more cutesy.
I hope it goes really well for you though!! And sometimes the heavy books are just what calls to us!
CAIT! These tips are awesome! I’m so ready for NaNo. I’m being a rebel this year though since I’ve already started my project. Oops?
Lil, same!!! ๐๐๐
AHHH I hope it goes SO well for you though!! ๐ค
These are great tips! I’ve been doing Nanowrimo forever and I’ve won every time, sometimes by cheating, but hey… I still get nervous (but also excited) every year!!
Eh, as long as you get a book written right?! ๐ค that’s the important thing!!
I’m not a writer myself but as an avid reader I find learning about other people’s writing experiences really interesting – especially as you managed to turn one of your NaNoWriMo projects into a published book!
Aww thank you!! It’s a pretty fantastic thing knowing that mess of a NaNo project someday got somewhere. ๐
Oooooohhhhffffff thanks! I’m not going to do it THIS year but I’m already dreading the day when I begin because I can barely write a paragraph most days…. AHH. I’m a mood writer and it’d be just my luck to have November as my off month.
But complete and utter terror and torture sounds like a bunch of fun!!! I’ll have to come back to all these when I *gulp* attempt this. Oh no.
November doesn’t work for everyone! But I hope you get to write some words sometime ๐ค
OOOOH, this post is so so helpful!!! And also much needed, because AHAHAHAHAHA. I’M FREAKING OUT ABOUT NANO HERE. (October is almost over??? how did this happen??? help???)
All of these tips are super helpful, but for me personally, not self-sabotaging and letting my story evolve as I write are the two main ones that I seriously need to work on. For one thing, I’m constantly starting my drafts over because the beginning isn’t correct. Is it annoying? Yes. Do I continue to do it anyway? STILL YES. And self-sabotaging my work is SOOOO easy for me to do, but I seriously want to stop. SO. I’m gonna go be a good little bean and work on this. *slaps positive affirmations to my forehead*
I absolutely adored this post, Cait!!! Somehow you knew EXACTLY what I needed to read today… Pretty sure magic was involved, here….
I swear October goes EXTRA fast just to spite us *tries to grab October’s hem so it doesn’t run away* I’m so not ready for NaNo yet hahah sob. And hey IF starting over with your drafts works for you, do it. I know lots of people say “never do that”, but you truly have to figure out what makes you (1) feel good about writing, and (2) actually FINISH things. ๐ That’s always my rule: I have to be making progress and if I’m not, change what I’m doing.
I always really want to do NaNo but it’s so hard because of school and such… it drains my mental energy. So maybe I’ll settle for Camp NaNo but treat it like real NaNo, because I did that this year and it rocked.
That’s totally fair! November just doesn’t suit everyone!
Great tips! I am participating this year by writing the sequel to the first NaNo project I wrote: a historical novel which b came my first publish d book!
My tip is: don’t let any idea escape! If your muse knocks, write it down and add it to your manuscript later. I have jotted down notes in a text message or e-mail to myself at times when professional or social obligations kept me from closing my door and writing.
oh definitely agree with that too! I have pages of notes and outlines for books I haven’t written yet, but came while I was busy with another project. Sometimes it helps just to write a brief outline and that pins the idea long enough so it’s not distracting!
I’m not sure if I’m doing it this year. Not sure I’m up to the challenge. But, as you said, can’t break the streak. I will sign up, because I think I’ll feel worse if I don’t. :’) And I think I’ll just be finishing my current project? It might have 50K left in it? I’m not really sure.
I’m not great at making internet friends. Every time I DM someone, I feel like I’ve overstepped.
OH MY GOD. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WEBSITE?? I AM SO UNCOMFORTABLE RIGHT NOW.
I knoooooow. I don’t know why the new website deleted all our buddies too!? Rude.
And yes omg I’m with you. PANIC, but I can’t break my streak. ๐ค (Making friends is hard ahhh. I usually stick to my already-known writers friends haha.)
Unfortunately Inwon’t be doing NaNoWriMo this year because like everything school-related is due this november. But these are really good tips and I will definitely use these next time! I officially did win NaNoWriMo once but it was because I wrote the first 30k before november even started and some sacrificial magic may have been involved so it doesn’t really count.
By the way is anyone else having trouble with the new site? I lost all my buddies and for two of my Camp NaNo projects it says I wrote 0 words…๐ Any help would be welcome!
Yeah I hate the new sight and how it deleted all our buddies?! like how is that fair. ๐ญ๐ญ But I hope you get to do some writing when school isn’t being so stressful!
I’m really considering doing NaNoWriMo!!! Not completely sure yet, and if I do, I don’t think I’ll be able to win what with school & life & other responsibilities. Seeing so much about it has inspired me to at least make an account, and I’m kinda hoping I’ll be crazy enough to do it :’) These are some excellent tips though, and I’m gonna be keeping them ALL in mind if I do this!!
Ahhh that’s so good though! But even if you just write a little, it can still be a good start. ๐ค
Thanks for all these tips. They’re really helpful.
