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“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”
~ Arthur Ashe
“Don’t think about making art. Just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.”
~ Andy Warhol
“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”
~ Dr. Maya Angelou
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined!”
~ Thoreau
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With "October Novel Prep Challenge" by Brandiwyn🎶 underway, many of us are thinking about our November NaNoWriMo projects. For the next two months, we will be busy brainstorming, writing, planning, or just flying by the seat of our pants. Whatever your writing habits entail, we sometimes need tips on making it through, how to stay inspired, and gentle reminders to take care of ourselves, too!
This week I thought I’d share some ideas for staying inspired and how to survive the process.
The Story
Decide what you’re going to write about. Do you have an idea burning inside that needs to come out? Well, go with that. Chances are, you have at least one story idea that you keep going back to. You’re going to be spending a lot of time on this project, so make sure you enjoy what you writing about.
The First Draft
Remember, the purpose of NaNo is to get that first draft written. Don’t waste time editing along the way. Just get the words out. Granted, some of it will be crap, and that’s okay! Everything will get ironed out with the rewrites.
Planner vs. Panster
I know we have quite a few pansters here; for the most part, I am one too. The only time I really do any planning is when I am working on a NaNo Project. Therefore, I’m going to talk a little about planning.
It’s a good idea to have an overview of the plot and the major plot points figured out, so you have a direction in which to write before November. If you are a planner and rely on your outline, get that done before you have to start writing. (OctoPrep is great for this.)
Get a Writing Buddy
Thankfully, WdC is full of writing buddies! Giving and receiving encouragement and support from time to time is a wonderful thing. Celebrate milestones - big or small! Did you meet your daily word count? CELEBRATE! Did you meet your writing goal for seven days straight? CELEBRATE! You get the idea...
On the flip side of that, if you or your buddy are struggling, a kind word of encouragement and a virtual hug just might help. Struggling with a passage? Step away from your work and take a break. Remember, you're not the only one hitting road bumps - it happens to all of us.
Mindset
The thought of writing 50,000 words in one month can be intimidating. Scary, even. That means one of our biggest obstacles isn’t plotting the novel or making sure we're physically prepared, it’s making sure we're mentally ready to complete such a tough goal.
That means focusing on our inspiration, motivation, and staying positive!
How do we do that? Let's look at a couple of ideas:
Schedule your writing time!
This may be one of the best ways to stay on track and reach the goal. Set your schedule, then stick to it.
Daily word count.
Decide what the word goal will be and then just focus on that number. Don't think of it as 50,000 words a month, think of it as 1667 words a day. 1667 words is far less intimidating that 50,000, right?
Self Care
Make sure you are keeping yourself hydrated and eating healthy snacks. But that doesn't mean we can't reward ourselves for meeting goals! Save that special treat for once you meet your daily goal.
Sitting for long periods of time can give us aches and pains. Try doing some chair stretches. Here's a link to check out: https://youtu.be/pLVgrHzCTOg?si=ZnNBOqYybGJ348Tc
Do you like listening to music while writing? Put together a 'writing playlist' ahead of time. Music can be a great source of inspiration, too. So, if you've hit a block, try listening to music to get that creative energy flowing again.
Surround yourself with positivity! Jot down some writing quotes that either make you laugh or encourage you.
Remember, commit to not editing your project, at all, for the entire month! This may be the hardest thing to do, I know. A first draft is better when it's done - that's the entire point of NaNo.
There is nothing wrong is speaking up and saying you're struggling to get your word counts met. But NEVER guilt or shame yourself for it! This is not a productive way to get back on track. The only it will do is slow you down further.
Just write and cut yourself some slack! There’s no point in driving yourself crazy over missing a few thousand words. you’re still making progress on your story and that’s the entire point of NaNoWriMo in the first place.
You got this!! I know you can do it! |
| | Repetition (18+) Konstanz has trouble with his household servant. 1st in 23 Skidoo Contest, 2023. #2303980 by Beholden |
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