How to win at NaNoWriMo
I'm doing NaNoWriMo this year, and aren't you jealous?
No, it's not a yodeling contest in Wisconsin. Sheesh. It stands for National Novel Writing Month, the month being November, and the challenge being to write 50,000 words in 30 days. That figures out to ... let's see ... carry the--ah. 1,667 words per day, on the average.
Doesn't sound like much ... until you try it.
Personally, I would have chosen NaNoWriMo to be in January, which has an extra day, no holidays, and absolutely no reason to go outside. (What, New Year's? Let's face it: That holiday is actually on December 31st. After that a ball drops, you kiss someone through a mask, go home, and sleep late. Start writing at noon, and you're good.)
But the advantage of November is that you can use the excuse to leap up as soon as the turkey is eaten on Thanksgiving. "Sorry, love catching up with the family but Uncle Bert has already started with the political insults and the football game will be boring gotta go!" And you're outta there.
If you're a writer, you have the advantage of being too poor to go do anything else anyway, so why not give it a try? I won NaNoWriMo twice, with my manuscripts for Summer Jobs Are Murder and Fire On Mist Creek, both now quietly accumulating rejection slips in the corner. So I can give you a few tips on how to make it through the month, which is intended to give wannabe writers a kick in the proverbial pants:
Have your story ready to go. Characters created, outlines done (if you’re an outliner), research … um, researched. You should be prepared to type the first line of the actual story at 12:01 a.m. November 1st. (Or 10 a.m., or whenever you start.)
Second, take care of personal matters. Have a talk with friends and family. Tell them why it’s important to you. Make sure they either support you, or your locks are changed. If there’s some TV show you can’t stand to miss, DVR it. Take care to stay hydrated and eat proper meals, and every once in awhile get up and make sure your legs still work. Hire someone to make the meals and do the dishes.
Oh, wait, you're a writer--you can't afford to hire anyone.
Third, clear your schedule. As much as possible, anything you need to do, have done in October. Doctor appointments, for instance. Or, delay it until December. Laundry, for instance.
In other words, free up as much time as possible, and use that time for writing—writing first. Sure, if you cut a finger off you have to go to the hospital, but couldn’t you just bandage up an amputated toe for a few weeks? You don’t type with your toes.
Do you?
Once you get started writing, keep at it--don't worry about typos or other problems, you can fix those in edits. Get your story down.
I'm doing what I've been calling my Untitled Oz Project, which has no title. (My original titles always suck, anyway.) Tell me yours! You've got nothing to lose but 30 days ... and maybe a toe.
If anyone wants to tag along on my trip, or maybe try a trip of your own, my NaNoWriMo account is here:
https://nanowrimo.org/participants/mark-r-hunter
http://markrhunter.com/
https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0058CL6OO
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/"Mark R Hunter"
Oh, is it that time again already? Well, obviously you do have a lot of experience in that. Remember, don't use that ' , like in don't. I mean, do not. That way you get your 50.000 words together quicker.
At least the Covid crisis is working in your favour in this case. Nobody expects you to go anywhere, or take part in family celebrations. A responsible writer does not endanger other people, and stays at home writing instead.
Of course you need to organise the delivery of supplies somehow. Like a stock pile of canned beans that lasts till May or so. And don't forget the sufficient amount of toilet paper for that.
Oh, we stocked up a few days ago. Not only do I not like to go out this time of year, but some people get a little crazy around election time, and I'd just as soon avoid them.
Yeah, I kept some reserves after the lock down happened. And now we are going into the next one, called "lock down light". It's mainly entertainment that is targeted this time, bars, restaurants, cinemas, sports events and similar things. Shops, schools and factories stay open for now, with special hygene precautions, of course.
But in some neighbouring coutries it's already back to a total halt, like in Belgium, France and some more.
Well, the election is another problem. I'm not sure what is worse, that or the virus. There are concerns that it will come to rioting, whatever side may win. Or that Trump simply refuses to leave if he looses. May be the most exieting election since 1776...
Exciting, yes. I love exciting in entertainment. Hate it in real life.