I thought I WAS a dead-eyed llama in a trench coat. My life has been a lie. XD
Look who am I to discourage your llama dreams ยฏ\_(ใ)_/ยฏ
Well, tip 8 is casually LIFE CHANGING. Thanks! I always just think Iโll change something massive in rewrites, then inevitably forget what my great idea was ๐ณ
Yes!! Do it NOW. I do this in almost every 1st draft and it honestly just helps to finish the thing and then make the beginning match the ending later.
Yesssssssss best post I’ve seen on this in a long time!!! I won nano last year and I’m in again this time. My book is going to be set here in Barbados and will be full of the things I love including blogging and food. I don’t understand Instagram, or Twitter, and I never even figured out how to use the NaNoWrimo website last year to connect with other writers so this year I want to do at least one of those things. Happy writing to you!
Full of blogging AND food?! Okay well it’s officially the type of book I’d adore too. ๐๐ Good luck!!
Thank you for this!! ๐ It’ll be my tenth year doing NaNo, and it never gets easier, but the rush is so much fun. Last year was the first time I won, and it was AMAZING! This year…well, last semester of a difficult degree is in progress, so we’ll see. But I’m hopeful. Just waiting on an idea for a novel. Aaaaaany minute now… ๐
omg TENTH YEAR. That’s incredible and I’m in awe! I really want to get a really epic streak like that. But good luck balancing it with all your uni work, eep.
Some of this tips I already knew but most were something completely knew!
Like everyone tell you not to stress out on a first draft but then, who told me I can just write the new thing after those 20k are written and then edit later?
You’re the best of them all and I’m so glad I came across your profile!
I’m glad there were some new ones here then!! But right?! It took me forever to realise I could just keep writing and change things as I went. ๐ Sometimes first drafts are just meant to be messes.
Loved this post so much!! Absolutely agree with all your tips! (And that’s incredible that you won Nano in 2 days before?!?! :O)
The tip that resonated with me the most is “Take yourself seriously.” I find that I always downplay my writing (and Nanowrimo) when I’m talking about it with other people (non-writers.) When people ask me what I am doing this weekend and I’m planning to write a whole lot, I’ll probably just say, “oh, not much, just the usual.” And they’ll say “oh sounds relaxing.” But it isn’t relaxing, it’s actually a lot of intense work XD
So yes, I agree with your point! I should treat my writing seriously. It’s not just a silly dream ๐
AHHH I KNOW. It was insanity, that 2-day stint. ๐ I am not doing that again.
And look, I have two books out, and I still downplay my writing. It’s a problem, truly? We need to take ourselves seriously and put faith and value in our writing. It might not be perfect yet but it WILL get there. *sends you cake*
I ADORE this post and all of your tips SO much, Cait, thank you for sharing them! <3 I'm not going to do NaNo the conventional way, but hoping to get some editing done while everyone has the NaNo writing frenzy, hoping that motivates me a little bit. A lot of your advice works out quite well for me, especially sharing your progress and having a panic buddy (definitely the right term haha). The worst thing to me is not to self-sabotage. I'm doing my best not to, but I'm having a hard time with it. Thank you for the wonderful reminder <3 <3 Happy writing!! x
“Panic buddy” is just a way way better term for sure. ๐ But it’s really hard to not self-sabotage so I feel for you completely. I hope you get a ton of successful editing done in November!
Such a great post! Useful tips – even though I *know* most of them, I always need to be reminded. I’ve done NaNo several times, but last year was my first time winning. This year I’m pretty sure I’m going to make my NaNo about my life, kinda just putting my stories and those I’ve heard from my parents and such together so my kids will have it.
Oh reminders are good! I have to remind myself a lot too, also to take the stress off and just ENJOY the writing too. ๐ค Good luck with your memoir!
For the first time, I’m breaking my pattern of first drafting because I need to get my edits finished, gaah. ๐ญ I don’t think I’ll hit the 50k, and I’m trying my hardest to convince myself that’s okay, even though I’ve won every other NaNo event I’ve ever done.
There’s a crazy half of me saying to edit AND draft a new novel at the same time, and I’m also trying my hardest to ignore that. ๐
Anything is good though!! ๐๐ป And if it helps, I’m sort of revisiting an old project (totally rewriting it though haha; but the base is already there). It’s still work and progress, we’ve got this. ๐
This is seriously great, and timely (Iโm sat here researching 1911 Ireland and hitting scene ideas down even now ๐)
Canโt wait to start on 1st and determined to beat my previous record of 17,000!
Good luck to you!
Ahhh I hope this is the best NaNo year for you yet!!
I keep telling myself that I’ll do NaNo every year but once it gets close to November I end up with no outline or plot to speak of, so I go and do something else instead :/ Maybe next year I’ll get my butt into gear and actually plan something because these are such great tips!
I totally get that! Sometimes it’s also just not a good time of year for people. (I still haven’t been planning, rip me.)
