How to Write 50,000 Words for NaNoWriMo

How does one go about writing 50,000 Words for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo or Nano)? That is the question of the day for writers preparing this Preptober for Nano. The answer is both easy and difficult.

I’ve made it no secret that I’m bending the NaNo rules (if one is to say there are rules) to fit my needs as a writer, and in preparing, I’ve discovered a thing or two. First, I’ve argued the point too many times to count that achieving a high daily word count is meaningless if they can’t be used. It’s like building a house on quicksand. Yes, you built a structure but it’s going to sink before it’s finished. Therefore, I don’t put much stock in mere numbers. I believe in quality over quantity.

That being said, I discovered I could write close to 10,000 words in two days with breaks. This solidified for me that A.) 50,000 words is durable in thirty days and B.) I am capable of writing 50,000 words in thirty days. These together should boost my confidence that I will be success at NaNo should I attempt a 50,000-word novel. And this is where the hitch comes in.

The 10,000 words I wrote were not all in the same document. They weren’t even on the same subject. Maybe I didn’t build a house on quicksand, but it’s probably sitting atop a landslide waiting to happen.

The rub is 50,000 words in the big scheme of things are easy to pump out. The difficulty comes in having 50,000 words together in a single, structured form–which is what is needed (in most cases) for NaNo. So, let’s breakdown what is needed to do this.

