With less than a week left of NaNo time the pressure is building. Some have reached their goals, others have not, far many more are now getting desperate. How do you catch up when you have fallen so far behind that the finish line isn’t even in sight? Here are some tips to help you gather your bearings and charge through!
1. Don’t worry. Oh. I know. This is insane. You are how many words behind and you’re not supposed to worry? Focus, yes. Make a plan, yes. Worry? Big no. Worry tends to come hand in hand with her good friend, Writer’s Block. The more you worry about not finishing, the harder it will be.
2. Make a plan. Even if you had your outline previously planned, you are now several thousand words from where you started. Has something changed? Is there a twist you can add? Write out a plan to get you from where you are to the end.
3. Look over your schedule. Why are you behind? Many of you have probably fallen behind because November caught up with you and you haven’t been able to find so much as 5 minutes to write. Now is the time to remember that NaNo isn’t just fun, it’s a commitment. So, sit down and look over your schedule. Is there any way you can fit in 15 minutes of writing time between dinner and the shower you have planned? Is that hour for T.V. vegging really necessary? Sit down and plan to find at least one additional hour of writing in your schedule. You know you can do it, even if it involves muttering to yourself while scribbling into a notebook while in line for the bank.
4. Take advantage of your final weekend. Oh. I know. Getting up early on a Saturday? Are you insane? However, regardless of how far behind you are, this weekend is the one that could salvage it all. What is one weekend in comparison to the glow of knowing you’re a NaNo winner?
5. Write something else. Yes. I said it. Don’t let the new writing take over, however. Give yourself ten timed minutes to write a new story. Then give yourself a fresh five minutes of rest. Now, return to your NaNo and get back to writing. Giving yourself those few minutes off will help bring in energy to your NaNo.
6. Review. Now, now. Let me clarify this. By review I don’t mean edit. I know it’s tempting, and if you don’t think you can do it, don’t do this. However if you can resist the urge to edit, read back on what you have written previously. Is there anything you can add to a scene? More dialogue? More description? An entirely new scene to follow it up? Now that you have advanced in your story you can think of things that you may wish you had referred to earlier. This is your opportunity!
7. As always, have fun with it. Make an appointment to sit yourself down in your writing corner, with all the necessary supplies at easy reach, and have fun with your novel. Don’t torture yourself with it, for you’ll just be making it harder. Remember why you loved it on November 1st? Well, bring that back and push it all the way to the finish line. You can do it!
Getting to the End
Written by Jamie on November 24th, 201010 Words for You
Written by Jamie on November 22nd, 2010Ready for the final stretch? I know you are! Why not add some whimsy to your work? I’ve gone and found these 10 somewhat obscure words for you to incorporate into your NaNo. Can you fit them in? Can you put them in a single scene? In a single dialogue? Post your excerpts and let me know!
Logolepsy – An obsession with words.
Skoal – ‘cup’; Good health!
Hadeharia – Constant use of the word ‘hell’.
Tachypnea – Abnormally rapid breathing.
Madefy – To wet
Zatetic – Pondering, questioning
Jactitation – Loud or public bragging; or excessive twitching and restlessness.
Gambrinous – Full of beer.
Acataleptic – Incomprehensible
Edipol – A mild oath.
Happy writing!
50K in 15 Days
Written by Jamie on November 18th, 2010This is my fourth and (let us hope) final year towards my undergrad degree. Every year since I’ve started college I have tried to finish NaNo and have inevitably failed. Each year I’ve had support, a great plot, reasonable amounts of time and the sheer will to finish – and yet I haven’t. And now this year, the one that is supposed to be the hardest and most time consuming of my academic career so forth, I managed to finish 50K in 15 days. How did that happen? Some things, such as the fact that I’m a fast typer, had a holiday at the start of the month that allowed me to get ahead with my count and the fact that my characters have taken my story over and are making it ten times more interesting than I ever planned, are certainly a help. However, I had those previous years as well. So what makes this one different?
The truth is, I’m not quite sure. The one thing I have been able to pin point, however, that has made a vast difference between this year and the others is this: fun. Previous years I started with the same excitement that follows all Wrimos. But by week two I hated my characters, I hated my plot, and I hated myself for putting myself through that torture. This year I decided that I would have fun with NaNo no matter what. When my characters decided that they wanted to form the trickiest love triangle seen outside of a Mexican soap opera, I just went with it. When my male main character decided to entre a severe depression, I made all my other characters amp up the comic relief so that I wasn’t overwhelmed. The truth is that this one factor, fun, is the one that made it so that the night I reached 50K I didn’t realize it until a few hundred words later.
Here is my advice as we enter the week 3 weekend: have fun. We only really have on week left, and you may be frustrated, you may be tired, you may be desperate. I know. I’ve been there. And though that may help to motivate some, it will only depress most of you. Take a step back, look at what you have done (which is so so much!) and decide that no matter what, you’ll only have fun from here. So, good luck, good writing and see you at the finish line!
