NaNoWriMo Prep, Part Eight: Strategies and Tips
Tip #1
Be excited about your story. If you're not excited about what you're writing, then you're going to procrastinate. I don't like writing educational blog posts. I kind of hate it, actually. This would be why, almost every week, even though I had a full seven days to write one, it doesn't usually get finished until the day before I need to post it. Don't be like me. Find a way to be excited about what you're writing.
Tip #2
Know what it takes for you to do your best writing. If you know what kind of environment you need to do your best, then you can arrange things to replicate that environment. I write best at night, after I've completed housework and the writing stuff I like less, like editing and revision. I also tend to get more into what I'm writing if I listen a specific radio station on Pandora (epic soundtracks, if you want to know).
Tip #3
Don't be afraid to unplug. That might mean turning off your phone, setting up an app to lock Facebook on your computer, or moving all electronic devices to another room. Don't be afraid to do this. If those things are distracting you (and they probably are, even if you don't want to admit it) then you should be able to cut them off for half an hour to write.
Tip #4
Make sure you have snacks and water where you're going to be writing. This will keep you from procrastinating by getting up to go to the kitchen.
Tip #5
Think about what you're going to be writing before you sit down to write it. Build the anticipation. Imagine it while you're doing the dishes, vacuuming the floor, cooking dinner. Get yourself excited to sit down and type it out. If you're like my husband and can't work with an outline, then this can help you keep from wasting time once you actually sit down to write.
Tip #6
If you have writer's block, try one of the writing prompts the Nano site sends participants. You can also find some intriguing ones on WritersWrite. You can apply these to your story, or you can write a short piece just to warm up.
Tip #7
If you get stuck, make it harder for your character. Add some difficulty, like bringing the wrong food to a potluck, breaking a family heirloom, losing a valuable piece of jewelry. Bonus points if it ties into your plot.
Tip #8
If you just can't seem to write anything, take a break and do something relaxing. Take a walk, read a book, play a game, watch a movie. Sometimes all you need to "turn it on" is to stop trying for a while.
Tip #9
If you need a new idea, take two things that are completely unrelated to each other, and combine them. Example: A pencil and a water bottle. How can these be combined? A water bottle holds water, so a container, plus a writing utensil. Perhaps an item that "draws" in water. A glass jar, maybe, with a magical quill that allows the user to scribe 3-dimensional images on liquids.
Be excited about your story. If you're not excited about what you're writing, then you're going to procrastinate. I don't like writing educational blog posts. I kind of hate it, actually. This would be why, almost every week, even though I had a full seven days to write one, it doesn't usually get finished until the day before I need to post it. Don't be like me. Find a way to be excited about what you're writing.
Tip #2
Know what it takes for you to do your best writing. If you know what kind of environment you need to do your best, then you can arrange things to replicate that environment. I write best at night, after I've completed housework and the writing stuff I like less, like editing and revision. I also tend to get more into what I'm writing if I listen a specific radio station on Pandora (epic soundtracks, if you want to know).
Tip #3
Don't be afraid to unplug. That might mean turning off your phone, setting up an app to lock Facebook on your computer, or moving all electronic devices to another room. Don't be afraid to do this. If those things are distracting you (and they probably are, even if you don't want to admit it) then you should be able to cut them off for half an hour to write.
Tip #4
Make sure you have snacks and water where you're going to be writing. This will keep you from procrastinating by getting up to go to the kitchen.
Tip #5
Think about what you're going to be writing before you sit down to write it. Build the anticipation. Imagine it while you're doing the dishes, vacuuming the floor, cooking dinner. Get yourself excited to sit down and type it out. If you're like my husband and can't work with an outline, then this can help you keep from wasting time once you actually sit down to write.
Tip #6
If you have writer's block, try one of the writing prompts the Nano site sends participants. You can also find some intriguing ones on WritersWrite. You can apply these to your story, or you can write a short piece just to warm up.
Tip #7
If you get stuck, make it harder for your character. Add some difficulty, like bringing the wrong food to a potluck, breaking a family heirloom, losing a valuable piece of jewelry. Bonus points if it ties into your plot.
Tip #8
If you just can't seem to write anything, take a break and do something relaxing. Take a walk, read a book, play a game, watch a movie. Sometimes all you need to "turn it on" is to stop trying for a while.
Tip #9
If you need a new idea, take two things that are completely unrelated to each other, and combine them. Example: A pencil and a water bottle. How can these be combined? A water bottle holds water, so a container, plus a writing utensil. Perhaps an item that "draws" in water. A glass jar, maybe, with a magical quill that allows the user to scribe 3-dimensional images on liquids.
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