NANOWRIMO Tips October 30, 2007
Posted by fredcharles in Uncategorized.trackback
The list below is an updated repost of my Nanowrimo tips. Every year that I fail at Nanowrimo, I learn something. Here are my tips:
NanoWriMo Tips
If you are considering doing National Novel Writing Month in November, here are some tips from a two-time failure. I may not have ever made 50,000 words but I did learn something along the way:
1. Try to do more than the required 1,666 words a day. It’s always good to have a buffer if you miss a few days. If you can get to 2000 words a day, you will have a nice buffer if you miss a day or two.
2. Make as many notes and outlines as possible during October so you don’t have to think too much out where your story is going. You don’t want to be on a roll only to get snagged by a plot point.
3. Pick a point of view that you comfortable with. It’s easier for me to write in the first person, so I usually use this POV during Nanowrimo.
4. Try to write at the same time everyday. This will help you get into the swing faster and will also build good writing habits in the future.
5. Tell your friends and family that you joined the contest. Good supporters will cheer you on and yell at you if you’re not writing. Find some Nanowrimo buddies and stay in contact with them during the contest.
6. No editing. Don’t go back and edit anything until the month is over. Getting caught up in editing is certain doom. DOOM!
7. Create and account at the NanoWriMo site so you can upload you’re word count at the end of the day. There is something satisfying about seeing that little bar go up every day!
8. If you get really stuck, take a break, look at your outline and try to figure out different paths to take your story on.
9. The first week of Nanowrimo is easy, when you get into the second and third week, you start to feel the drag. Stay positive, and focused. Remind yourself what an accomplishment it is to get as far as you did, and keep writing.
Good luck!
fredcharles
Something that helped me with my first NaNo was heavy outlining. I had it prepared several months before NaNo ‘04. I haven’t done it that heavily since then, but it was a blast and it helped a lot. And what helped a bit with that was not adhering to the outline like it was my lifeline. Outlines are highly controversial, so they won’t work for everyone.
Also, I have to disagree with editing/not looking back a little bit. If I get stuck and the words aren’t flowing, I go back and expound on stuff I’ve already written. Sometimes its just a few extra words or sentences, but sometimes it leads to a lot more, extra scenes, or sparks something for later on. This might be why I never end up actually finishing the storyline, but at least I get the 50k :-p
I also developed an idea where if I get stuck on a scene, I’ll make a note to work on it later and I skip to the next scene. So, when I get stuck later on, I’ll scan through my novel and find where I made those notes and see if I’m able to do anything about them.
I prolly said all that last year, but it bears repeating again for any new stalkers you may have to your blog
Goods tips. I especially agree with the necessity to create a buffer. Most people will sooner or later run into a glitch, be unable to write for whatever on a specific day, etc., and knowing that you won’t fall behind by a lot if this happens has a positive effect on the mind.
Oddly enough, though, lots of planning don’t work that well for me. I always have to find a middle ground between knowing too much and not knowing enough about my characters, plot and world. It might be the feeling of having to deal with too much; when you’ve spent weeks or months detailing everything in your head/software, all of a sudden, when the day to write finally comes, it’s as if the cooking has lasted too long and the food doesn’t taste nor look so appealing any more. For me, that is. I bet it’s different for many people.