3 Steps for NaNoWriMo Success

November is creeping up on us, and if you’re thinking about participating in NaNoWriMo this year, you might be wondering how you can possibly write an entire 50,000 words in just one month. 

The answer? Preparation.

If you’re unfamiliar with NaNoWriMo, the abbreviation stands for National Novel Writing Month. It’s an event where, in the month of November, writers are challenged to write a novel (or 50,000 words) in one month. The challenge gets a lot of hype and the energy and enthusiasm of so many people aspiring to write 50,000 words in November can be extremely motivating.

But if you don’t have a plan in place, you may struggle to push through the entire month. So, how can you best prepare for the challenge? Here are some thoughts.

1. Create a basic outline/plan for your story

I’m not a huge planner in my own writing. I don’t write lengthy outlines ahead of time and often prefer to find my story as I go. But when you’re trying to write a full story in such a short amount of time, having some idea of where you’re headed can be extremely helpful.

This doesn’t need to be elaborate. Something as simple as sketching out your main characters and the overall plot can be helpful. But the more you can create a roadmap for yourself, the easier it will be to open your document and just start writing each day rather than trying to decide what happens next. Having a vision in mind of what the major scenes/turning points might be can help you work towards each one. And always remember: these can change at any point if you need them to. Nothing is set in stone.

If you’re looking for some resources to help with this, check out my Outline for Pantsers. This free guide will help you get down the basics of your story and the main plot points so you have a roadmap to work off of. If you have a little more time and want to dig a bit deeper, I always recommend Jenny Nash’s Blueprint for a Book. Her blueprint questions help you gain a clear picture of the story you want to tell, and her Inside Outline would work beautifully as a roadmap for writing as you plow through all those words in a short amount of time.

2. Figure Out the Logistics

The biggest issue most of us face with NaNo is simply finding the time to dedicate to cranking out words. If we had no other commitments, this challenge might be far less of a challenge. November is only a 30-day month and there’s a major U.S. holiday thrown in there. Jobs, children, family obligations, holiday prep…the list of things that can interfere with your goal of completing NaNo is endless.

So, spend some time with your calendar and figure out when you’re going to write. Are you going to aim to write 1,667 words each day, or are you going to have a more conservative goal on weekdays versus weekends when you might have more time? Whatever your plan, be realistic about your schedule. If you plan to write for an hour after the kids are in bed but that’s when your creativity is at its lowest, then you might end up frustrated more days than if you create a plan with your peak creative hours in mind.

Having a dream of writing 50,000 words in a month is great, but if you don’t build a concrete, reasonable plan as to how you’re going to make that happen ahead of time, you may end up resenting the project before the first week is even over. Break out a calendar and mark your goals for each day down as well as a time (or times!) you’re going to plan to write.

3. Plan a Celebration for When You Win

This doesn’t need to be anything elaborate, but do spend some time considering what you’re going to reward yourself with when you win this challenge. No matter how “good” or “usable” your words are at the end of the month, writing this many words in such a short amount of time is no small feat, and it’s absolutely worthy of celebration.

Plus, having that reward or celebration in mind can help keep you motivated throughout the month, especially the middle weeks when the challenge can feel overwhelming and exhausting and like there’s no end in sight. Keeping your eyes on the “prize” at the end can encourage you to keep going even when it’s hard.

Bonus Tip: Remember There’s No One “Right” Way to NaNo

The “right” way to win NaNo is the way that works for you. The only thing you need to do to win this challenge is write 50,000 words by midnight on November 30th. That’s it. No one is sitting there telling you how to do that. Write whenever works best for you. Write wherever you feel most inspired. Write whatever story you want to tell in this moment. You’ve got this!