Every autumn, thousands of writers across the globe take part in NaNoWriMo—National Novel Writing Month. This writing experience challenges participants to write 50,000 words in the month of November, and it can be a lot of fun. Not only that but some NaNoWriMo novels have gone on to be published and become bestsellers!
However, whether you are doing it for the first time or you’re a NaNoWriMo veteran, each year comes with its own unique set of challenges. Not sure how to approach a month of writing? Read on for 5 tips to help you prepare for NaNoWriMo.
What is NaNoWriMo?
NaNoWriMo is an annual writing event where writers commit to penning a 50,000-word novel in just 30 days. The ‘competition’ starts on November 1st and ends on November 30th.
One of the hardest parts of a writer’s life is sitting down and, well, actually writing. What makes NaNoWriMo so popular is that it motivates you to set a target and work towards it. Whether you hit this goal or not isn’t important. What matters is that you were inspired to work towards something, be it writing a manuscript (or part of one) or editing your book.
So, as you prepare for NaNoWriMo, remember that this writing ‘competition’ can be whatever you want it to be. You decide what you want to get out of it and what your goals are. Even better, you aren’t doing it alone! You’ll be in the company of a great writing community.
How do I prepare for NaNoWriMo?
Thirty days of writing is demanding. But, with the proper preparation, you’ll be able to turn this challenge into an exciting experience. Here are a few ways to prepare for NaNoWriMo to make the most of this month of writing.
1. Plan in advance
Whether you’re a plotter, pantser, or plantser, preparing ahead of time for NaNoWriMo is our top tip for any writer. This is particularly crucial if you are someone who doesn’t plan much and just writes by the seat of their pants (a pantser). After all, sitting down and hoping for the best will only get you so far when you want to write 50,000 words in 30 days. Without a plan, you risk running out of momentum halfway through NaNoWriMo or getting lost in a plot hole.
Creating even just a simple outline for your book is one of the best ways to prepare for NaNoWriMo. Remember, whatever you outline isn’t set in stone; you can always change it as you go along. But having an outline on-hand will be incredibly helpful on the days when you hit a writing wall and don’t know what to do next.
2. Get to know your characters
At The Open Book Editor, we are firm believers that your characters should drive your story, not the other way around. But writing believable characters isn’t easy. One great way to prepare for NaNoWriMo is to get to know your characters in depth before you start writing. You must know your characters to write them well, so take this extra time before NaNoWriMo starts to ‘interview’ them. Write down back stories for your characters (even if this won’t be included in your book). Take note of everything from their favourite band to what they like to wear and any unique mannerisms. By figuring these things out now, you make it easier (and faster) to write about them later.
3. Set your goal
While writing 50,000 words in a month is NaNoWriMo’s standard goal, this doesn’t work for every writer. Like we mentioned above, NaNoWriMo is about much more than that; it’s about giving writers the motivation and space to create. Your goal needn’t be to write 50,000 words a month. Perhaps you want to write a series of short stories instead. Maybe you’d like to try writing in a new genre altogether or just need that extra push to write every week.
Prepare for NaNoWriMo by creating a clear goal that works for you. Then break those goals down into manageable daily targets. Maybe this means a daily goal of writing 1,667 words or writing and editing a short story every week. Or maybe you’d like to use NaNoWriMo to help you develop a daily writing habit! Remember, NaNoWriMo is all about you and what you want to get out of it. By breaking it down into doable daily targets, you’re more likely to hit your overall NaNo goal.
That being said, if you do want to try and hit NaNoWriMo’s arbitrary word count, or you’d like someone else to set your goals for you, the organisers have gamified the process. You can earn awards as you progress by hitting their objectives (e.g., write every day for 10 days), and a certificate at the end if you hit the 50,000-word target.
4. Brainstorm potential scenes
Hitting a writing wall is a common NaNoWriMo malady that affects everyone at some point. Hence, one of the best ways to prepare for NaNoWriMo is by brainstorming a variety of scenes beforehand. Create rough outlines for 20-30 scenes that could work in different parts of your manuscript. Play around with putting your characters in uncomfortable scenarios and see what happens. Then, during NaNoWriMo, on any days when you draw a blank, reference your scene list and choose one to work with. These prompts will help get your creative juices flowing and your plot moving forward!
5. Recruit your friends
Recruit a few friends to participate with you. This is an important way to prepare for NaNoWriMo because it will create a sense of accountability. This will help keep you on track with your writing goals. If you don’t know anyone who wants to participate with you, you can connect with other writers through NaNoWriMo’s forums, organised by country.
Following NaNoWriMo on social media (@NaNoWriMo) is another great way to meet and interact with fellow participants. The NaNoWriMo website also has a cool community feature where you can connect with writers and find local events in your area.
If you’re not comfortable with interacting with strangers, you can invite your friends to be a part of your NaNoWriMo buddy group instead! And don’t forget to prepare for NaNoWriMo by telling your non-writer friends about your goals and asking them to hold you accountable, too.
What comes after NaNoWriMo?
While NaNoWriMo is a great way to get motivated to write a book very quickly, the fast-paced nature of the ‘competition’ means you’re unlikely to have time to edit your manuscript as you go. Your first draft may have more mistakes than usual, but don’t feel discouraged. Remember that you’ve created something that wasn’t there before and you should be proud!
So, once you’ve given yourself some time to celebrate on November 30 for participating in NaNoWriMo, the next step is to edit, edit, edit. After finishing the first draft, start by self-editing your book. After that, you may want to consider hiring a professional book editor to help you polish up your manuscript. At The Open Book Editor, we provide a variety of editing services and can tailor an editing plan to suit your personal goals and budget. Contact us to find out more about our knowledgeable professional editors and what they can do to help your book shine!
