NaNoWriMo Tips – Tricks to Reach Your Goal

NaNoWriMo is rapidly coming to an end (where did November go?), and I’m sure by this point many of you are feeling the wear and tear.

So, I thought I’d offer up some tips on how to push through the last chunk. Even if you’ve fallen behind or decided to completely start over, these tricks are sure to help you reach your goal (be that writing 50K words by November 30th, or finishing an entire novel by next November).

Writing Sprints

This is, by far, my favorite strategy when it comes to getting work done. I set my watch for an allotted amount of time (one hour, 30 minutes, 15 minutes, etc.) and then GO! During that time, I’m not allowed to do anything but write. No internet, no phone, no eating, no nothing! The only things I’m allowed to do is write, write, write. Once I hit my goal, I can take a break. Check my emails, skim Facebook, get another cup of coffee…Then I set my watch again and GO!

I recommend this strategy to all writers at all stages of the writing process (not just during NaNoWriMo). Even if you’re editing, you can use this method to get a lot of work done. It’s all about forcing you to focus.

Hermit Day

My second favorite strategy is setting aside one whole day a week to write. I lock the doors, close the blinds, and commit my entire day to being a hermit. Chores get skipped, the gym gets ignored, and invitations get turned down.  I don’t even bother brushing my hair or getting out of my pajamas. For 12-hours, I put all of my focus into my story.

Again, I recommend this strategy to all writers, whether they’re NaNo’ing or not. However, I understand not all writers have the luxury to shut out the rest of the world for an entire day every week (let’s face it, being single and childless definitely has its advantages). But even if you can’t block out an entire day, hopefully you can block out a chunk of time (even a couple of hours) each week to focus 100% on your project. No distractions, no interruptions. Just you and your novel.

Race another writer to the finish line

Last year during NaNoWriMo, I–inadvertently–got into a competition with a writing buddy. It happened a couple of weeks into NaNo. One night, my friend casually asked me what my word count was. The next day I casually asked him. Then, before we knew it, we tumbled into a race to the finish line. Every day we–good-naturedly–flaunted our word counts to each other. Somedays he’d outdo me, somedays I’d outdo him…To tell you the truth, I can’t remember who reached 50K words first. But, it doesn’t matter. The point was, we pushed each other to not only reach our goals, but exceed them.

This is a great method to use if: 1) you have at least one competitive bone in your body, and 2) you have a trustworthy friend to “compete” against. Don’t team up with a writer who will rub your face in it or taunt you for “losing.” Find someone who will positively push you to the finish line (even if they beat you to it first).

Treat Yo Self!

Reaching our goals is great. Reaching our goals and getting a “treat” for it is even greater! As you hit a milestone, pat yourself on the back and give yourself something for all of your hard work. It could be glass of wine, a nice dinner, a day off, a new book, whatever. The choice is yours. For me, it’s a chocolate chip cookie dough sundae.

This is what awaits me at the end of my designated writing day. It’s right there in my freezer, taunting me. Telling me, “Hey, if you reach your goal, you can have me. If not, too bad. Better luck next time.” So, even when I’m not in the mood to write, I’ll push through just so I can get my hands on some ice cream.

This is another strategy I recommend to all writers. Why not reward yourself for your hard work? Just stay honest with yourself. Personally, I like to publicly announce my goals via social media. That way, I feel like others are keeping me accountable. If I announce I’m going to try and write for nine hours, then I have to try and write for nine hours. And if I hit nine hours, then I get my delicious treat!

Whether you’re trying to finish NaNoWriMo on time, or finish a novel at any time, you need to find ways to keep yourself on track. And I hope one of the tips above help you do that.

What about you? What are some of your favorite tricks to reach your goals?

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NaNoWriMo Tips – Time is of the Essence

The countdown is officially on. NaNoWriMo is less than a week away.

Okay, perhaps the idea of writing 50,000 words in one month doesn’t freak you out. But, for many of us (including those who’ve “won” NaNo) the endeavor is terrifying. That’s a lot–a lot–of work in a small–a small–amount of time. And, no matter how prepared you feel, I can promise you one thing:

You won’t succeed if you don’t manage your time.

It only takes a few missed days during NaNoWriMo to fall behind schedule. And it only takes a few more missed days to make catching up near impossible. So, managing your time and keeping your focus is vital. Today, I’d like to share some of my personal tips on how to do this.

Not only have these methods helped me win NaNoWriMo, but they’ve also helped me whip out revised manuscripts for agents within three weeks, and submit stories for contests with deadlines as short as 24-hours. I’ll admit, most of these strategies aren’t fun or pretty, but if you want to meet a tight deadline, then I’d recommend giving one or all of them a shot.

Chop Out Distractions

Duh, right?

