NaNoWriMo Lite

Song of the day: I Dare You by Shinedown

This week marks the beginning of National Novel Writing Month, aka NaNoWriMo.

Unfamiliar with NaNoWriMo? In short, NaNoWriMo is a crash and burn approach to writing. The goal is to pen out a 175 page or 50,000 word novel in 30 days. From midnight November 1^st to midnight November 30^th, writers and would-be authors the world over lose all touch of reality and frenetically become full-fledged novelists. 

Does the idea of writing 50,000 words in such little time scare the bejeepers out of you? Does failure seem imminent? This is no doubt a daunting task ripe with disaster. Or is it?

I first NaNo-ed last year. I took up the challenge knowing that there was no way I could complete it. Did I shoot myself in the foot before I even typed my first word by believing I would be unsuccessful?

Not at all.

I wasn’t ready as a writer for such a test. I knew that. Still wet behind the ears, I was learning how to manage and discipline my writing time and responsibilities, and honing the craft. I fell far short of the 50,000 words mark. I don’t recall my exact pitiful word count, but I do remember that I managed four chapters. I’m a notoriously slow writer. Four chapters in four weeks was a monumental feat for me. Although I didn’t meet the NaNo goal, I had a real sense of accomplishment.

That’s part of the experience. To feel accomplished.

NaNo boldly suggests purging on the page, emphasizing quantity or quality. After all, December is for editing, right? How I wish I could upchuck the stories I want to tell. By now I would have all six of my WIP finished. Sadly, I have not yet been able to discipline myself to write in such a way. I scrutinize over every action, every bit of dialogue, and every visual apparatus to paint for the reader. I stare at the computer screen, thumb through my thesaurus and consult my research books enough to whittle away precious hurling time.

If you are like me, aware that you may not finish a full length novel in a month, let me share my thoughts on how to be a successful NaNo participant.

First, set attainable goals, no matter how small.

The dynamics of my household changed with the recent addition of my youngest daughter – now 8 weeks old. No way will I be able to give a good deal time to writing, much less finishing, a novel. Even as I type this blog, she sits in my lap, fussy and kicking at the keyboard. <sigh> With that in mind, I am aiming low. My goal is to write 10,000 words. Even that may be too lofty. However, reaching that goal will be sweet.

If you reach your objective before the final buzzer, set another one. Just think of how awesome you will feel by not only completing your goal but surpassing it!

Here’s a tip that goes against the NaNo rules. Start before you start.

Huh?  Let me explain.

The beginning of a novel can be the toughest part. And it’s a terrible place to get hung up when participating in a marathon. It can derail your best intentions before you really get under way and taint the mindset for success.  NaNo is about writing with intensity and it doesn’t matter if you jot down sheer crap. But once again, I cannot function under those terms. By creating the opening scene before the starting gun you can give yourself the momentum you need out the starting gate. Just don’t add those words to your counter. You’d be cheating yourself from a gratifying triumph.

Got a project you are already working on? How about that forsaken WIP sitting in your bottom desk drawer collecting paper clips and dust? Maybe you have an idea for a story in a genre you don’t normally write. Want to murder someone with a meat cleaver? Have a hot, sexy forbidden romp? Stage a gunfight at high noon or hunt down flesh-eating zombies? Why not give it a whirl and use NaNo as a tool to jumpstart or finish that endeavor?

As an added bonus, this can be great practice should you want to participate in NaNoWriMo next year. You will be better prepared to tackle NaNo on its official terms.

Find local NaNo writing buddies.

Buddies hold one another accountable. It’s natural to want to excel toward your set goals when others are “watching”.  In turn, word counts increase faster when there is accountability as a motivator.

Stage a write-in. Get together with fellow Nano-ers for a night of blitz writing.

A good friend and fellow Nano-er graciously opened her home last year for such a write-in. Participants were asked to bring food, cheap “white elephant” gifts and their laptops. Prizes were given for the most words written and the most intriguing sentence. Fun drawings for unique and wacky gifts were during break times. There was a smorgasbord of great food and greater company. And best of all, the event was extremely productive. I penned out more words that night than in a whole NaNo week. The night was so successful for all that a few months later, another write-in had been scheduled. A session with a masseuse for the weary had been added to the mix. Ahhh…..a little more to the left. Rejuvenated muscles, rejuvenated minds.

Now here comes the disclaimer. These suggestions and comments are solely mine. NaNoWriMo does not endorse them in any way. At least that’s what I assume.

Visit the NaNo website.

 http://www.nanowrimo.org/

It’s not too late to sign up and join in the fun and excitement.