All this week RWA/NYC
Members are sharing
their tips and tricks for writing more, better & faster.
Happy Writing!
First of all, congrats!
Your interest in doing National Novel Writing Month, and your efforts so far,
show an excitement for writing and storytelling and a willingness to rise to
the challenge of writing a whole book in a month!
NaNo is definitely a
challenge, but whether or not you meet your personal word count goal, the
experience is a great teacher and the camaraderie and excitement that come
along with a month dedicated to writing are inspirational enough to make you
want to continue all year long! I’ve completed NaNo four years in high school
and three years in college. My senior year I came in at 46,500 and I’m still
kicking myself, but that’s okay. I’m currently working on two manuscripts, and
decided not to take on the challenge this year, but I want to share some of my
tips I learned the hard way!
PLAN
YOUR STORY
I
know it’s a bit late for this one, since we’re already a week into the NaNo
challenge, but this piece of advice is relevant to anyone looking to binge
write a story, or if you want to take a step back and try an outline now. While
many authors consider themselves ‘pantsers’ – as in ‘fly by the seat of your
pants’, it absolutely makes the challenge more difficult.
Without
a general understand of your story, it’s definitely harder to achieve word
count. More importantly, you’re less likely to end up with a project you
actually like and feels complete. Even a simple knowledge of where your book is
supposed to end up and how you’re going to get there is helpful in ensuring a
good finished first draft and a more enjoyable NaNo experience.
IT’S
NOT ABOUT THE WORD COUNT
Lies! I
hear you shout, as you jump from the chair. Conspiracy, blasphemy,
lies! Lies! Lies! Okay, part yes and part no. It’s up to you to decide
if you’re doing NaNo as a way of completing a challenge (and totally gaining
bragging rights!) or if you actually plan to send the book out after it’s done
– with edits, of course! If it’s all about the WC, then that’s fine! Hit your
1667 a day and enjoy the ride, but if you’re trying to make a book – and
eventually turn that into a book then it’s better to think of
NaNo as a tool to reach that end, rather than the be all and end all.
There’s
a lot to be said for a rapid first draft – there’s far less room to get caught
up in particulars, and we all know the editing process is really where the
magic is done. But you should be taking this November to write the book you
want to write and be held accountable for it. I have to confess, I’ve never
done a damn thing with any of my NaNo stories. But! That doesn’t mean you can’t
– determine what NaNo is about for you and then go from there.
TELL
YOUR FRIENDS!
Tell
your friends. Tell your family. Tell your neighbors, your pets, the weird guy
you went to chess club with. Tell everyone. The more people
you tell, the more people you have watching you and cheering you on. In my
opinion, the greatest and most special element of NaNo is that it holds writers
accountable for their writing. It says, you have a story to tell and you better
damn well tell it. Post your updates on Facebook or Twitter, start a NaNo blog,
literally comment under this article when you reach your word goals. Whatever
it takes to spread the word of your endeavors will help to keep you on track
and give you an even greater audience to celebrate with! (Plus, you can prove
all the haters wrong!)
AND
MAKE NEW ONES!
I
can’t tell you how jealous I am of the growing NaNo culture and all of the cool
perks that come along with it – I so wish I had one of the
Facebook filters. Even without all the merch and fun stuff, however, the site
itself does a great job to help connect authors and participants locally and
online. Joining other NaNo writers in their journey, either in person or in
online forums and social media, is a great way to give and gain support for
your challenge and to potentially make long-term writer friends. While the goal
is ultimately to reach 50,000, remember that this month is all about the writer
– you! And that includes joining communities that inspire and help you on your
journey.
KEEP
UP WITH WC
I
know I just said that it’s not all about the word count, and I stand by it! But
obviously word count is a part of the bigger picture – fine, the main focus of
the bigger picture. Everyone has different ways of reaching their word count,
but I will say from personal experience: Do not fall behind. Anyone who falls
behind, gets left behind. Have I spent the last weekend of November holed up in
my room furiously pounding out 20,000 words in three days? You bet your ass I
have. It got so bad that towards the end of high school my parents would stop
talking to me during the last week of November. I was a rabid monster – a shell
of a writer who had lost her way.
