Do you ever get frustrated, thinking that you will never find time to write? Last year, I wrote 50,000 words in one month, even in spite of holiday travel. Here’s how.
In 2014, I participated in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) for the first time ever. It was a wonderful experience, which taught me three things:
- I could write under less-than-optimal conditions;
- I learned how to write what Anne Lamott calls your “shitty first draft.” I learned to lock my inner editor in the basement and just do it.
- I learned that planning and strategizing for success is key.
I recommend NNWM as a way of kickstarting your next novel, because even if, at the end of the month, you laugh to read your manuscript, you’ll end up with a general idea of the story. AND, you’ll have drafted scenes and dialog that can be copied and pasted into your WIP.
NaNoWriMo is a great exercise but you should prepare yourself. Here’s what I did, in the last days of October, because I knew I’d be traveling a lot during November.
- I wrote an outline of the story.
- I started a NaNoWriMo 3-ring binder, consisting of 30 looseleaf pages.
- I made labels which I stuck in the upper right corner of each page to note my progress and goals.
- I made notes at the end of each day to help me hit the ground running on the next day.
Here are some of my pages, beginning with the day before the starting gun. CLICK ON THE PHOTOS TO ENLARGE AND DARKEN BECAUSE THEY’RE WRITTEN IN PENCIL. I hope you decide to try NaNoWriMo. If you do, here is the website.
Outstanding advice, Lynne. I found your 30-page looseleaf notes very encouraging, even if one does not perform nanowrimo. Love your style.
Thanks Bob! Your encouragement keeps me going.
Great tips, Lynne, I’m on the fence but you may have just tipped me over the edge. 🙂 I think the key is to not think about (obsess over ) it…Just do it! Thanks for the nudge!
Kathy, I never really considered it before, but as with almost every other thing of quality in my life, a friend invited me to try, and I did. One of the take-aways from the experience was that now, if I’m staring at my computer screen, paralyzed, I can find that “Anne Lamott” gear. I just start writing toward the general idea of the chapter. It begins clunky but then smoothes out. The next day, I polish it a bit. I am a better writer thanks to NNWM. Keep me posted on your journey!
Good for you Lynne. Thanks for the tip.
My pleasure. Thanks for commenting.
Love your last page, Lynne! That’s how I feel just finishing a post. Right now, I’m establishing this blog, and when I feel it’s on track, I may begin to seriously write. I’m bookmarking this post until then!