What I love most about NaNoWriMo is the opportunity to make writing a priority. While I believe in setting aside time to write regularly during the general year, it’s not always easy to say no to everything else. Work, school, family, friends, hobbies, and more demand our attention. By setting aside large chunks of time daily to write this month, I learned more about who I am as a writer and what I need to do in order to focus on writing a manuscript.
Following are my reflections from NaNoWriMo 2019 broken down by topics.
Know Your Desired Outcome
Is it mandatory that you hit 50k this month? 100k? —I admire everyone who sets such high bars. I can’t write that fast! (And it’s okay because that’s how I work.)
I didn’t write at all the first three days of NaNo 2019 because I needed to do some preliminary work, which I discuss below. After writing some and planning some, I realized that I needed to know more about my characters and their world if I was going to write a satisfactory manuscript (give and take some because first drafts, and first novels, aren’t meant to be perfect), so I changed my NaNo goals midway from writing 50k to writing my way up to a scene-by-scene outline. Unless a miracle happens, I doubt I’ll hit 50k, and it’s okay because my desired outcome is to built the writing habits that I need to be a professional writer. This means that, for now, I need to learn the groundwork for writing 50k in a month.
Preliminary Work
Plot Plot Plot
Whether you’re a plotter or a pantser, or something in between, you need to have a solid understanding of what needs to happen in your manuscript. The meaning of “solid” will differ from person to person. I’m discovering that I’m deeply entrenched in the plotter camp. I want to know the turning points and the outcome of my manuscript in order to get motivated to write. Thus, my end goal for plotting is to create a substantial outline that I can reference as I write.
Know Your Characters
As a fantasy reader, I love some good action and rising stakes, but for me-the-reader to care about the battles and stakes, I need to care about the characters. The actions may spur the initial action; the characters must drive events from there.
From a writer’s perspective, the writing process will be much easier when you know your characters well enough for them to write for you. From the dialogue to the action to surprise events…the characters should be so real and personable that you know exactly what they’ll say and do and how they’ll respond to the characters and world around them.
Know Your World
It this taking place in the real world or an imagined world? When you can picture your setting and know how the world operates, it will help place your characters in a concrete setting. You’ll know how they should, or shouldn’t, act and can even make use of the environment to help drive the plot.
Environment
Prepare a Room of Your Own
I like to write in seclusion. If I try to write in a living area, family members will initiate conversation or try to engage me in activities, such as chores or watching T.V. together.
Organize Your Resources
Keep anything you reference as you write in one place, preferably close to your writing place.
Have a Snack Stash at the Ready
One can’t write with a hungry stomach. Brain food is a must! 🙂
Mute Technology
Technology is a dangerous dark hole that’s all too easy to fall into. That’s why a resistance plan is needed.
Mute technology. Leave them in a room far far away from you. Resist the urge to get on the Internet, unless you really must look up a quick fact to help you as you write. Set predetermined times for social media so that it’s less of a temptation to get on it as you write.
Progress Not Perfection
Embrace the Messy
It can be tempting to go back and change things as you write or spend long hours trying to perfect a scene. Writing isn’t a perfectly neat process, especially not if you’re writing the first draft or your first novel. I’m sure that the second book isn’t that much easier. What’s important is that you keep forging ahead. You’ll understand your characters and their world, and subsequently the plot, much better as you progress. The time for revising and editing will come once you finish that draft.
Take Breaks
Rest is a vital component of life. As one of my mentors puts it, we don’t typically exercise every day; therefore, we shouldn’t expect to write every day. Maybe you enjoy writing daily; that’s fine. Engage in another activity that you enjoy in between. Maybe read a book. Think of it as research into the minds and works of great writers that came before you. Imagine how it’ll feel for your book to make its way onto booksellers’ shelves.
Have Fun
Remember to have fun with the writing process. In the middle of the messy, it can be difficult to hold onto hope, to believe that you’ll make it to the finish line. Remember that there’s a reason why you started this manuscript. Enjoy seeing your world and characters come to life.