5 Ways to Motivate you Through NaNoWriMo
Written by Jamie on November 13th, 2010I know that everyone talks about how horrible week two is, but the truth is that I find week three to be the killer. Every single time I’ve quit NaNo before (more times than I’m proud of) it has happened during week three. I just reach a point where I lack motivation, I hate my plot, I hate my characters or life happens. So, to help you overcome the NaNo blues that always hit me, here are five things to motivate you to finish that NaNo Novel.
- Go buy yourself a treat. Some of you have been doing this since the start of NaNo, but others have been running on sheer will power. So, you know that chocolate that you love but you don’t generally allow yourself? Or that movie that you’ve been itching to watch? How about something bigger? You can either get yourself small things to motivate you every day, or something bigger to motivate you for the entire event. Give it someone else that will promise not to release whatever the item is until you reach your goal. Mine? My mother has promised to hijack my new iPod until I get to 50k. And if I don’t get to 50k? I don’t get the iPod!
- Are you bored with your plot? With your characters? Take some minutes to write out the outline for your next project. Yes, that project that keeps sneaking into your current writing sessions and distracting you? Write out your plan, but promise yourself you must finish your NaNo first.
- Take a few minutes to visualize 50K. Sit down in a comfortable chair or lay back in your bed and close your eyes, imagine how it will feel to write those last few words that mark you a NaNoWriMo winner. Feel how good it is to know you managed to accomplish your goal. Now make your goal a reality!
- Find a friend (or dog, cat, umbrella…) to talk to about your plot. You may hate it, but talking through what has happened and what you want to happen may help to unblock you from whatever you are stuck on. A fresh perspective is always helpful.
- Sit down and write 5 things that you really love about your novel. If you can’t, write at least one. You know you can find it. There is a reason you decided to dedicate NaNo to your plot. Now, write down 3 things that you hate. How can you change those things? A plot twist? Killing a character? Don’t end your writing session until you can find at least one way to fix one thing you hate. You’ll start your next session with brand new energy!
8 NaNo Challenges and 3 Picture Prompts
Written by Jamie on November 12th, 2010Week 2 is nearly over. Here is to the beginning of week 3! So, to help you catch up on the week 2 weekend (or get ahead if you’re caught up) here are ten new challenges for you to incorporate into your NaNo novel:
Have a character decide to start a new, and rather strange, diet. How about no eating red foods? Or nothing round?
Have a character that carries around his or her own set of dishware everywhere, even to restaurants.
Have a character that speaks only in rhymes when annoyed.
Have a character do something completely unexpected. The very manly man turn around and kiss the skinny boy to make a point? The girly female lead lean down and eat a bug? Defeat those clichés!
Have one of your characters organize a dinner party – where absolutely everything goes wrong.
Have a character organize a dinner party – where everything goes unexpectedly right… up until the end.
Have a character develop a new, very specific and strange, hobby. How about juggling sporks? Just sporks.
Have a character invent something absolutely useless. How about transparent paint?
Here are a three new picture prompts for you to work on: (hover over each picture for additional ideas)
What gives your character character?
Time for a trip?
Beauty in ordinary things.
40K
Written by Jamie on November 10th, 2010Ten days in, I’ve reached 40K! Yay!!! NaNo success is just around the corner!
5 Websites to Help You Write
Written by Jamie on November 8th, 2010Lacking inspiration? Here are 5 websites to help you with your writing! (Or distract you from it).
Random.Org – Use this to randomize a number between 1 and 1667. Ready? Good. Now, whatever that number was – write it. Yup. Now. Go boost your word count.
Serendipity Plot Twist Generator – Stuck? Well, this generator will tell you how to twist your plot in just the right way to get back to writing!
F- my life – Are you out of ways to torture your MC? Well, look over this handy little website and be instantly inspired. (Or at least start appreciating your life that much more!).
Postsecret – I check this website every single Sunday without fail. Go visit to gather some inspiration, and some handy ways to add character to your novels.
Write or Die – Ok. I admit. I can’t take the pressure of Write or Die. However, if you feel that you need that extra little push to write, try this handy little web app out!
8 Dares to Help You NaNo
Written by Jamie on November 7th, 2010Have you reached a stand still in your writing? Struggling to reach the necessary word count? Well, here are some dares to help you continue on with your writing.
- Have a character have a conversation with a piece of furniture. Not just having your character talk to the chair, but also having the chair talk back.
- Have a character that is addicted to meditation. Just imagine it: they are in a heated argument with their significant other and quite suddenly decide to sit down and meditate without warning.
- Have a character randomly burst out into song at an unexpected event.
- Have a rabbit follow your character around for at least two scenes. Bonus points if the rabbit keeps appearing even though there is no way they should be able to appear.
- Have your character keep getting anonymous notes. They don’t have to be overly significant to your plot, but a simple conversation point. How about getting a new random quote in the mail every day?
