\u201cCan you give us some pointers for how to make NaNo a (relatively) successful experience? What are the common pitfalls? What REALLY helps?\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
These are good questions, especially if you\u2019re brand new to NaNoWriMo. I can\u2019t promise you the Ultimate Guide to Always Winning (at NaNo)<\/em> because every writer\u2019s process is different. But I can give you some decent advice on how to approach the challenge, which you can modify to your own needs.<\/p>\n Have a Game Plan<\/strong><\/p>\n This isn\u2019t quite the same thing as having an outline, though I\u2019m a big fan of those myself. What you need is a plan for how you\u2019re going to attack the month.<\/p>\n What are your obligations? Which of those can you skip and which do you have to do? For instance, work and school are not really chores one can slack off on for a month. Look at your weekly schedule and be honest with yourself about where you\u2019re going to fit your writing in. Maybe this means that you get up an hour earlier or go to bed an hour later, or you let the kids watch a little more TV this month so you have some quality laptop time.<\/p>\n Be willing to turn down most of your social invitations, but not all of them. Your priority is getting your novel drafted in November, but I\u2019m a big believer that all work and no play makes Homer go something-something.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Schedule in a couple of breaks \u2013 and try to hang out with people who will indulge you going on and on about how hard this NaNo thing is.<\/p>\n If your work or school schedule won\u2019t allow for daily writing, make sure you know how many words a day you should be writing to make up for it.<\/p>\n Know Thyself<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2026 as a writer. Are you someone who can write anywhere, at the drop of a dime? Do you need complete silence? Do you need the drone of the TV in the background?<\/p>\n This took some time for me to figure out. What works for me is going out to a coffee shop or a library and getting my writing done there. If I\u2019m home, my old friend the TV is a major temptation for me. Or I start thinking about the laundry that needs to get done. Oh, and then when it\u2019s done, I need to fold it. Or I feel guilty that I haven\u2019t seen my husband all day and feel like I should interact with him some. Hey! Look at these adorable cats I have and they need cuddling! And pets! Getting out of the house effectively cuts me off from my regular distractions\u00a0and\u00a0<\/em> someone else makes and brings me my coffee.<\/p>\n I\u2019m also a compulsive internet checker \u2013 I make great use of internet blockers<\/a> during November. If that\u2019s a problem for you as well, look into installing something like Cold Turkey<\/a> or Stay Focused<\/a>, which can completely shut off access to the internet or just certain sites for set periods of time. Or just use a notebook and a pen, because I\u2019m pretty sure they\u2019re not internet capable (yet).<\/p>\n Keep Track of Your Progress<\/strong><\/p>\n The NaNoWriMo site allows you to track your daily word count and then turns your numbers into a graph that shows you if you\u2019re hitting your goals. You\u2019ll find the word count tool at the top right hand corner of page \u2013 click the drop down arrow to add your daily count. It will look like this:<\/p>\n![\"tumblr_n9816hPvQw1s9il7lo1_500\"](\"https:\/\/desiwriterslounge.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/tumblr_n9816hPvQw1s9il7lo1_500.gif\")
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