It’s almost that time of year again! Right now, both new and seasoned authors from all across the globe are getting ready to spearhead their novel writing goals, stretching their creativeness to the limits this November. That’s right; we are talking about National Novel Writing Month (aka NaNoWriMo), and it is just around the corner.

As a quick debrief, NaNoWriMo is an annual write-a-thon where participants are to write a 50,000+ new novel directly on the NaNoWriMo website – equating to about 1,700 words per day. If you reach the end of the marathon with at least 50,000 words, you win! Overall, NaNoWriMo is a powerful event that occurs every year, inspiring authors to break out of their shells, advance their skills, and really challenge them to stick with their novel writing goals.

But as wonderful and exciting as this writing marathon may be for authors, there is no denying that preparation is necessary to optimize chances of success. With that being said and NaNoWriMo approaching fast, below you can find some helpful preparation tips that will help you head into November with confidence and ultimately reach the finish line with 50,000 words.

Getting Prepared for NaNoWriMo

Create/Brainstorm a Plot Outline

If you haven't already, try to come up with a rough plot outline to help you get started on the right path forward. Though NaNoWriMo is for the entire month of November, that does not mean you have to wait until then to get started on the direction you want your novel to go in. For this, write down a one or two-sentence premise, some bullet point plot events, and nail down the intricacies of your characters. If there is one thing for sure, having a solid plot is great, but your characters are what drives that plot home.

Carve Out Daily Novel Writing Time

Writing about 1,700 words a day might sound easy on paper, but it can be quite the challenge in practice. Between work, school, family, etc., many people live with a full agenda that makes novel writing daily a hard thing to stick to. Because of that, the best thing you can do to stick to your daily writing schedule is carving out time to write on each day of November. It might call for some schedule changes and tweaks, but doing this can help you find the time to write at a steady pace and not miss days on accident.

Designate a Place to Write

Another key tip is designating a creative, quiet space to write each day. Whether it be a home office or at your kitchen table, designating a space to work on your novel is what will help signal to your brain that it's time to write. If you want to take it a step further, add some blue shaded decor into the scene, as the color blue has been studied and found to help increase the ability to think creatively. Keep in mind that if you designated a space and it isn’t working out, try out different places in your home until you find one that helps you reach your daily goals the best. If you need more tips for productive writing, we can help.

Connect with Other NaNoWriMo Participants

Lastly, don’t be afraid to reach out to the massive NaNoWriMo network of authors who are all striving for the same objective. Even more, you can do this now and throughout the entire process as you go. In short, there are tons of different forums and groups like this one here, where you can connect with authors of all grades. As a reminder, NaNoWriMo may feel like a sprint, but is not a race against other authors. The point is to merely finish. This means you are all in the same boat together, and networking with them can bring new levels of encouragement, insight, and inspiration to keep you going.  

Summary – Get Ready, Get Set, Write!

In summary, NaNoWriMo has certainly helped thousands upon thousands of authors reach untapped potential and take their writing skills to new heights. All in all, there is something quite motivating about a wholesome challenge that enables you to let your creative side shine and put your writing goals as a priority for an entire month. But as great and unified as it is, being mentally and physically prepared beforehand is the sure-fire way to secure your chances of passing the checkered flag.

In spite of that, now is no better time to get started on preparing for the upcoming month. With just a few days to go, leverage these tips to your advantage to become well equipped and ideally positioned to thrive for the full 30 days. In the end, prepare as much as you can now, do your best during, and above all, don’t forget to have fun.

Remember, NaNoWriMo doesn’t require your novel to be publish-ready. It can be a rough draft of your story that you can edit and finalize later. And when you are ready to take on that next phase, 48 Hour Books is on standby to help make it happen.