If you’re the typical NaNoWriMo participant, you’re trying to write 50,000 words this month. That’s 1,667 words a day, give or take. It may not sound like a lot, but most scenes are about 1,000 words long. So, that’s a scene and a half a day. Whoa.
As I am writing this, I am in my usual early lead. I have a tendency to get ahead in the beginning because I’ve been so excited about it for a while and I know exactly where my story is starting. But I’m very much expecting to be in my typical mid-November habit of feeling so lost in the middle with very little idea of how to get to AN end, let alone the end I had initially planned, by the time this comes out. Some days, it’s just about getting words on pages.
Maybe you’ll find something very cool to tie into your story with these techniques. Maybe you’ll just get in your daily word count goal and live to write another day. Both can be a win! Keep reading to the end to take part in a special offer if you’re needing some extra guidance.
Write an Island
If you can clearly see a scene off in the distance but you’re having trouble getting from where you are to where it will be happening, it is okay to pick up and write that scene. Get the words down while that biting dialogue is clearly in your head or you can picture the perfect description of an uncovered treasure. A lot of NaNo is about slogging through the word count, but the best bits are about writing while the ink is fresh. Take advantage of these moments. Knowing you have a gap to fill may encourage writing later when you’re especially stuck.
Have a Side Quest
Occasionally I wonder Homer wrote the stories of Odysseus during a writing competition akin to NaNoWriMo. Readers love a good side quest. If you really can’t imagine the next few pages of your novel, have a character wander off the beaten path to do something adventurous or funny or plain dumb. It’s a great way to build a connection with readers, and maybe it will wind up being the perfect tie-in for a theme you were hoping to cultivate eventually. Worst case scenario, it will give your brain a break from the primary narrative long enough to feel refreshed.
Use a Flashback
Unless your story is from the point of view of a newborn (and in which case, whoa that’s cool), your characters have a rich past that is ripe for the plundering. Even if they are a newborn, you could delve into their past lives. We all have past memories that come to us in times of high emotion as learned lessons or core emotional experiences. Write one out for your character either as their then consciousness or their present consciousness looking back. They might just teach you something new about them you hadn’t considered before.
Take a Nap
Don’t actually take a nap instead of writing for the day, of course. Your character needs to rest, your brain needs a rest. Let them rest! And then you can utilize the time to write a dream sequence that fills out your daily word count. This is a great way to parse out emotional turmoil in a character or give them a clear idea of what they want. It can also create some complex dynamics with other characters once they’re awake. Is it overdone in fiction? Yeah. But that shouldn’t keep you from reaching your writing goals.
Fill in Gaps
Have you been writing the islands and waiting to put in transitions? Now is the time. Days when I am feeling most apathetic about writing are when I find this strategy most effective. Point A to B writing is not especially fun to do when you’re feeling creative and excitable because it largely requires quick problem solving and mechanical narration. Yes, we would love to read about some of the ads your characters are seeing while on the bus if they matter, but if you’re just trying to get some necessary motions in, it isn’t all that important.
Some days writing is just about getting words on pages, and some days it’s about reframing your narrative to help beat writer’s block. Hopefully these writing techniques for NaNoWriMo can help you whether you’re writing in November or any other month. If you’re still feeling stuck, reach out. I’m offering mini book coaching sessions for $25 until Christmas to help nano participants win this year and transition to the first rewrite.
Comments