Funky Cat Studio

Current Mood: sore

I swear I’ve done NaNo tips before.  I’m not going to look before I write it though.  I want to see how my tips differ, year to year ^-^

I think this is my 5th year doing this.  I won the previous four years and though this year’s novel is one weighty bitch, I know it’ll be my 5th win.

So these are tips that I can think of off hand for word count or otherwise.  I hope they’re useful for you.  At least give them a try.  Let me know what you think.

So welcome to Xeen’s School of Tough Love: NaNo Edition!

1. You have to want it.  Don’t do it if you don’t want to.  It’ll be harder and no fun.

2. Write it out.  Don’t be afraid to write your novel on paper and then type it up.  You can write it out during the day, type it out at night.  This is good for word count because as you’re typing you can add things because you’re rereading it and new things ideas, characters, scenes will spark.

3. You have the time.  I have seen some amazing finishes by people highly pressed for time and energy.  See number 2.  That helps for that too.

4. Do the Time Warp.  If you get stuck, make some sort of line break thing or note and move on to the nearest scene you can write for.  When you get stuck again, browse back to a previously stuck point and see what you can do.  Sometimes scenes just remain unfinished but its quick and easy word count when you go back to something, you get an idea, and it comes spilling out.  This is my yummiest way of getting it done.

5. Just do it! While I do not have my inner editor turned off, some of you may need to do so.

6. Write Write Write.  Write as much as you can at every chance you get.  Even if you sit there for an hour staring blankly… don’t leave that chair unless you have to.  Milk your brain for everything you can get.  Its in you, I know it is.

7. Be ahead.  When you start out, try to get ahead of the game by a day or more.  If something comes up in real life, you’ll have a buffer zone to fall back on.  You are absolutely not allowed to use this buffer zone as a means to rest.  There’s no rest for the novelist.

8. Listen to your ‘Stinks.  This isn’t really for word count or whatnot, maybe just a writing thing in general and it kind of goes hand in hand with Time Warp.  If you have to skip a scene because you’re stuck and you’re worried about writing a scene later on because you don’t know what happened in a previous scene… just listen to your instincts.  Things will work out in ways that will amaze and entertain you.  Let your ’stinks guide your writing.  It will come more naturally and feel less like a struggle.