I’m a #NaNoWinner2019 - Here’s how I stayed motivated and wrote 50,000 words
I made it! After a long month of discipline, creativity, inspiration, and writer’s block, I’m an official #NaNoWriMo winner with 50,117 total words. This was one of the hardest and most difficult months I’ve ever had for my writing, but I couldn’t be more thankful for my experience. I got a huge chunk of my draft completed, met amazing writers online and in person, and dipped my toes back into writing after years of editing. If you’ve ever thought about trying NaNoWriMo, I can’t suggest it enough. We’re all winners, whether you get 50,000 words or not. I was able to win my very first NaNo, but I couldn’t have done it without all the amazing support I received. If you’re a fellow writer, winner, or a hopeful participant for next year, I’m going to summarize my month and the strategies I used to stay ahead.
Get prepared
I’m an outliner, not a pantser, so the entire month leading up to November I was crafting my outline, creating my characters, and designing the world they lived in. I would never, ever have been able to get my 50,000 words without my outline. The last manuscript I wrote, I 100% pantsed, and editing was a nightmare. It took me years to get something workable, and that’s not something I ever want to do again. I read the book Outlining Your Novel by K.M. Weiland, which was incredibly helpful, and looked at tons of articles and plot devices that authors use to help craft their story. There are tons of resources out there, so take a look around! If you’re a true pantser and hate outlines, there are still things you can do to prepare. Make sure your computer, writing software, pen and paper, whatever you use is ready to go. Clear your schedule, tell your friends and family you’ll be busy, and make sure you have the time to dedicate to NaNo.
Stick to a schedule
I started “practicing” my schedule in October, so I’d be ready for when NaNo officially hit. Every night, I’d actually eat dinner at my dinner table (a large adjustment for me from the couch) and right after I was finished eating, I’d force myself to sit back at the table and write for an hour or two. Since I don’t have a true desk at home, this was the next best thing. That way I was upright, away from the TV, and in more focused space. I did this almost every night of NaNo, and that discipline is a huge part of why I was successful.
Reach out to the NaNo community
The NaNo community is really amazing. They are so welcoming, positive, open to ideas, and ready to help and encourage writers. Whether you engage with other NaNo participants on the website, Facebook, Discord, or other platform, I found it to be really helpful. I mainly used Discord, as Facebook isn’t a great platform for me and the official website was being redone and had some bugs. Discord was a great place to talk to other writers, participate in word sprints, share resources and playlists, and just talk about our day. The community kept me engaged and helped me keep NaNo top of mind even during a busy November.
Put yourself out there
Go to events in person! I cannot stress this enough. I went to a few in person write ins in Chicago over the course of November, and they were so helpful. Coffee shops, offices, libraries, book stores, they were held every type of place all over the city. I met some really cool people, and we may even keep our meet ups going next year. Few things help you put more words on the page than being surrounded by other hard working writers. The days where I got the highest word counts were always the days I had in person meetings. Also, share what you’re up to on social. Tell your friends and family. I got so many encouraging snapchats, Instagram messages, texts, and comments on my social media posts. It doesn’t seem like much, but a little fire emoji or word of encouragement really helps you get words on the page.
NaNoWriMo was a phenomenal experience, and I can’t suggest giving it a try enough. Even though it’s technically about writing 50,000 words in one month, there is so much more to it than that. Whether you get the 50,000 or not, it’s really about celebrating writing in all its forms. Give it a shot, and even if you don’t technically “win”, you’ll meet amazing people and get words on the page!