Chat With Me
Are you a writer? Are you participating in this year’s NaNoWriMo or have plans to participate in the future? How do you approach the writing process? Have you noticed a pattern in your writing habits or in the writing habits of your favorite authors?
Related Posts
- My creative review of the NaNoWriMo official handbook Brave the Page: A Young Writer’s Guide to Telling Epic Stories
- For more tour posts, view the tour schedule below
About NaNoWriMo
National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that believes in the transformational power of creativity. They provide the structure, community, and encouragement to help people find their voices, achieve creative goals, and build new worlds–on and off the page. With its first event in 1999, the organization’s programs now include National Novel Writing Month in November, Camp NaNoWriMo, the Young Writers Program, Come Write In, and the “Now What?” Months.
Tour Schedule
PART ONE: BLOG TOUR
August 12 – Picture Books to YA – Journals for creating and keeping ideas
August 13 – Sgraveswrites – Nanowrimo Tracker
August 14 – Lost in Storyland – The Writing Process in 5 – 10 Songs
August 15 – Coquette Maman – Playlist for inspiring writers
August 16 – wildeyesbujo – Nanowrimo Bujo Tracker
August 19 – Thoughts from a Highly Caffeinated Mind – Listicle: What you’ll need for your Nanowrimo Space
August 20 – Some the wiser – A Writing Kit
August 21 – Alohamora: Open a Book – Listicle: Best Books with characters that are writers
August 22 – A Peace of Mind – How to enjoy storytelling for those who don’t like writing
August 23 – Mindful journaling – Inspired by the Book: Bujo Content
PART TWO: NANOWRIMO POSTS
November 25 – Lost in Storyland – How to start prepping for next year’s Nanowrimo
November 25 – Coquette Maman – Tips and Thoughts about the writing process
November 25 – Thoughts from a Highly Caffeinated Mind – Checklist: What to do after you’ve written your first draft
November 26 – Picture Books to YA – Creative Writing Tips
November 26 – Mindful journaling – Inspired by the Book: Bujo Content
November 27 – Alohamora: Open a Book – 5 Steps to get you in the mood to write
November 27 – wildeyesbujo – Completed Nanowrimo Bujo Tracker
November 28 – Some the wiser – Middle Grade Writing Group Reflection
November 28 – A Peace of Mind – Tips and Inspiration from one kid to others
November 29 – Sgraveswrites – Completed Nanowrimo Tracker
Dani @ Perspective of a Writer says
I agree with Nicole! I love the advice to be flexible with your goal, but certainly have one. You spin your wheels not knowing what you’re trying to accomplish. I also have to setup the right atmosphere to work. A room, snacks, no tech, snacks, we need an environment conducive to writing.
Crystal says
Thanks, Dani. I agree that goals help me stay focused on what needs doing. A definite yes to the right atmosphere! It can take me time to get settled, but it’s worth making sure I have the right working environment.
Lindsi says
This is such a lovely and informative post! I did NaNoWriMo a few years ago and actually finished a book! It was a crazy feeling. However, my kids are older now, which means they’re more needy, and I rarely have time to write. I barely have time to read! Once they’re asleep for the night, I do chores and then crash.
Lindsi @ Do You Dog-ear? ☃💬
Crystal says
Thanks, Lindsi. It’s exciting to hear that you finished a book with NaNoWriMo!
It sounds like your kids keep you busy. I don’t have kids, but sometimes it feels like I have to choose between reading more or writing more in a given day. I hope you get the chance to write more in the future!
Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction says
Seems like you’ve learned a lot from your NaNo experience. I agree that being flexible with your goals is important. And plotting ahead of time is HUGE for me!
Crystal says
Thanks for sharing, Nicole. I’m really learning that I need to plot ahead of time as well!
Natalie Aguirre says
I really like how you changed your goal to suit your personal goals and writing speed. I’m not a fast writer either.
Crystal says
Thanks, Natalie!