10 Tips To Prepare For NaNoWriMo

What is NaNoWriMo?

For those of you who haven’t heard of it before: NaNoWriMo is an international writing event that challenges you to write 50,000 words of fiction in November.

How to win NaNoWriMo

Here are 10 things you can do this month to prepare for NaNoWriMo:

1. Clear your calendar as much as you can. Look at your calendar and your to-do list for November.
2. Plan your story. If you’re a plotter, plot out the major turning points in your novel in advance. You’ll need to get a lot of writing done every day, so knowing what you will write will help. If you’re a pantser—also called a discovery writer—you might want to at least think about your characters, their goals, and the obstacles they will encounter.
3. Get to know your characters. The rules of NaNoWriMo allow you to flesh out your characters ahead of time. You could create character profiles for each of your main characters, detailing their backstories, character traits, appearance, and other interesting information.
4. Do your research ahead of time. List any topics you need to research, for example, details of the setting or your characters’ professions. Research everything you might need first.
5. Improve your writing skills. If you feel that your writing has certain weaknesses, work on it. For example, you could take an online course on writing dialogue or practice writing vivid descriptions or reading a book on important aspects of the writing craft.
6. Let your family and friends know you’re going to do NaNoWriMo. Not only will that give your friends and family members a chance to support you and cheer you on, but it’ll also let them know why you will be a hermit this month.
7. Connect with other NaNoWriMo writers. The sense of community you get from so many writers doing the same thing can be a wonderful encouragement. If you don’t know any writers who are doing NaNoWriMo this year, check out the NaNoWriMo forums. There are groups for each region.
8. Familiarize yourself with the NaNoWriMo website. If you haven’t signed up yet, create a free account and explore the website.
9. Prepare your writing tools. Have all the resources you need to hit the ground running fast. If you haven’t found your ideal writing tool yet, try out different options. Bookmark the websites you’ll need, and keep your research material nearby.
10. Figure out when you’ll get your writing done. To win NaNoWriMo, you need to write an average of 1,667 words almost each day of November. Set aside time to write every day. If there are any days with other commitments that will make it impossible to find time to write, plan how you’ll make up for it. 

Are you up for NaNoWriMo this year? Are you doing anything to prepare? Please leave a comment and check back for more NaNoWriMo tips and tricks!