Nanowrimo is the latest craze of writing a novel of at least 50,000 words in the month of November. Through the website thousands of writers get together and take on the challenge.

  It might sound impossible and crazy but I promise you it can be done. I did it myself last year and the buzz  you get to the end, when you  know you have succeeded is incredible. If you too want to beat the odds and complete the challenge read on and I will share my top tips with you.

Plan ahead.

Just because you can’t start writing until November doesn’t mean you can’t start planning in October or even September. If you plan the story and create the characters early on, it will stop you from wasting valuable writing time. Also, try writing diary entries from your characters point of view as this will help you find the feel and voice of the story.

There is a lot of criticism from people who say that novels created for NANOWRIMO are never any good but I say with planning and a distict voice they can at least be decent. Remember that no first draft is perfect, if you are writing a novel to have it published it will need months of editing after your 50,000 words have been written, but remember this is the same for any novel.

Try and find someone to do it with you.

If you have a friend or family member who enjoys writing as much as you why not get them to give it a go?

That way through the hard times, and believe me there will be days were you hate ever having picked up a pen or typing the words on a keyboard, you will be able to support each other and egg each other on.

If no one in your family shares your passion for writing, don’t worry there are forums were people support  each other online and often there  are NANOWRIMO groups who meet up in different locations.

Have a daily word goal.

For instance if you want to write 60,000 words in the month, then divide 60,000 by 30 (the number of days in November) and write that many words a day at least. (In this case it is 2000 words a day.) Don’t allow yourself to sleep until you have written the necessary amount of words. 

If you lead a busy life and can’t see how you are going to fit this in thenjust extend your days. What I mean is get up an hour earlier and go to bed an hour later, use this time to write.

Have some sort of motivation.

You would think that completing a novel would be motivation enough but believe me that is not always the case.  If your lagging behind on day 3 and a completed novel seems millions of miles and rivers deep of blood, sweat and tears away, and that  is all the motivation you have then carrying on may be difficult.

However, if you give yourself short term goals and rewards, for example for every 5,000 words you write,  you will buy yourself a bar of chocolate, or have a night out, or forget the diet for the day, by concentrating on this you should find the motivation to keep writing.

Get rid of all distractions.

How can you be expected to write if your telephone keeps ringing? Or the kids keep crying? Write somewhere or at a time when you will  have minimum distractions .Be that on your lunch hour, last thing at night, or sat in a quiet cafe enjoying a coffee.

A final note just to ask you to please do’t read anything back before you have finished, I am asking you  this for a good reason. Your inner-editor will only take over, pointing out all the flaws and you will be disheartened. Remember what I said earlier, first drafts are meant to be bad, that’s what editing is for.