- Give your character an unusual hobby. How about someone that goes and draws on sidewalks on the weekends? Or someone that trains snakes for fun? How about a character that makes party hats in her free time?
- Have a character that enjoys wearing top hats, regardless of gender, weather and occasion. Have the character wear a differently colored top hat at different events.
- Have a scene in which all your characters play dress up. Bonus points if they dress up as NaNoWriMo items (plot bunnies, Mr. Ian Woon, etc).
How to boost your word count
Written by Jamie on November 5th, 2010Looking for a way to help you boost your count for NaNoWriMo? Here are a few tips to help you out!
1. Note it! You know those ten minutes you have while waiting in line for the bank? Or when you’re waiting for your friend to quit flirting with the new cute barista at your favorite coffeehouse? Use those moments to write! I know… the maybe two hundred words you get from it hardly seem like they’re worth it. Think about it though… if you do it twice a day, you’ll have 400 more words! If you do it every workday… you’ll have 2000 per week! In all of NaNo, that earns you an extra 8000 words (minimum)! Suddenly it doesn’t seem so worthless, does it?
2. Describe it. Write out descriptions in your novel. Many writers avoid descriptions to make their novels more dialogue- or action-heavy. Writing description is not only a great way to boost your count, it is a great way to make your novel that much better. You know that reading “I chewed on the end of my pencil, letting my tongue probe the deep ridges left on the edge by a million other bite mark, tasting the sharpness of the rubber in the back of my throat” is far more interesting than “I chewed on the end of my pencil, deciding to write to Anna today.”
3. Expand it. Whenever possible, avoid using contractions. When editing time comes around you can work on fixing your novel to incorporate the blissful unity once more. For NaNo, however, “I will” beats “I’ll”.
4. Word wars. I know. I know. I already wrote an entirely different article on the sheer joys of word wars. In truth, though, they are the best way to boost your count. I know this doesn’t apply to just about everything, and I will admit to sometimes have wasted time while supposed to be “warring”, but overall, it’s just a wonderful tool.
5. Add dialogue. Dialogue is another great way to fill up pages and pages of text, and to sometimes have some of the most meaningful scenes that your novel will contain. A lot of novels I’ve read keep dialogues very concise, straight to the point. A lot of the best novels I have ever read, also show the every day conversation. Not everything you write has to be essential to the plot twist coming up in chapter ten. Sometimes it can just be there for the enrichment of your text.
6. Forget your count. Go into the preferences of your favorite writing program and disable the word count as you write. I know, this one is hard, but you can do it. The truth is that during NaNoWriMo we become so obsessed with our word count that it’s all we can see. I dare you to experiment. Set a timer and write for 15 minutes, with your program displaying your word count. Now, disable your count, and set the timer for another 15 minutes. Which time did you write more? Also, which time did you enjoy more?
7. Tell yourself you can. You know that old children’s story about the little engine that could? He could manage his load and to save the day because he told himself he could. Now, it’s your turn to do the same. Choose a daily word count and tell yourself, with no doubt or sarcasm, that you can and will reach that goal.
What tools do you use to boost your word count? Leave me a comment!
Profile Spotlight # 5
Written by Jamie on November 5th, 2010
Name: .Thrawn
Plot Summary: In an alternate history and alternate modern world from our own, the scientific community is central in society and culture. Even the main continent’s capital is the university and lab called the Andromeda Laboratory. In this strange setting and environment, animals that would be extinct on earth roam the wild, money is more or less non-existent, and everyone is born with a twin or a clone–except, it seems, Andy.
We follow Andy’s life from childhood to adulthood as he makes strange friends (from questioning sexbots to theology-savvy dinosaurs) along the way to make up for his lack of lifelong sibling. This science fiction also serves as a political thought experiment and especially a major ‘what if’ in terms of the future ventures of humankind into the rest of the universe that awaits Andy.
Recommended Reading:
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Need I say more? For those of you that haven’t read it, I will. Hitchhiker’s is a light, entertaining book pertaining the adventures of a no-one human, Arthur Dent, exploring the Universe with his alien friend, Ford Prefect. Not that Arthur volunteers for this journey. Indeed, he’s forced to join Ford in hitching a ride away from Earth seconds before it’s demolished. A great book in which you will find laughter, towels and even the answer to the meaning of life.
Lord Valentine’s Castle is one of those books that made me consider exploring Sci Fi further. Most of my books I managed to inherit from my older brothers, and though I found many of them to be extremely boring, this one I couldn’t put down for the four hours it took me to read it. Valentine… can’t remember who he is. Valentine… is a nobody. The fate of his people rests on his shoulders.
If you weren’t selected for today’s spotlight, don’t worry. If you have previously submitted a summary it will still be considered as the month progresses. If you haven’t submitted… well, why not? Just post a reply here and send me an email with your info. Winners will be randomly selected once a day through out November!