Begin with gathering all writing materials needed and place the them in the area you will be writing if they are not already. I like to be mobile, and therefore, change my writing location. I maintain a portable tote/backpack that holds the majority of my writing tools, but not all of them. Items in my tote include a dictionary, thesaurus, copy of the Chicago Manual of style, pens, paper, liquid paper, Post-It Notes, highlighters, portable phone chargers (if I’m in an area without an electrical outlet), jacket (for places that like the local library where the temperature is kept cool, bottled water (room temperature which I only use if I forget to take with me or have no access to a chilled water/beverage), contact solution, extra pair of contacts, cough drops, Kleenex, Excedrin, Band-Aids, hand sanitizer, extra face mask, lotion, lip balm, paperclips, USB flash drive, clipboard, notebook with notes I frequently use, personal products, paperweight (for windy areas), hair scrunchie, sunshades (in a case), sunscreen, bug deterrent, hand towel (to wipe seating areas or to sit on if the area can’t be wiped clean), gum, folding umbrella and poncho, earbuds (backup), wet wipes, and a snack. My laptop has its own separate case. Yes, it’s a lot, and truth is, there’s probably more in it that I forgot to list. Of course, I don’t need to use everything in my tote every single time I writer. I carry so much to ensure no matter my writing location, I have everything that I possibly need and have it conveniently at my fingertips. I don’t always know the condition of my writing area. For example, I’ve arrived at outside areas where the chairs/benches are damp with the morning dew or the previous night’s rain. At one of the local libraries, staff do not monitor noise level, and it can become noisy.Some would argue this is the first thing a writer should do is to notify others what you will be writing and not to interrupt you. I don’t do this first, because I want to have my work station set up before I make the announcement, so, I can sit down and begin writing. Otherwise, someone may request I do something, and then when I finish, I have to collect my writing materials if I need anything not in my tote/backpack. According to some writers, their family and friends do not respect their writing as a serious discipline or important. Making the announcement not to be bother asserts the importance the writer places on this time.Free the area of distraction. If writing inside, it may mean shutting off the television. I place mine on mute which isn’t always an appropriate solution. Here’s my odd aside for the day. I am more productive when my fingernails are well-manicured. Maybe, it’s because I’m looking at them frequently as I type. When they aren’t, I find myself stopping to shape up an edge or peel off chipped polish. (I know. I’m weird. Stone me.) So, I make it a habit to manicure my nails and wash my hands before a writing session. A male colleague admitted that he shaves before sitting for a writing session. He stated that it makes him feel fresh and relaxed if his face isn’t itching from stubble. I should also come clean and admit that I do tend to multitask sometimes if I’m writing at home. I’ll apply a facial mask (skincare) or condition my hair as I write. The multitasking activities that I choose do not interfere with my writing.Be well rested and positive. This should be self-explanatory, but if it isn’t, think about what sports teams do before taking the field or court. They hype themselves up to believe that they can win. They run onto the field or court with a burst of energy. They know the goal and are ready to achieve it. Writers should mentally prepare and boost themselves up for success just as any athlete would. They should stand in the mirror and give themselves a pep talk if required.Mathematically speaking, to remain on target for the 50,000 words in thirty days, a writer needs to write approximately 1,800 words daily. The length of time this takes will depend on two factors: A.) how fast one is able to type or write manually and B.) how quickly the writer for ideas. One friend who is slow at typing records her story and later converts it to text. I’ve attempted to use speech-to-text software (it’s been some years ago) discovered it wasn’t fond of southern accents. I spent more time correcting and repeating that I did creating material. I’m sure the software has approved since then, but this is an option for writers wanting or needing to increase their speed.Begin writing with scenes you have mapped out the most. It doesn’t matter where the scene falls in the story. Because the scene is pre-mapped in one’s mind, it is probably the easiest and most fluid to write. Often, this is an excellent place to start (if the writer does not take issue with writing scenes out of order).Do not stress with getting each sentence perfect. Remember, this is a draft that is being written and can be edited later. If a sentence or paragraph isn’t shaping up to be what is wanted, the writer should mark it for correction later and keep trucking. Focus on telling the story. This will keep the writer writing.Research ahead of time. This will prevent a writer from having to interrupt the writing session to fact check or know how to communicate a concept.Don’t pay attention to word count until after the writing session has ended. There is a great scene in the movie Facing the Giants where a football couch has a do an exercise drill blindfolded. By not being able to see how far he’s going while doing the drill, the player exceeds his own expectation. Constantly monitoring word count progress may be counterproductive and add unnecessary stress. Again, focus on getting the story told.Story writing is not an exact science; therefore, writers shouldn’t treat it as such. Here’s a personal example of what not do (or rather not to the extreme). After completing one of my earlier novels, I noticed how unprotonated the chapters were. This hadn’t bothered me previously, only I had read a string of books where the chapters all appeared to have equal lengths. So, I decided to try this. Now, each writer has his/her own style, and I certainly have mine. I also enjoy experimenting to grow my craft. This does not come without growing pains. Y’all, when I say I tossed myself in a world of hurt trying to have even chapters. NaNo may not be the ideal time to be experimenting with style and technique with the restricted timeframe. Exploring and expanding subject matter is probably not going to create too much of a headache. The point is, the daily results of writing will likely vary. Some days, a writer may create more content than on other days. Some scenes may be more difficult to navigate. Plot snags happen. In my case, extra characters that I didn’t know existed pop up—and sometimes dominate. It’s like they tap you on the shoulder and say, “Hey.” And you respond by asking, “When did you get here?” Go with the creative flow and forget the scientific controls.Be familiar with story arcs before beginning. This is why as a pantser I end up moving scenes around. Oh, I don’t want to tell this story but it is what it is. So, my WIP that those who follow me know that I have nicknamed “Beast” and remains in draft form is what happens to pantsers who do not fully explore story arcs. What I originally thought was the ending was actually the climax. So. when I wrote the ending, I had to insert all this connective tissue to join the two and retrack to the beginning to ensure I had the proper setup because the ending had changed. I ended up with a story of far too many words because I’m wordy anyway. It was too long for one story and not enough to divide into two. Subplots had to get cut, and it reared its head as the monster that it is. But I refuse to let it get the best of me. By golly, it shall be tamed. During NaNo, even if a writer hasn’t outlined the story, just knowing where beats need to occur and having that in mind while writing will increase the likelihood of completing the manuscript. Why? Because it will keep the writer focused on writing the main parts of the story. One could write all the beats first and have the backbone of the story and later fill in the connective tissue to complete the draft.Ignore tag dialogs and descriptions until the basic story is written. Tag dialogues are written to help the reader keep clear who is speaking, and writers are encouraged to vary the dialogue tags used avoid monotony. (That’s a whole entire discussion with a swinging verdict that I’m not about to tackle here.) Writers know which character is speaking, and thus, do not need the tags. The dialogue is important. Writers should focus on writing the dialogue and double back to insert the tags during editing. Likewise, lengthy descriptions aren’t necessary. Say for instance the writer is writing a steampunk novel, and it’s important to know that the aircraft the character are on is an airship or Zeppelin. Maybe it’s a luxury line and has a posh décor. While a description of the interior may help set mood, it may not necessarily add much to the plot. Since the writer has a vision of what this airship looks like, he/she can move forward with plot elements and add the description later. It’s like drywalling an entire house before painting instead of painting each room as it is drywalled. It’s getting the heavy lifting done before adding the embellishments.Do not become discourage if a daily goal isn’t met or writing gets stuck on a particular scene. Move on to writing something else that you can get accomplished. It always boils down to NaNo only lasting thirty days. The objective has to be writing consistently and productively. It’s like the timed college entrance examinations where the proctors and instruction caution not to spend too much time lamenting on an answer and to mark difficult questions to come back to later if you have time. In a way, NaNo is a race to get to the end. It’s okay to fall down or get muddy on the way there. But the writer must pick himself/herself up and keep moving towards the finish line.I’ve mentioned this in previous post. Be passionate about what you’re writing and know your material. It is easier to write what one is passionate about and/or interested in. Likewise, when a writer is familiar with his/her subject, writing about it is old hat. I’m not an attorney. If I wanted to discuss credibility the technicalities of legal matter with an attorney, I’d likely get twisted in the small nuances. When writing a story, the author (unless using an unreliable narrator point-of-view) is the authoritarian voice to the reader. I once had an editor suggest I change a line of dialogue, citing that many readers would not be familiar with the phrase. I saw her point. However, after reading the change, I went back to the original. I explained if I didn’t the regionals would call me out and drag for not being authentic. Thus, in my opinion, it is the responsibility of the writer to present information accurately. There are some subjects that I can speak with confidence on without having to perform an internet search. Your girl can talk some sports. Years ago, I resided in an apartment complex. As I arrived home two of my male neighbors (one I had met and another I hadn’t) were standing in front of the stairwell. It was a fall Friday afternoon which translates to gameday eve. It’s the start of the football season, and he asks me how I think my team is going to do. When I mention about his team (which was a rival team) having no depth, I thought the other neighbor was going to pass out. He actually asked, “Girl, what do you know about depth.” My other neighbor chimed in and said, “Bro, you done messed up now.” That’s when I proceeded to show him how much I knew about college football. I rattled off names, dates, stats, scores, and histories. Now, ask me about needlepoint, and I can tell you nothing. My child can rattle off Harry Potter facts like water. The thing is each person has a base of knowledge to draw from. This is a writer’s strength. Writers need to use that and pull from that core knowledge base as much as possible during NaNo. It provides a solid base for a story without the need for research.

