Staying Power #NaNoWriMo

/ Mae Clair

Hi, SEers! Mae here today. If you’re doing NaNoWriMo, consider me your cheerleader! And if you’re not participating in NaNo, I hope you’ve committed to romancing your WIP during November.

young woman sitting at kitchen table with open laptop, blowing a kiss to laptop screen

It’s now ten days into the month. How are you doing? Still bursting with writing energy and pouring out word count?

I usually start off with a bang—rocket blasts and fireworks—then get bogged down in molasses by the time I hit week two. So how do you keep the momentum going and stay strong?

Here are a few ideas:

  • If you’ve got NaNoWriMo buddies, check in with them and see how they’re doing. Commiserate, share a whine or two, then get back at it. Even if you’re not “officially” participating in NaNo, reach out to a writing friend for an encouraging boost.
  • NaNoWriMo participants can visit community forums online, along with your local group. If the latter holds sessions in person, consider joining a write-in. And don’t forget the java! Copious amounts of coffee + writers hunched over laptops = creative energy = word count!
  • Visit social media sites. Blogs are bursting with NaNoWriMo posts this time of year. Participants share frustrations (did I really have a goose egg word-count-day again?) and celebrations (5K ahead of schedule!). Sometimes just knowing another writer is experiencing the same highs and lows is enough to make you dig back in. And don’t forget the official NaNoWriMo Twitter Feed for quick bursts of encouragement and chat.
  • Remember that during the madness of NaNoWriMo, your writing is going to get ugly! This isn’t a time to worry about grammar, sentence structure, or editing. That comes later. And if you hit a point where you need to research something RESIST THE URGE. Write a placeholder for later and move ahead.
  • Reward yourself. These can be tiny. You decide how big and how often. Have a really good word count day, or a spectacular week? Treat yourself to that ebook you’ve been eying, or the fat-gooey-chocolate-yum in your refrigerator. Maybe it’s time to catch up on your favorite TV show or spend a few minutes on a mindless cellphone game. If you hit your 50K target by the time November 30 rolls around, then I’d say it’s time for a very nice reward.

Whether you’re participating in NaNoWriMo or not, I hope you’re having a writing marathon this month, and I hope you’ve found these suggestions useful. Tell me how your writing is going and what project you’re working on. Do you have other tricks and tips for staying motivated when you hit a snag? Let’s chat about STAYING POWER in the comments.

Ready, set, go!

bio box for author, Mae Clair

46 thoughts on “Staying Power #NaNoWriMo”

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  3. Great tips, Mae. I hope you’re not slipping into a bog, but if you are, these are get ways to get some encouragement. I tend to get into the “zone” and find any social media distracting. The bare essentials or I go down that rabbit hole! Keep up the good work!

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    • Diana, I’ve hit the dreaded bog, but I’m going to make an effort to slog out of it this weekend. I didn’t plan as well as I should have and am feeling that lack of preparation now. I hope you’re doing great with your NaNo project. And yes, I agree–for me personally, social media is distracting while trying to concentrate on NaNo!

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  5. I really, really wanted to make an effort to do a partial NaNoWriMo this year, but instead I planned a ten-day blog tour for my newest release. So, I’ve been focused on that material and getting it into the right hands. Maybe next year. Lol! Oh, who knows… maybe next month. I can bend the rules for myself. 😉 Great post of encouragement, Mae. 🙂

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    • Blog tours with a new release are far more important, Yvette, but you can always pick a month of your choosing to make your own NaNoWriMo. The official website even has places for you to do that under your profile. I’m not doing as well as I’d hoped this year, so I may have to do that as well, LOL!

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    • The award badges are a lot of fun, Joan. I forgot to mention them, but there is something about being able to click and add them to your profile.
      Writing buddies are great too. It’s infectious when you know others are succeeding!

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    • Yeah, research takes a backseat during NaNoWriMo, Robbie. You have to do everything prior to the month, or just add place holders while writing (although I admit I’ve hopped online to research some minor things this year). In depth and detailed research definitely doesn’t work with this challenge.

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  8. I am moving along nicely this year with my NaNo editing. Although I’m finding I have to get more done earlier this time with more added family obligations. Still, it’s the push I needed!

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  11. Fab tips, Mae! I’m rooting for you! As for my writing, November has been jammed packed with Zoom events and blogging obligations. And this weekend, I’m a panelist at the New England Crime Bake conference. Doesn’t leave a lot of time for the WIP, but I’m trying not to dwell on it. As long as I squeeze in some words I need to be okay with that. After the conference things should slow down.

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  12. I am cheering you on, Mae! Your tips are excellent and anyone who has ever participated will agree with them. Here’s to you and all the others who are taking this opportunity to make leaps and bounds in writing their next novel!

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