It’s November, aka National Novel Writing Month! I am casually participating this year (aka attending write-ins but not dying of stress over my piece). This is my fifth year doing NaNoWriMo, and along the way, I have discovered a few tricks that tend to lead to success.
- Hold yourself accountable! It doesn’t take much time out of writing to find a buddy to help you keep your word. Another option is attending local write-ins, which are a great way to meet new friends and get competitive with your word count. As a bonus, Barnes & Noble offers a coupon if you buy a coffee for a dollar off your next cup, so if your local store hosts write-ins, your caffeine needs will be met!
- Get comfy! The best writing happens when you feel at your best. Cuddle up in a blanket with some hot tea and get writing! Other ideas to make yourself feel at home in the NaNo world include getting to know your fellow WriMos on the forums and, of course, setting aside some time to get away from your writing when it gets to be too much.
- Cheat a little! If you’re not a traditionalist, use word count hacks to get through the hard days. These can include small “cheats” like writing out full words instead of contractions, or larger ones like making your character a poet and writing out their poems as part of your word count.
Good luck and keep writing!
