September 2017 – Astha Writes

It’s that time of the year again, when the crisp autumn winds signal the arrival of an aspiring author’s greatest challenge: the National Novel Writing Month, where authors challenge themselves to write a 50,000 word novel in the month of November. It is a scary time, filled with uncertainty, hastily scribbled notes that don’t really make sense in the light of day, and copious amounts of coffee.

I participated in NaNoWriMo last year, and was able to finish two days early. It is, arguably, the biggest achievement of my writing life to date, and I am proud to say I haven’t given up on the novel I produced last November. Instead, I am working on the first draft, editing and polishing it.

And that is why I want to pass along some knowledge. Specifically, I wish someone had told me these things before 12 am on November 1, because this is knowledge that comes only from undertaking this insane challenge. I am, in no way, an expert on novel writing or even on NaNoWriMo. I am, however, someone who has lived through that month you are dreading. So buckle up, buttercup, because it’s going to be one heck of a ride.

(Just FYI, my free NaNoWriMo 2017 printable goes along with this post.)

Don’t over-prepare

What is the first thing I would like to tell you? Don’t pull your hair out all October, looking up character sheets, printables, books and blog posts like this one.

“Oi, hang on,” I can hear you say. “Are you telling me to absolutely wing it?”

Well, yes and no. What I am telling you to do is stop looking at things that won’t help you. Writing for NaNoWriMo is chaotic. You have no time to think up subplots and character nuances, not when you are too busy thinking up words. Of course your character should be nuanced. Of course there should be tension in every scene, and there should be a tight plotline throughout, highlighting the theme. But all those things enter your novel after NaNoWriMo. That stuff is meant for the second draft.

And I am not just pulling this out of my ass. I was so scared and anxious after I signed up to NaNoWriMo that I checked out a ton of books out from the library, amongst them my favorite, Donald Maass’ Writing a Breakout Novel Workbook. Seriously, while working on refining your story, this book should be holier to you than the bible. It asks some very interesting questions, and shows you in no uncertain terms exactly what it is you like about that favorite New York Times bestseller of yours.

But I didn’t even touch this amazing book all through November. Frankly, I had neither the time nor the inclination to deepen my story at that point, not when I was struggling just to get from point A to point B. The same will be true for you. So set aside that self-help book and stop watching those YouTube videos. They are important, and will be a big help. In January.

Just because I am asking you to put aside any plans about deepening your story, it shouldn’t automatically mean I am asking you to wing it. So what is it that you should be thinking about?

There are several things that need to be clear to you before November 1. Whose story is it? What happens to them? How do they deal with whatever happened? Where will this story end? What will the protagonist gain by the end? These are important questions that can’t be escaped. You have to know the answers, though you can be sure they will morph and change organically the more you think and the more you write. By November 31st, the story might turn out to be hella different from what you set out with, but you do have to start with something.

One very important part to think about is the middle. The middle is tough, because you often know where you begin and where you want to end, but writing the how is tough. It is easy to think up a story where a wealthy boy becomes an orphan after a violent crime and vows to end the violence in his city. It’s a good premise, and we can guess the heroic end where the boy gets what he wants. But how exactly do we turn this weepy kid into Batman? That is the story, the trials and tribulations of the middle part. You need to think about yours.

To keep you focused on the essential story points, I have added a page to my free NaNoWriMo 2017 printable, which asks the three essential questions you should know the answer to before November 1.
Keep a space dedicated to note-taking

One thing you definitely need to do is keep a good note-taking system ready. If you are writing in Google Drive or something like that, you have the ability to comment on your text. If you are old-fashioned and are just using a notepad and a pen, keep a separate section in your notebook dedicated to the copious amounts of notes you are bound to take.

What do I mean by notes? Well, the story isn’t always going to go in the direction you thought. It’s a living, organic thing, and maybe in the beginning you thought that John Hero needed a younger sister. Ten pages later, you might think a younger brother is better. By the end of the story, he is probably going to be an only child.

You need some style of note-keeping to jot down your comments or thoughts, because you will not have the time or the energy to go back and rewrite scenes during the month. Much like Daenerys Targaryen, during the month you must not look back. If you look back you are lost (the book fans know what I am talking about).

So make these changes going forward, with a note to remind you later to make a change in the pages that came before. There is a page in my free NaNoWriMo 2017 printable that is meant to help you with this very task.
The forums on NaNoWriMo are the best research portal you can find

There are some very specific questions that will pop up into your head while you are writing, and there isn’t going to be enough time to Google what you need. Google answers questions that have been asked by someone before, but your novel is unique, with its own unique problems. Maybe you want to get someone’s opinion on a plot point. Maybe you need to know the exact way someone has to tie a noose to commit suicide. Or maybe you have to know what the specific legal precedent for a crime is. In any case, Google will only lead you on a merry chase.

The forums at NaNoWriMo will not.

There is a specific forum called Reference Desk on NaNoWriMo, where you can ask your questions, and get speedy, specific answers. Be sure to check out other people’s problems too, and put in your two cents. You might have to wait a day or two for answers, but don’t worry. Just make a note where the answer is supposed to go, and worry about it later.
Write 1,667 words every day

This sounds like an easy task, but it really isn’t. You can start out thinking there is still a lot of time left, skipping a day or two, and by the time you come to your senses, you are halfway through the month with only a quarter of your novel finished.

Don’t fall into this rabbit hole. If you skip a day, you have to write 3,334 words the next day. Trust me, I know. This is how I ended up typing away at 3 am halfway through last November. Don’t make the same mistake I did.

Make a pact with yourself that you will write 1,667 words or more every day, no matter what. Don’t skip, not even if you write 4,000 words the day before. Thanksgiving is coming, and you are going to need as much of a buffer as you can get (and I don’t mean with the nosy relatives).

Here’s my NaNoWriMo 2016 statistics chart. As you can see, the trick was to keep steadily writing the required number every day, even if you are having a bad day and all you are writing is crap. After a while, I starting writing more than the prerequisite for that day.

To help ensure you write the required number of words each day, the very first page of my free NaNoWriMo 2017 printable is a calendar that tells you exactly how many words your novel should have by the end of any given day. Once you have written the required number of words, you can put a little ✓ on the calendar and pat yourself on the back.
Be ready in other areas of your life

The weekend before NaNoWriMo started, I cleaned my entire apartment. I made sure my husband knew I was going to be pressed for time, that writing 1,667 words a day was going to be my priority. I made it clear that he was going to have to get the groceries in November, and there might be nights where we would have to order in for dinner. My friends knew I was gonna be busy, though I didn’t tell them why. They didn’t get mad when I didn’t text back immediately. Instead, my best friend researched for me.

NaNoWriMo will consume your November. Make sure you are ready for it, as are are the people around you.