How to Have a Life During Nanowrimo

Despite what you may be thinking, it is possible to have a life during Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month) and still win. After all, life doesn't stop just because there's a challenge, and it won't have to with a little preparation and some planning.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• schedule (optional)
• time
• something to write with and on
• dedication and motivation

1. Set aside times to write, say half an hour in the morning, an hour in the evening. Then just write. Don't worry about writing the perfect sentence. Reality is that you will have to revise anyway. So just write even if it's something like Character A will have to reach an agreement with Character C, after that they will go to this location. The point is to get out a rough draft.
2. Decide which time of day you can write best and then plan accordingly. For instance, if you want to write everyday, you would need to write approximately 1667 words every day to reach your goals. If you write best on weekends, then you would have to write approximately 5,600 words on either two weekend days of your choice (if you count Friday as part of the weekend).
3. Even if you choose to focus your main writing time on two or three days of the week, try to write at least one paragraph each day. Believe me, the little additions add up. And you can take advantage of bits of time to jot them down by keeping a 25 cent notebook in your purse or pocket and write while in line, waiting for someone, or between any other activity.
4. Sleep and have fun. Nanowrimo is not meant to be a drudgery. Definitely a challenge, but if you're not sleeping, grouching at everyone, and making most people feel as if the Grinch lives on in you right before Christmas, then it isn't worth it.
5. Reward yourself for reaching certain goal marks like 5,000 words, 10,000 words by getting away from the computer. Go out to dinner, try a new cooking style, get together with an old friend, go dancing. Getting away from the computer or the notebook for a little while will provide an excellent boost to your creativity.
6. If you find yourself changing your story partway through, don't scrap all the words you've already written. They count too, and you should always save them as you may find unexpected treasures there later or find that the new turn your story is taking doesn't work quite so well.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider taking a typing class before Nanowrimo so you can do more than hunt and peck. Typing at 50 wpm on average would allow you to write 1,000 words in approximately 25 minutes (this leaves room for thinking pauses and brief interruptions).
• Check out www.nanowrimo.org to see how other nonwrimoers survive.
• Nanowrimo takes place every November, but you can add it to your favorites at any time.