It’s almost that time of year. Writers cracking their fingers and stocking up on coffee granules, laptops charged, pencils sharpened, and a dream of a finished novel in their minds…
That’s right… November brings National Novel Writing Month! [or NaNoWriMo for the slick kids.]
Do people even say ‘slick’ anymore? Ah well…
NaNoWriMo is a tough old biscuit to crack. Unless you’re a seasoned writer with time to kill, there can be a hecka lot of pressure to get those 50,000 words down and write ‘The End’ by November 30th.
So what does the emotional journey of a NaNo candidate look like...?
PREP
In the weeks leading up to NaNoWriMo writers are hard at work looking for that golden nugget that’ll shoot their work into the charts and put their name up in lights. Dragons, sex, detectives, it’s all here. Swimming around in a pool of possibility.
Writers may be a little apprehensive, but dammit if you’re not a confident bunch ready to sit down on November 1st and just start smashing those keys.
And remember the magic rule: Word counts are key. You’ll need to hit 1667 words on average per day to make that 50k.
FIRST FEW DAYS
“It’s happening… Oh my God… it’s actually happening. I’m writing… words! And they’re flying off my fingers. See that little progress chart? I’m exceeding expectations. Holy crap is this amazing!”
The first few days are fun as hell. Your attention is focussed, you know your story. Your eye is on the goal. Now go out and get them, Tiger. Because the key to writing is momentum…
Momentum MOMENTUM!—
THE ONE-WEEK SLUMP...
Ever cued for hours for a rollercoaster only to find that it was largely underwhelming, and now you’re feeling a bit sick and almost regretting your decision?
Yeah… that.
Around the end of your first week you’ll find yourself hitting that slump. Your body may not be used to cracking out those type of word counts. Your characters may be all over the place. You may be doubting your entire story and struggling to see the point of it all. “Surely sleep is better than this?”
NO. Don’t give up soldier.
In the famous words of someone who I haven’t got the time to Google: “You can’t edit a blank page.”
Though it may be difficult, pick up your chin and look at the finish line. Holy crap, you’ll have at least the first draft of a book by the end of this.
Just get—
BACK ON THE HORSE
Phew! Thought we’d lost you for a moment there.
See, the reality of NaNo is that it forces you to see how little chunks can make up a lot. I remember my first NaNo finding spare 20 minute pockets to make up those word counts. It is an exhausting experience, but the key is to stare at that end goal.
Now you’re back on the horse, you can slap a smile on your face, get those fingers crunching, and keep seeing that little progress chart rise as you make your way towards the finish.
COFFEE IS NOT ENOUGH!
“Jesus! I need sleep. What is words. How does book? Blah?!”
This is undoubtedly the most difficult part. You’re 20 days in. Nearly 35,000 words. But you just want to watch Luke Cage and chill. The new Call of Duty is out and you just want to crack on with that. “Oh my God, when was the last time I read an actual book?”
Hold on in there, son. Though the coffee may be giving you pounding heads and twitching eyes, just look at what you’ve done so far…
Here’s a tip: print what you’ve done so far. Go on. See that massive bundle of papers right there. That’s you.
Now keep on through to the—
FINALE!
“The End.”
Your hands shake. Tears well. You’re not sure what to do with yourself other than lift your head off the table, zombie-walk down the stairs and cuddle your mama. Because…
YOU FREAKIN’ DID IT!
If you’re a first time writer, this is amazing. You’ve done it. Give yourself a pat on the back and a chocolate Hobnob. Or even if you’re a seasoned writer, don’t just shrug it off. Remember those days when you struggled to even put your ass in that chair? Don’t forget that feeling. We all need to be grateful to see how far we’ve come.
Now, as you shut down your computer (BACKUP THE FILES!), have a quiet moment of reflection, look at your papers, and think… holy crap. I need to edit these soon…
And there it is! The emotional journey of NaNoWriMo (or at least a glimpse into mine). Do you have any tips for people? Share similar experiences? Are you even taking part this year? Let me know.
NaNos of the world, unite! :D
I always sit down with the goal of "just 100 words". It mostly ends with at least a scene (which tends to be 400-500 words). Then you make a little break, take a sip of your NaNo brew, read a few pages of book and then get back to write just 100 words more.
I also strongly recommend a good (ergonomic) keyboard and - whats the word? I think bandages are slightly wrong - to wrap around your wrists to stabilize them. You dont have 2 or 3 days to make a break to stop the aches in your hands.
Are you in a group for it? :) I tend to have 'session goals' then try to go over if I can. Definitely takes some stamina.
Good tip on the supports! That's something a lot of people don'e think of.
"What is words. How does book?"
Such a fun post. :)
I've never done NaNo before, but I've been considering doing NaNo for years now. (Possibly even more than a decade?) I think this year might be my year, so I was happy to randomly find your post.
Sounds like it'll be quite a ride...but probably worth all the effort. I know of several authors whose first books were forged from the raw material they'd feverishly created during NaNo. That fact alone is very encouraging.