But, as obvious as this one is, it’s the most important. It’s also the hardest. Although many distractions are unavoidable (working a full-time job, taking care of your family, paying bills, etc.), there are many you can avoid: Going to the movies. Playing games on the internet. Texting and IM’ing friends. Watching TV…You have to chop out these activities when you’re on a deadline. It stinks, but if want to reach the finish line, then you need to dedicate all of your free time to writing.

And on that note…

Accept Your Loner Status

We’ve all heard writing is a lonely job. Well, it is.

Even if you’re writing in a coffee shop, a library, or a park, you’re separated from the rest of the world. People can’t see what you see, or feel what you feel. It can be isolating and, well, a little depressing at times. Thankfully, on a regular writing schedule, you’re able to take frequent breaks to reconnect with humanity and remind yourself you live here, not in the fictitious other world you’ve created.

However, when you’re on a deadline, you don’t have the luxury of time to constantly re-root yourself in reality. You have to stay connected to that lonely other world for longer periods of time. You can’t hop on Facebook every thirty minutes, or text your bestie every hour. You have to live and breathe your story for as long as possible. Keep writing until you forget who and where you are. Keep seeing and feeling everything your characters see and feel. Keep going until you fear you might be losing your mind.

Then stop and take a break. Go eat dinner. Call a friend. IM a writing buddy. Reconnect with the real world.

…And then get back to work.

Commit One FULL Day EACH Week to Writing

Nearly everyone in my life knows Saturday is my writing day. AKA, “Don’t Talk to Jenna Day”. From sun up to sun down, I write. It’s intense and it’s not always fun, but it’s vital to my production output.

And I bet it would be vital to yours as well.

By dedicating a full day to writing each week, you’ll not only give yourself a major word count boost, but you’ll give yourself a major motivation boost. It won’t matter how tired or busy you get during the rest of the week, you’ll want to keep your story moving along. You’ll want to finish that last chapter, or start the next one, or rewrite an old one to match the new one you wrote on your writing day, or…The list goes on and on.

There’s No Crying in Writing

Okay, okay. There’s lots of crying in writing. And trust me, when you’re writing under deadline, you’ll probably cry even more.

But you know what? You gotta suck it up and push through the emotional breakdowns. Go grab a piece of chocolate, watch an episode of your favorite TV show, and listen to Journey’s, “Don’t Stop Believin'”. Then get back to work.

Go. Do. It. Now!

…That was my version of tough love. Did it help? No? Whatever. Go eat some more chocolate. GO!

Don’t Be Miss Congeniality

Confession: I have a horrible time saying no to people. Horrible! Whether it’s babysitting for a friend, making a hundred cupcakes for a birthday party, or proofing someone’s work, I always say yes. However, when I’m on a deadline, I have to stifle my Miss Congeniality urge and say no.

No, no, no!

And if you’re a “yes” person like me, then you need to do the same thing. It’s terrible, I know, but you have to be selfish when you’re trying to reach a deadline. You have to put yourself first. You have to!

To help ease your guilt, give your acquaintances, friends, and family members a heads up. Tell them you’re going to be crazy busy for the next month and you can’t help them a ton. If they know and respect you, they’ll leave you alone.

Even When You’re Not Chugging, Keep Chugging

Okay, fine. Maybe you can’t be a complete self-serving hermit during NaNoWriMo. You’ve got work, the gym, the kids, hundreds of errands, special events…

It’s okay!

If you can’t physically sit down to write, you can still keep chugging along. For example: Every day during my hour commute to and from work, I listen to a playlist I created for my WIP. As I listen to the inspiring songs I’ve collected, I strategize my next scene, or create a new character, or discover a plot hole. That way when I’m finally able to sit down and write, I’m ready to go.

Of course, carrying a small notepad with you is a smart idea. That way if you come up with an idea, you can jot it down so you won’t forget it. And if you don’t have a notebook, use your phone. Most have apps now that allow you to take notes.

Just Keep Swimming

Just keep swimming. Just keep working. Just keep writing!

Swim, swim, swim. Work, work, work. Write, write, write!

Don’t. Give. Up!

Writing on a deadline is like running a marathon. It’s exhausting, difficult, and seemingly endless. But it will come to an end. Trust me. All you have to do is remember to keep your eyes on the finish line, breathe, and focus. If you do, you’ll make it. And you’ll make it on time!

So, there you go! Those are my tips for managing your time during NaNoWriMo (or with whatever project you might be working on with a deadline). I hope one or all of them help you meet your goals.

Good luck, everyone! If you’d like to add me as a buddy on the NaNoWriMo site, my username is jenspenden!

What about you? What are some of your time management strategies?

Speaking of deadlines, since I’m participating in NaNo this year, I probably won’t be posting much during November. But, fear not! There are plenty of other informative blogs to take advantage of. I recommend these ones:

Lit World Interviews

Kristen Lamb’s Blog

Sacha Black 

Carly Watters, Literary Agent

Newshound to Novelist: This blog has recently announced it will soon start a new feature called “Author Advice.” Sounds cool!

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