Five Ways To Survive NaNoWriMo
I can’t believe we’re already three days into NaNoWriMo. It doesn’t seem like five minutes since last year – when I failed to pass the 6k mark, getting easily distracted by the children and their social lives. BAD AIMEE. But I did win, quite happily, in 2013, and with a book that I didn’t have any real love for. So COME ON 2015 LET’S DO THIS THING!
Here’s how I survive.
- Prepare for unexpected
NaNoWriMo was where I learnt the joy of the writers sprint. As much as I would love to run my life like an army sergent, two small people make sure that’s impossible. In order to make progress around their hectic social lives sprinting was the only way for it. 20 minutes while they’re in swimming lessons, 10 minutes while the pasta is boiling – how many words can you fire out during that time?
- DO NOT READ OR EDIT
Don’t distract yourself, don’t get caught up fixing it, just brain dump. GET IT OUT THERE.
- Be Flexible
Drop box (or The Cloud) is your friend people. I once thought I could only write sitting in my study with the correct play list – and sometimes that probably is true to get my best work. But it’s not essential. When I found out my friend often worked on the train, even when she’s standing up, I realised how much time I was wasting. Now not only is drop box on my mac and macbook, it’s on my phone and the ‘family’ ipad (I swear that used to be mine, but it’s more games then Aimee stuff). That’s how number 1 suddenly becomes more doable.
- Carry a notebook and pen
If you’re not up for using your phone (or you phone isn’t up for being used!) why not go old school and just use a notebook and pen. Just because they’re not showing up straight away on the word count at the bottom of your document, doesn’t mean they don’t count! Brain dump with your pain, and type it up later.
5. Brainpower
Your brain is working 100 miles an hour. Feed it. With cake and gin.
Good luck to everyone taking part, make sure you let me know how you’re getting on. You can grab me on Facebook or Twitter – I’m always up for a little procrastination!