Nanowrimo Tips
10:32 PM PDT, October 23, 2007
1) Write in 500 word chunks, 4 per day. Should only take 20-30 mins each. One first thing, one at lunch, two in the evening with a break.
2) If you write less than 1700 words one day, don't stop until you've written 1700 + double the difference the following day. That way, when you're thinking of giving up for the day you know you're getting double the work for your reward.
3) Buy yourself a reward and dangle it. I just got hold of the Lost season 3 boxed set, and it's sitting above my monitor, sealed. I won't allow myself to watch it until I write the 50,000th word for Nano. If I don't write 50K, I won't allow myself to open the seal until 2008.
4) If you fall behind, look up my NanoWrimo 7500 words in one day catchup form/article
5) Turn the TV off. If you have to cook/clean/do other chores, make them brief.
6) No sharpening pencils.
7) Delete your email and web browser icons from the desktop/start menu. Force yourself to go through C:\Program Files\etc to find and run them.
8) Each evening, after you've written the daily 2k or so, outline a few scenes for the following day.
9) Write the scenes which interest you, not necessarily the next scene in order.
10) Don't be afraid to branch out. If your plot changes, leave a note in the text and keep going.
This is my third Nano, by the way. I completed it in 2005 and 2006, and I have every intention of doing it again. I'm not a particularly fast typist (I don't really touch type - although I don't have to look at the keyboard) but I manage to do my 2k per day or else.
This is syndicated from The Hal Spacejock Series, and written by Simon Haynes.
http://halspacejock.blogspot.com/2007/10/nanowrimo-tips.html
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50,834 / 50,000
Okt 26, 2007 - 09 07
Wow, There are a couple more hints that I intend to use. Although I may treat day one as a catchup day and use the 7500 word site in order to get initial momentum and be ahead of the curve.
50,841 / 50,000
Okt 30, 2007 - 12 07
A few more tips, from someone who's won for the past six years and intends to win this seventh year ;)
--If you're not an "outliner", don't worry. Write whatever comes to you, no matter how silly or stupid it seems at the time. You'll be surprised how much of it is really good when you look back at it later.
--Speaking of looking back, when you sit down to continuing writing, don't look back further than one page. This keeps the self-editor in check, and keeps you from falling into the trap of "fixing" things.
--DO NOT DELETE. Doesn't matter how insane something sounds--I randomly included a velociraptor in one scene, and it ended up not only being one of my favorite scenes in the whole novel that year, it also provided a solution to the end of my novel that I'd been having trouble with. Your brain/fingers know what they're doing. And if you do end up deciding later that you don't like it, you can edit it out...but not in November! DO NOT DELETE.
--If you think it's cool, don't worry what your mom/spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend/friends/cat/dog/pet velociraptor will think of it. Include it.
--If you should get bored with what you're writing, move on to whatever scene it is you're looking forward to writing, and write that.
And the number one thing that's helped me:
--When you stop writing, don't end with a finished sentence; end in the middle of a sentence so that you're immediately thrown back into your story when you start writing the next day.
I hope this helps!
~L.A. Dixon
----------Auburn, AL Municipal Liaison
~L.A.
Auburn, Alabama ML
0 / 50,000
Okt 30, 2007 - 12 50
I appreciate all of the tips! It's encouraging to me to be reminded not to worry about what anyone else thinks about what I write-this is supposed to be fun, right?
Annie Laurie
50,834 / 50,000
Okt 30, 2007 - 13 29
Amen! Fun comes first, and if anyone likes what I wrie, that's just a bonus!
50,834 / 50,000
Okt 30, 2007 - 13 30
Amen! Fun comes first, and if anyone likes what I write, that's just a bonus!
50,100 / 50,000
Nov 4, 2007 - 13 50
Sounds like some good points. I was doing fine last year with 25,000 in the first two weeks, but got notice of deployment to Iraq in a couple of weeks and dropped the ball, but sometimes a little time with the kids before shipping out to war take priority, I can always do it again this year and so I write.
Well, let me go see if I can hit 10,000 before the day ends. Another note, winning this thing is another addition to the resume' and that is so important as a writer when trying to get published.
Notice, too, Chicken Soup for the Soul is the easiest to get a 1,000 word story published and make a little money to boot. That's an anthology that sells a half million per and worthy of the trouble. I'm two for two with them already. I've published in four anthologies and one syndicated newspaper column (The Front Porch). Build that resume' and let it help you get that liteary agent or publisher you want.
----------WLIC,
Glenn
Calera, Alabama
G. E. Dabbs, author of Lucy's Treasure and contributing writer to the following Anthologies, Chicken Soup for the Mother and Son Soul, God answers Prayers, Military Edition, The Gift of Prayer, and coming soon, Chicken Soup for the Father and Son Soul, (M