NaNo Rocks - Top Tips for Getting You Through

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National Novel Writers Month is a bit marmite as they say. Most writers either love it or they hate it. I'm in the love it group. As far as I'm concerned NaNo rocks. Or at least it does for the first few days. I start out gung ho and love the idea of writing every day, of crafting my story and seeing the word counts soaring. Then life gets in the way. Something comes along that needs my attention, or I wake up feeling ill (remember this is November) and with no energy to write. I miss a couple of days and suddenly I'm playing catch up. Frantically typing until all hours becomes the norm and stress levels hit the top of the barometer. However, in the end it all seems worthwhile, when I see that final word count submitted and I am a NaNoWriMo winner.

Who can identify with this? I am sure many of you reading this blog have been in a similar situation. So, how do we deal with this. Here are my tips.

  1. Plan your novel/book in advance. This gives you a framework and it's easier to pick up and put down
  2. Set aside a time for writing every day and stick to it. This may be a different time each day but plan it in your diary
  3. Do not edit as you go along. Your words will flow more quickly
  4. Waken up 30 minutes early and start your writing at the beginning of the day. You will feel much better as you will have done something.
  5. Remember it's only 1666 words a day. 50,000 seems an impossible task but the lower amount is manageable
  6. Use odd times during the day to write. If you are sitting waiting for the kids to come from school write in a notebook or on your phone. You will just need to transpose them when you get to your computer. Done on your phone it may be a simple copy and paste. Or you may even be writing on the document itself using word processing software on your phone. 
  7. All those small steps will add up and you will soon meet your word count target
  8. Don't beat yourself up. Celebrate when you meet your daily target.
  9. Don't get hung up on what your buddies are doing. Celebrate with them, encourage them and remember they are there doing the same for you.
  10. When you upload your final word count and you are a winner. Celebrate.
I'm celebrating already this year as I have a new book being launched on Saturday. Bertie the Buffalo is based on a true story. Scotland's very own wee escape artist ran away from Boglily Buffalo Farm in Fife last year. He is now the star of his very own book. I have numerous events lined up for him through November and December, so it's going to be a busy NaNo for me. I am, however, determined to be a winner. Watch this space. 



What are your Top Tips for getting through NaNoWriMo. Tell me in the comments and help others along the way. 

About the Author

Wendy H Jones is the Amazon Number 1 best-selling author of the award winning DI Shona McKenzie Mysteries. Her Young Adult Mystery, The Dagger’s Curse was a finalist in the Woman Alive Readers Choice Award. She is also The President of the Scottish Association of Writers, an international public speaker, and runs conferences and workshops on writing, motivation and marketing. Wendy is the founder of Crime at the Castle, Scotland’s newest Crime Festival. She is the editor of a Lent Book, published by the Association of Christian Writers and also the editor of the forthcoming Christmas Anthology form the same publisher. Her first children's book, Bertie the Buffalo, will be released at the end of October 2018.

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