Ever wanted to write a novel? Can’t find the inspiration or drive to do it? Then look no further than NaNoWriMo! What is NaNoWriMo, you may ask? It stands for the National Novel Writing Month. During the month of November, you will write 50,000 words over a 30-day period. By the end, if you have successfully written 50,000 words, then you will have a novel that you can send to publishers, publish yourself, or have just for you to enjoy! Some famous authors, who we will be featuring throughout the month of November, have even created their novels during NaNoWriMo. All you have to do is visit the NaNoWriMo official site and create a profile so that you can become connected with the community, track your writing goals, and so much more. Does all of this seem a little intimidating? Here are a couple of tips on how to start before the month of November!
Start by storyboarding possible ideas that you have. During November, you may be too busy typing away to get to your word count goal for the day to think about the characters that you are developing and the storyline. It is a great idea to start NOW on selecting possible genres, time periods, and directions for your novel. This will help you have a clear direction for the month ahead and helps buffer the impact of any bumps in the road. Do research, make outlines, and get to thinking so you are not stressing while you are busy writing your novel.
Seek support from the NaNoWriMo community. Sometimes, you may need advice on your novel from other people who have also struggled with writing a book. Luckily, NaNoWriMo understands that and has set up events and forums just for this. This gives you the opportunity to talk with other budding authors that are trying to keep up with their word count, their story, and their day job all while trying to write an entire novel in a month. You can do things like add a writing buddy in your profile to keep you accountable on those days when you just do not want to write a single word. Regional events are held throughout the month, such as write-ins, where you and other local NaNoWriMo author gets together to write or edit. Check out events like Camp NaNoWriMo, a virtual writing retreat, that will give you the resources to complete all of your writing projects in your drafts.
Don’t wait! Procrastination is the enemy of any novelist. Check out the NaNoWriMo website today, create your profile, and begin writing your outline for your book! Utilize all the tools and tips you can, and keep an eye out for more great stuff in November so you can have a successful National Novel Writing Month.
Have any other suggestions? Want to start talking ideas with some of our readers? Leave a comment or visit us at Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to find more great content!
