It's that time of year again when the leaves fall, the winds crisp, and writers aim for 50,000 words for the frenzy that is November's National Novel Writing Month. Whether you're an all-in WriMo, a pleasure-paced WriMo, or an Anti-Wrimo (okay, maybe not the last one), we've scoured the Internet to get you best prepared to slay November and your next novel.
Take a look below and let us know in the comments the ways in which you conquer your word counts!
“Passion will get you started, but discipline will see you through. The only way to succeed is to set a schedule, write like mad, and never stop, even if you despair. Get your first draft finished before you pay attention to your feelings, because—in the early stages—most of your feelings will steer you off a cliff like a GPS for lemmings. The first words will rarely be your best, and the fear of bad writing often keeps writers from the initial click on the keys. But writing is like jumping into a cold lake: You squirm less once you’re all in.” -Writer’s Digest
“Go to write-ins and build a support system. Everything’s better when you have a community.” - Bustle
“Schedule your writing times and write multiple times throughout the day.” -Gary Swaby
“Your first draft doesn’t need to be perfect. Remember that you can’t build a sandcastle without first piling sand into the sandbox!” -Reddit
“[Instead] of thinking about it as 50,000 words a month, think of it as 1667 words a day. This helps your mind process the amount better so you don’t get so overwhelmed.” - Self Publishing School
“When you outline a character’s motivations, you'll uncover what situations would cause them the most conflict… You’ll learn how they react to situations and interact with each other. This can help you turn a general plot idea into a complex web of biting conflicts, high stakes, and exciting, realistic dialogue. And if ever you get stuck along your plot trajectory, you can use character maps to fuel a new idea! - Reedsy Blog
“Keep a notebook with you at all times. You’ll be writing 50,000 words in a month, so your story will be on your mind often. Ideas will hit you at inconvenient times - be prepared for them.” - Annie James Thomas, who is clearly not a "best of the net," but has won NaNo, so feels she earned her place to speak her mind.
“There’s no rule that says you need to write a novel in order! Write what strikes you in the moment so you can keep your own momentum going. Having an ongoing outline, plot plan or idea notebook will help keep things in order, especially when your writing is not!” - Annie James Thomas
“Stop at a point where you still have more to say, whether that be mid-scene, mid-paragraph, or even mid-sentence, so it makes it easier to pick up the next day.” - Fred Charles, also not a "best of the net," but is a best of many things, including continuing his writing the next day.
For more, check out our three former blog posts, where our very own Loud Coffee Press community provides their best advice on how to get ahead on NaNo, including PrepTober and first-timer tips, NaNoWriMo ups and downs, and routines and word count advice!
Are you NaNo-ing? Hit the heart so we know you're in!
I have been writing regularly for 5 years now (since I was 14) -- and I never got into the NaNo culture. My goal is to write 9 of every 10 days and get 30,000 every month. That being said, I have the privilege of an open schedule a habit which developed alongside the many habits adolescence creates, meaning finding such time is easy. For those older or more busy, I think NaNo is helpful and I wish all those who enter the best of luck.