Only a few more days left in Nanowrimo, and for those (like me) who are still working towards that golden 50k glimmering somewhere off in the distance here are a few more tips for getting there.
Word sprints boost your numbers like you wouldn't believe. Set yourself a time limit (ten minutes, twenty minutes, thirty minutes...) and a word count goal (200, 400, 1000), start the clock, and just write without stopping until you hit your goal or your time runs out. Then try it again. And again.
Having a character who likes to talk archaically and break his contractions into multiple words (I'm into I am; what's into what is, etc.) boosts your numbers. Also having a character who likes to use big words and long sentences. And a character who never stops talking. (You may have to edit some of his dialogue out later, though, as he might irritate your readers otherwise.)
Sugar helps fuel your brain—eat candy while you write (I like to load up on marked-down Halloween candy on November 1st).
Take a break from writing every hour or so and take a walk, wash some dishes, or do something else that you don't have to think about. You can use the mind space to brainstorm story ideas or work through knotty points, or simply leave your brain some freedom for inspiration.
“All right” is two words.
Listen to music. Sometimes music can be distracting, but sometimes it can help you write faster. Also, if your favourite song comes on just as you're just about to take a break from writing and do something else, it's a way to keep you at the keyboard a few minutes longer.
Assure your family that this really is important.
Multiple projects are great—if you get stuck in one, you can switch to another until you get inspired again. True, you won't have a 50,000 word novel when you're done, but you will have 50,000 more words than you had—simply interspersed between several different stories.
If you're only working on one story, try working on different parts of it. When you get stuck in one scene, switch to another until you’ve worked out the knotty points.
Find your busy brain time. The time of day when my brain generates the most ideas is early morning. Getting up an hour before breakfast to write helps me brainstorm through the "stuck" points in my story and gets them out of the way so I can concentrate on just getting words on paper. Find the time when your brain is most active and use that time to unravel your plot twists or do a little worldbuilding.
Having a character who likes to talk archaically and break his contractions into multiple words (I'm into I am; what's into what is, etc.) boosts your numbers. Also having a character who likes to use big words and long sentences. And a character who never stops talking. (You may have to edit some of his dialogue out later, though, as he might irritate your readers otherwise.)
Sugar helps fuel your brain—eat candy while you write (I like to load up on marked-down Halloween candy on November 1st).
Take a break from writing every hour or so and take a walk, wash some dishes, or do something else that you don't have to think about. You can use the mind space to brainstorm story ideas or work through knotty points, or simply leave your brain some freedom for inspiration.
“All right” is two words.
Listen to music. Sometimes music can be distracting, but sometimes it can help you write faster. Also, if your favourite song comes on just as you're just about to take a break from writing and do something else, it's a way to keep you at the keyboard a few minutes longer.
Assure your family that this really is important.
Multiple projects are great—if you get stuck in one, you can switch to another until you get inspired again. True, you won't have a 50,000 word novel when you're done, but you will have 50,000 more words than you had—simply interspersed between several different stories.
If you're only working on one story, try working on different parts of it. When you get stuck in one scene, switch to another until you’ve worked out the knotty points.
Find your busy brain time. The time of day when my brain generates the most ideas is early morning. Getting up an hour before breakfast to write helps me brainstorm through the "stuck" points in my story and gets them out of the way so I can concentrate on just getting words on paper. Find the time when your brain is most active and use that time to unravel your plot twists or do a little worldbuilding.
P.S. You can do this! The biggest trick to winning Nanowrimo is to not give up before the month is over. Keep powering through to that elusive 50k.