It’s probably not what you think.
For those that don’t know, NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is that time of year where many writers dive into their writing caves and try to crank out their own 50,000 word novel within the month of November. It doesn’t matter what your skill level is, it’s something that can be both incredibly daunting and rewarding (even if you don’t actually hit the 50K word count that many strive for).
(Hitting that 50,000 word count is considered a “win”, but I beg to differ).
Like the title says, this is going to be my very first NaNoWriMo. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but never felt I could actually do it.
Why?
Lots of self-doubt, I suppose. 50,000 words can seem like a lot for those that have never written that much. Plus, it really seemed like more work than it was worth. Originally, I wasn’t going to do it, but had a change of heart. I decided I wasn’t getting any younger, so I’m FINALLY going for it.
And I’m going to be documenting the experience.
At first I was pretty nervous about it. I was like “50,000 words!? How the hell am I going to hit that in 30 days?”
I know many people do massive amounts of prep for NaNo. Lots of plotting, world-building, character sheets, etc. They’ve even calculated that it takes about 1666 words per day to reach the 50,000 word count.
(But knowing the type of writer I am, I’ll be taking a different approach.)
I recently watched an online NaNoWriMo prep workshop by author and creative guide, Lauren Sapala. It helped me make an important mindset shift that I think will help me big time. I highly recommend her work if mainstream NaNoWriMo prep advice hasn’t worked for you or seems like too much.
With that said, here’s how I’m prepping for my very first NaNoWriMo.
Focusing more on writing time than word count
Personally, I don’t really care as much about word count as many other writers do. As long as a story is told to its fullest potential, it could be as short or as long as it needs to be. A great story is a great story no matter the length. I’ll be aiming to have dedicated novel writing time (and protecting it as best I can).
Focusing more on the journey than the destination
Writing 50,000 words sounds pretty impressive, especially if you’re a new writer. And if it’s something that feels rewarding to reach, then go after and celebrate it. It really is a good milestone to hit if you’ve never done it before. However, I won’t be putting the weight of hitting that goal on myself. This is my first NaNoWriMo and I know that just taking part in it will do my writing a world of good even if I don’t hit 50,000 words.
Being a bit more flexible with my writing time
Life happens and when it does, it’s important to give yourself the flexibility to have a break. And that’s exactly what I’m going to do. Rather than having an incredibly strict writing schedule that I can’t break no matter what, I’ll be taking life on as it comes (while “trying” to keep my writing time sacred).
Focusing more on my characters than plot
I love being entrenched in a story’s world and characters. So much so that it’s where the bulk of my focus will be going. As long as I genuinely listen to the characters and the story they have to tell, they will gladly share the plot with me. (Yes, I will do a ridiculously basic outline, but I will give myself the freedom to go wherever the characters take me.)
Challenging myself creatively, but not to the point of overwhelm or exhaustion
I’m going to write as much as I can. However, that doesn’t mean every single day. Or even for incredibly long stretches of time. (Unless I’m really feeling it that day, lol). If writing stops being fun, I’ll take a break and get back to my work once I feel my creative juices flowing again.
Having rest days
Many people say that writers should write every single day. While this may work for some, it doesn’t always work for me. If you’ve been in the writing industry for some time, you’ve probably heard writing being compared to working out.
“You’ve got to work out your writing muscle.”
While I agree with this, it’s important NOT to overdo it. Just like working out the muscles in your body, it may not be the best idea to overwork your writing muscle, either. Some writers swear that writing every day works wonders. Cool, if that works for you, awesome! But I plan on having rest days, because I know that working out my writing muscle every day would lead to burnout.
Giving myself permission to write out of order
This one will probably be the hardest for me since I prefer to write fiction chronologically. I usually begin by writing something and then asking myself, “Ok, then what happened?” It seems like a wonderful challenge, so I’ll give it a shot. It may actually work better for me in the long run. Besides, experimentation is crucial now and then.
Having fun
If you’ve read my material before, you probably saw this one coming. Yes, I’ll be having as much fun as possible with this. Just because something can appear to be a challenge, doesn’t mean I can’t have fun with it, haha.
Hopefully, the way I’ll be prepping for this year’s NaNoWriMo has given you some ideas for how you might prep for it too.
If you’re looking for more, I recently heard of a good book for NaNoWriMo prep called “No Plot? No Problem!” by Chris Baty. I haven’t read it myself (yet), but it’s on my reading list. For those that have read it or will read it, let me know how it is and whether or not it’s worked for you.
As I mentioned above, I’ll be documenting my experience during the month of November, so stay tuned for weekly updates!
Happy reading and writing!
Jeff Aybar is a writer, writing & creativity coach, Sci-Fi/Fantasy nerd, INFJ, veteran, and all-around creative. You can get a free copy of his guide for writers and artists on starting the creative journey by signing up to his newsletter HERE.