AAAAhhhhh yes!!!! I so needed this! I participated in NaNo last year and…I DIDN’T WIN! BOO HOO! But, I still want to finish my book! I’m on the roll here now with my story! So, thanks for the really, REALLY helpful advice at how to win NaNo this year!
By the way, I’m writing a story called “Alien Nation” which is about a young woman who joins up with a team of fighters who are trying to tear down the tyrannical rule of an alien invader. Of course, it’s way more than just about an alien invasion, as I’m trying to figure out while I’m writing this story out.
WISH ME LUCK!
Oh oh that’s so good though, I hope this is YOUR year! And I always feel that even if one doesn’t win, it’s still helpful to be writing and practicing and improving! Alien invasions ftw though ๐ GOOD LUCK
*gross sobbing* I love your posts! Thank you so much for the tips!
BUT
I have prepared absolutely Nothing! and Nonowrimo starts in three days??? Shouldn’t I wait next year??? And what will happen if I don’t finish my story???
*scream into the Void* My heart says “YAS!” but my mind says “…bruh.” T^T
*sigh* What should I do?
.
.
.
Well, I really really want to join soโฆ
argh well, LET’S DO THIS!
Ahhh I’m glad you liked the post! and omg I hope you decide what to do. ๐ Anything written is STILL good though, even if you don’t finish!
This is amazing, thank you so much for sharing! This is my third year doing NaNo, and the first year I’m actually kind of excited about it? I’ve decided to just say whatever and have a heck ton of fun instead of stressing, and it’s making me practically vibrate with anticipating for the 1st. Good luck on your NaNo this year, I hope it goes wonderfully!
I’m working on a first draft of an adult urban fantasy about a vampire detective, and it’s been YEARS in the making, and I just cannot wait!
Oh that’s a good way to go into it! I think sometimes we can put too much pressure on ourselves. I end up anticipating it so hard, I get anxious just before I start. ๐ So am attempting to be chill this year too. And omg vampire detective. ๐ That sounds amazing!
Last year I decided I was done with NaNoWriMo, and this year I laughed and decided I had been wrong. My current project is an adult sci-fi, and it’s a little darker than my usual work. As for tips, well, my writing style changes from project to project, but if I had to think of one: don’t be afraid to write ahead! There may be days when you don’t have time to write.
Absolutely yes for writing when it works to make up for the days when it doesn’t! Puts less pressure on yourself too!
I have debated doing NaNoWriMo several times, but always chicken out. However, I am not writing with any regularity and It. Is. Bothering. Me.
I have never been one to prep for writing with outlines, etc… (the mere idea of doing so compelled me to go shred things in my mostly neglected my to-be-shred pile). But not finishing writing projects (which is the norm) also bugs me, and as terrified as I am of actually committing to NaNo, I think I need to. Long story short, this list is incredibly helpful, and I think I’m going to try (maybe not win) and at least make a start on something that’s been bopping around by head for a while.
Thank you!
I always feel that if what we’re doing with writing ISN’T working for us…it’s time to change. ยฏ\_(ใ)_/ยฏ I’ve actually struggled with finishing writing outlines this year, so I’ve been not-outlining (opposite to what I’m saying here LOL) but just as an example that it’s worth trying new things! I’m glad you enjoyed the post!
I’m super excited for NaNoWriMo and loved these tips.
I’m glad you liked them!!
Great tips! Thank you, very inspiring ๐
For me, the biggest problem this year is that I’ve had a plan for the last two weeks, but I got stuck while planning it because it didn’t really have a plot. And then I told someone about the plan and they weren’t sure it was a good story and I asked about it in a writing group on Facebook and all this has resulted in a new plan that I got yesterday and that will work better. And since I need to have an outline to finish stories there’s a lot of planning to be done the last three days of this month and that is scary…
But with exception of 2007, I’ve done and won Nanowrimo every year since 2006 so not winning isn’t an alternative so it has to work out. And I do think it will, I always worry and feel not ready, but then November comes and I go writing-crazy and everything is brilliant
So many great tips, thank you!
I love NaNo and always try to participate even though I’ve never won. But this year, for the first time since I found out about this challenge, I won’t be doing NaNo ๐ it’s my last semester at uni and I have to work on my thesis (which is super interesting and I love to bits but it’s not as fun as working on a new book)
Anyway, I wish you and everyone who’s participating next month, the best of luck and I hope you have a wonderful time! I can’t wait to read all of your new books in the future!
Love these tips! I started off really strong this month with planning but dropped off and am now freaking out because ITS ALMOST NOVEMBER. Needed these tips!
BOOK MARKING THIS POST FOR FUTURE REFERENCE. I neeeed to do NaNoWriMo this year!!! I hope I can! I’ve been planning to, slowly but surely so hopefully this month works out! (This year AND this coming month. Not this month. My brain is mush today. It’s cold and rainy and my brain just isn’t functioning at all!)
I just stumbled over a collection of your tweets on tumblr and then decided it is a good idea to read almost every tweet that you ever wrote.
I do not regret it. ๐
Now I will NOT read your whole blog, but bookmark it and enjoy it later.