NaNoWriMo 21 is coming to an end, and it was my second time joining it. For a second time, I managed to complete 50k words within 30 days. It’s a massive accomplishment for me, who has never been able to stick to a writing schedule or put together such a large amount of words.
Now I have 100k words, meaning the zero draft of an entire novel. I am excited about what comes next. The editing process sounds daunting but like a great adventure.
But before tacking it, I thought it would be a good idea to reflect on my NaNoWriMo and write down What it took to get it done and what I have learned from it:
1 – Preptober is everything – I wouldn’t be able to write within the timeline if I hadn’t prepared beforehand. I had a list of scenes, character sheets, story arc, and research done to guide me through.
2 – Make the most of free materials – For a second year, I’ve used Sarra Cannon’s Preptober free workbook as the base of my own NaNoWriMo plan. It kept me focused and made me understand how to get prepared for the challenge.
3 – Writing sprints are the best – I find it easy to write early in the morning but, due to the nature of my job, I need to do some of the writing in the afternoon/evening to meet the minimal word count. It was writing sprints that kept me going when my energy was already low. The writing sprints provided by the Hearth Breathings Facebook community were instrumental.
4 – Believe in the energy of NaNoWriMo – I believe there is something magical about thousands of people together working on the same goal worldwide. I could feel the energy in my bones, pushing me through the days when I felt tired or uninspired.
5 – Do less to achieve more – I cut my screen and typing time to the bare minimum to ensure I still managed to be sitting on my desk and be creative. Otherwise, I would be in physical pain and unable to keep going. When you create your schedule, add plenty of time to rest and daydream about your story.
6 – Be ready to make sacrifices – November became a month when I say a lot of “no” to family and friends and new work. It meant some angry faces and loss of income, but it was the only one to save the necessary time to create.
7 – Take notes as you go – I added a page to my NaNoWriMo workbook in which I wrote down a couple of sentences about each writing day. This way, I could better understand my writing process and adjust it when needed.
8 – Have fun – Unless writing is already paying your bills, and even so, you won’t feel motivated to complete such a huge challenge unless you are having fun. My attitude was not to take the target too seriously.
9 – Understand what makes you tick – What works for one person might not work for another. For instance, rewards don’t motivate me. But I do need something to encourage me to get started. So my deal was to have a chocolate truffle once I was on my desk and had the file opened in front of me.
10 – Anticipate what won’t work – Don’t put yourself up for failure. If you aren’t a fast writer, don’t try to become one overnight. If you know you will be busy during most of the month, set a lower target.