And those are my tips to writers as to how to write 50,000 words in thirty days for NaNoWriMo. What tips would you suggest, add, or omit? Did I exclude or include something that I shouldn’t have? Will you be using any of these tips during NaNo? Let me know in the comment section below.

And also, don’t forget to pick up a copy of my new steamy romance, Ice Gladiators, guaranteed to melt the ice. It’s the third book in my sports romance Locker Room Love series.

Taz has problems: a stalled career, a coach threatening to destroy him, a meddling matchmaking roommate, and a thing for his other roommate’s boyfriend. The first three are manageable, but the last… well, that’s complicated. Because as much as Taz is attempting not to notice Liam, Liam is noticing him. Grab your copy of Ice Gladiators at https://amzn.to/2TGFsyD or www.books2read.com/icegladiators.

[image error]

Missed the first two books in my sports romance series? No frets. Out of the Penalty Box, where it’s one minute in the box or a lifetime, out is available at http://amzn.to/2Bhnngw. It also can be ordered on iTunes, Nook, or Kobo. Visit www.books2read.com/penalty.

Defending the Net can be ordered at www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.

[image error]

Locker Room Love is a steamy standalone gay romance/ MM romance series revolving around professional hockey players. Set primarily in the Cajun and Creole bayous of south Louisiana, these love stories have a diverse cast of characters. These sexy athletes are discovering their own voice and the best romance of their lives, even if that isn’t their intention. Find tales of friends to lovers, enemies to loves, billionaires, bad boys, forbidden romance, first times, gay for you, and more. These alpha males are guaranteed to work up a sweat and melt the ice.

For more of my stories, shenanigans, giveaways, and more, check out my blog, Creole Bayou, www.genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com. New posts are made on Wednesdays (with bonus posts sometimes on Mondays), and everything is raw and unscathed. Climb on in a pirogue and join me on the bayou.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this post or any others, feel free to comment below or tweet me at @dolynesaidso. You also can follow me on Instagram at genevivechambleeauthor or search me on Goodreads or Amazon Authors or BookBub.

Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Keep safe.