NaNoWriMo Prep

The National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo) is an authorial institution, of sorts. Founded by Chris Baty in 1999 with a word count goal set by finding the shortest book on his shelf (Aldous Huxley's Brave New World), NaNoWriMo has always been about the glorious spirit of "let's fuck around and see what happens", but that doesn't mean it's easy. Writing an average of 1,667 words per day isn't as easy as it sounds, after all.

Since first participating in 2013, I've failed more often than succeeded, and I'm fairly certain that I've made every mistake there is to make. With that in mind, I've got ten tips for NaNo newbies that should make it easier to avoid my mistakes!

1. Find Your Tribe

Writing can feel very singular and lonely at times, but it doesn't have to be. There are plenty of writing communities both online and 'IRL'. Tiktok, Instagram, and Twitter all have their own writing communities that you can join. Don't be afraid to reach out to people who seemed to be like-minded, ask questions and give your opinions!

Alternatively, bring your friends and family into the process; talk about your story, your ideas, the process you intend to use while writing. Sometimes a second pair of ears and eyes is the most helpful thing possible when it comes to finding and fixing plot holes and issues.

More than this, turning NaNoWriMo into a social endeavour can take some of the stress away and preserve the original intention: fun. Remember that you are supposed to feel good about this process, if it becomes unpleasantly stressful or chore-like, it has defeated its own purpose.

2. Start Whittling Your To-Do List Down

One of the things that is most likely to get in the way of your NaNoWriMo project is, unsurprisingly, real life. While there's nothing you can (or should) do to bring the rest of your life to a halt in order to finish NaNo, you can limit the infringement.

Use October to whittle down your to-do list. Clean out your wardrobe, rearrange the furiniture, alphabetize your books... whatever you have been meaning to do that you could use distract yourself from the writing process. Even if this doesn't stop you from getting distracted in November, it will certainly feel good to have that list whittled down.

3. Pin Down the Vibe

A plot, themes, great characters, these are all crucial for the finished product, but I honestly get more motivation from the vibe that comes with a story. For example, creating a genuine sense of horror is much harder than plotting a story with horrifying events. Think about whether you are writing a kitschy comedy horror, an eerie folkloric horror, a sweeping romantic epic, or an absurd political comedy.

Once you have identified the vibe, immerse yourself in media that matches the vibe you have identified. If you do this you should start to get a feel for the story you want to create; harness this and make some playlists, pinterest boards, and any other creative endeavours that help you to feel connected to the story you have in mind.

4. Flesh Out Your Character

Your main character is crucial no matter what kind of story you are writing, and one of the best ways to find motivation and inspiration (in my experience) is to really get to know the main character. Figure out what they like, what they want, and what their limitations are.

The internal driving forces, limitations, and quirks that make a character unique are what makes them feel real to the readers. This will form a connection and make them feel more real.

5. Plan the Arc

While it can be hard to know exactly where your story will go before you write the opening act, planning the general arc of the story will be helpful. I find that writing three arcs is most helpful: one for the main character, one for the main story, and one for the main antagonist or main opposing force.

Your character arc concerns how the main character evolves over the course of the story. This can occur in a number of ways. For example, if the main character starts the story looking for money and fame, but ends it with respect and a sense of contenment, then they have evolved and their priorities have changed. In Blood Red Sky, Nadja goes from desperately seeking a cure to willingly sacrificing her life for the rest of the world.

The main arc, of course, is the trajectory that the story takes. For example, The Lord of the Rings has many story arcs, but the over all arc is the journey from the Shire to Mount Doom in Mordor. In I Am Pilgrim the story arc ranges across the world, but focusses on the attempts of an agent to track down and stop a man synthesizing small pox.

Though it may seem strange to think, the antagonist or opposing force of any story has an arc, too. In The Grey the wolves are largely unseen, but their presence and impact grows as the plot progresses, coming to a head in the ending scenes. A more obvious example is the arc associated with Darth Vader - the Star Wars villain goes from faceless villain with seemingly no empathy to a father sacrificing his life to save his estranged child. You don't need to show the inner workings of the antagonists mind, but their impact and presence should change as the story progresses.

6. Brainstorm Plot Points

Pinning all the details of a story down has never worked for me, in all honesty, but having an array of major plot points mapped is really helpful (even if their placement changes). If you know what the beginning and end of your story looks like, roughtly, then you can brainstorm points to get your story from A to B.

I find writing key plot points, or potential plot points, on flash cards or post-it notes helps because they can be moved to different points in a literal sense.

7. Define the Stakes

Be honest with yourself; are you doing this for fun, for experience, or because you want to finish a book that you seriously intend to publish. If it's not the latter, you should prioritize learning and having a good experience above all else.

Not finishing may be a disheartening thought, but it is neither the end of the world nor your writing journey. Every page written represents progress and gained experience, and that is no small achievement.

8. Set Mid-Way Goals

One of the easiest ways to deal with a large task is to break it into smaller pieces. Set yourself a series of smaller goals and rewards to help you make it through the rough patches. For example, I like to take myself out for lunch or go to a gallery or museum when I hit fifteen and thirty-five thousand words.

You can set whatever goals you like, or even arrange a small treat for meeting your wordcount each day, whether thats a latte, a nap, an episode of your favourite show, or a cup of tea and a chocolate. Do what works for you.

9. Create a Workspace

One of the hardest things, in my experience, is writing without a routine or work space. Don't get me wrong, it can be done but it certainly helps to have a space and time slot dedicated to your NaNoWriMo project. So, if you can create a workspace I encourage you to do so.

This can be as simple as moving to sit at the dinner table or kitchen counter with your laptop when its time to write, or as complex as going to a specific cafe or pub to write.

10. Find Your Passion

Writing can be a chore, especially if its your job, but challenges like NaNoWriMo are about fun, experience, and possibilities. Dig deep - what's your passion? What do you really want to write about? There can be a feeling of pressure for many writers to create something Important and meaningful.

Here's something I learned too late - writing can be meaningful and fun. It can be irreverent, gauche, strange, quirky, or grim and have meaning. Whart's more, wirting doesn't have to be Meaningful and deep to be important; if you write something that brings you and the people who read it joy, you've written something of importance.

If you write a book that never see's the light of day but teaches you about your craft - you have written something important. Importance and meaning are what you make them; passion is the key to good writing, no matter the details.