Tips To Help Get You Through NaNoWriMo

This is the BIG week, and I don't mean Halloween! But that is a GREAT reason to celebrate!!

I'm talking about the 1st of November. Do you know what that means to THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND of authors?

NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH

NaNoWriMo....

Every year, thousands of writers make a commit to get at least 50k words completed on their manuscript. That comes out to be a little under 1700 words a day.

1700 words? Easy!

Not so much! It's actually harder than you think. But I have some tips that might help get you through. After all, I'm a three time winner, full time mom of three-teenage boys, wife, full time day job, mom to three four-legged creatures, and friend to many, so I might know a few tips to help you out.

1) Tell everyone you interact with that you are participating!

I mean EVERYONE! This way they know that you are so busy with your free time that you don't have time to go to Macy's for that after Thanksgiving day sale. You have to treat this like it's a work project.

Head on over to the NaNoWriMo website and sign up! This is a peer pressure month for writers who are participating and having peers that you can rely on is a great way to make it through!

I have a few local writer friends who do participate and we have a meet at 9 pm meeting at an all night dinner where we hang out and write, write, write. It's great to have the support.

On the home front I have all planned meals. It doesn't take me long to write 1700 words, so I do have some free time, but it sure makes it easier to have the meals planned ahead. If you have a family and obligations like I do, make sure you have a supportive significant other that will run the kids here and there when need be.

2) Manuscript!

This is why you are here! Now....we only have a few days, so you should know your story/plot.  This is really a pansting activity for me, which means that I have a general story line, and characters, but I have no idea where they are going to take me. So I'm not so strict on an outline, but it's great to have an idea of the beginning, middle, and end.

3) Goals!

If you are like me and have other commitments, you have to manage your time! That is the biggest hurdle I have to overcome. I do this by making a daily realistic goal and this includes the weekends. I might make my daily goal 1500 words, but weekends I might do 2k a day. This is an example so I'm not even sure if the math adds up to 50k, but you get the picture.

4) Write, write, write!

You have to be flexible with your attitude. You might be one of those writers who have to edit as you go....DO NOT DO THIS WITH NANOWRIMO!

Write! Get the story on the page. If you have gotten to the end of your story, go back and add a twist. Don't worry if it doesn't flow because you are going to go back and edit anyways. This is the time to just write what your heart desires. You have to freedom! Isn't it great and doesn't it feel good to have that freedom???

5) Use the NaNoWriMo Website!

Go into the forums. Give support to others that are struggling! Take advantage of adding the words you have completed to your word count ticker!

There is nothing more motivating to getting to your goal then seeing that ticker closer and  closer to 50k! It really sings to my muse!

So what do you say? LET'S DO THIS!! Together!! Come on over to NaNoWriMo and friend me! I will support you!!

Find me on Facebook too! I'm going to be posting inspirational photos daily to help get us through it!!

Panster's Guide to Writing

Hi, my name is Tonya Kappes. I'm a panster.

If there was a twelve step program for the pansters of the writing community, I would be the leader.
I've heard it all:
*post its? Those would be everywhere. No way.
*Note cards? No way.
*I let my MUSE do the walking and talking.
*Plotting stifles me.
*My characters carry me through.
*My characters drive my story.
. . .sound familiar?

Well. . .these are examples from my own procrastination station.

And here are a few things that have helped propel that manuscript forward. It's not really plotting, but it gives you a bare bones to where you will end up.

Start with your idea! Your story. You know the beginning and end. Write down the idea like you would see on a blurb or preview of a movie. As you write these down, you will get a few visuals in your head. Do they give you inspiration?
Don't lose that feeling. I grab a new notebook or journal and cut out pictures of the images in my head. The story is starting to mold, take shape, and I don't want to forget those images.
If you aren't into cutting, pasting, taping, etc...Pinterest is a GREAT new website to use when starting your idea/story. It's easy to use and takes minutes to help get your ideas in one place.

Now that you have some ideas of your setting/story/idea, are your characters beginning to talk to you? Is their story starting to take shape? Are they giving you ideas on where they want to in the plot?

OF COURSE THEY ARE!!!

I use a character worksheet to keep all my characters straight. There is nothing more aggravating than having to go back try to remember what color your protag's eyes are. If you would like a character worksheet emailed to you, email me at tonyak11(at)yahoo(dot)com and put character worksheet in the subject line. I will zip you one!

Recently, one of my critique partners came up with a fabulous idea that she has began to use in her worshops. Heather Webber is teaching character development by using an address book to keep track of your characters. HOW genius is she? VERY! Don't steal the idea unless you give her credit!
You can list your characters by name and use the page to add any plot ideas about that character, personality traits, description, anything!

With these two simple ideas, you're well on your way to getting that great story written and ready for the world to see. It's not taking away your pansting ways, or stifling your creativity, it's giving you the boost to help our ideas come to life and flourish into that great story you have within you.

What do you do to help get your pansting into a finished novel?

Remember: if you want a character development worksheet or an invite to Pinterest, email me!

Check out these great websites on how to help the panster:
David Krancher
Nathan Bransford