Of
course, there will be days when you can’t write – and days when you write more
than you mean to! It’s not going to be the same for thirty straight days in a
row, and that’s fine. But always remember to check what your daily word count
is supposed to, and do your best to keep up with it. Otherwise you’re in for a
really lonely Thanksgiving. Which brings me to my next point…
DON’T
FORGET THANKSGIVING
I
know that not succeeding in my final run at NaNo three years ago was my own
fault. I do honestly think that the fun wore off and I was ready to be done
before the project was. That being said, Thanksgiving had something to
do with. That year the holiday fell right at the end of the month. I’m talking
28, 29, 30. These are the days you’re supposed to be cracking your knuckles and
happily sprinting past the finish line, not sneaking peeks at the laptop from
behind your plate of stuffing and feeling guilty about it. (Come on, there are
way more things to feel guilty about on Thanksgiving…)
Of
course, it’s just one day, but most of the time it includes travel, family,
preparation and school breaks. It’s so easy to lose track of time and find
yourself ten or twelve thousand words behind just at the end of the month.
Prepare for it. If you’re traveling home, write on the bus ride. If you’re
cooking for the whole family, essentially write ten thousand words extra the
week before, because you just won’t have the time. Thanksgiving has felled many
a valiant NaNo-er. Don’t let it get you too.
THIS
IS SUPPOSED TO BE FUN, DAMN IT
Oh,
baby. There is a point. You’re not there yet. Still fresh-faced and excited, to
you NaNo still has the shine of a brand new challenge. But give it a week,
maybe 10 days, and you’ll feel the strain. Your head hurts. Your inspiration
has all dried up and everyone you’ve ever met has staunchly refused to speak to
you about your book until the month is over. This is this 20 mile mark in your
writing marathon. The finish is close, and you can hold the hell on.
But
in all truth, be nice to yourself. If you feel as though the walls of life are
closing in around you, set a different goal. If you get sick or a big project
comes in or you need to do major renovations on the house, give yourself a
break. NaNo isn’t do or die. It’s a way to help you achieve better writing
habits and reach for higher writing goals, but it doesn’t help at all if you
burn out. You need to find the happy medium of determination and kindness to
keep yourself on track but continue to enjoy the challenge. It is supposed
to be fun, though it doesn’t always feel that way.
AFTER
NANO
There
are two things to keep in mind after you’ve completed your challenge, whether
hitting your personally goals or setting yourself up for more success in the
future.
EDITING
IS SO HOT RIGHT NOW
Someone
once told me about the incredible amount of submissions they get as an editor
during December, and how they’re all awful. Well, obviously.
You just wrote a goddamned book in the amount of time it takes most people to
read one. The first draft is pretty much guaranteed to be shit, in fact, it’s
kind of the point. But before sending out your beloved child into the cruel
waters of rejection-landia, by God, you have to edit it.
Not
only will seriously digging in and making major and minor changes help your
chances in actually getting accepted by an over-exhausted submissions editor,
but it will make you want to keep working on the book. For the most part, once
we finish NaNo, we never want to look at the damn thing again, and that’s a
shame. Start the editing process right away – if your ultimate goal is a book –
and keep up with it. Your story – and you – should be celebrated!
NANOWRI-LIFE
Forgive
me for that title. The point I want to make here is that National Novel Writing
Month doesn’t require a fancy word counter and a Facebook banner and the
support of a social media nation. You can
do NaNo on your own time – literally whenever and however you want. If your
goal is a short story and you want it written quickly, maybe make a Personal
Short Story Writing Week. If you know December is a lot quieter than November,
write your 50,000 story then, instead. NaNo inspires us to create and pushes us
to our limits, but it certainly doesn’t ask us to stay within the lines. Find the
best way to make NaNo work for you, so you can continue to love writing and
hopefully find the kind of success you’re looking for.
If
this is your first year doing NaNo or your tenth, whether you’ve already hit
50,000 or modified your word count to fit your daily schedule, I am so
incredibly proud of you. National Novel Writing Month is a challenge. It is so
much harder than you ever think it’s going to be, no matter how many times
you’ve done it in the past. Committing and opening your mind to the wonderful
world of other writers and supporters that make the NaNo community what it is
is reason enough to be proud of yourself.
So
chin high and computer charged. You’ve got three weeks to go and kick some
story ass. I can’t wait to see where you end up.♥
Ruby Scalera is the author of
several works of erotic and romantic fiction in both the contemporary and
historical genres, and enjoys pushing the limits of freedom, feminism, and fun
in her stories. She has been an avid writer for many years, and recently
moved back to her home state of New Jersey from Boston, after completing her
education in journalism and creative writing.
In her free time, she loves to travel, and spent a semester abroad
living in a 14th century castle in the Netherlands. When not exploring the world,
she likes dreaming up stories, eating spicy food, driving fast cars, and
talking to strangers.
READ ROMANCE!
Thanks for sharing! 💕
ReplyDelete