NaNoWriMo Preparations

National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, takes place every November. The objective is to write 50,000 words on a story--which is the minimum required word count for a novella. That's 1,667 words in a day. They don't have to be good words. The idea is not that it has to be perfect, but that you get the raw material down on the page so you can edit it later. Getting the rough draft is supposed to be the hardest part.. and having a deadline helps many people to stick to it. There are word count widgets, forums to procrastinate or give or receive advice in, and people to do 'writing wars' with. Competition can be a great source or inspiration! Those who win can buy special 'winner' goodies from the store and have the satisfaction of having a completed first draft. Of course, not everyone wins, and not everyone stops at 50,000 words. I've seen people go over 150,000 before. Talk about dedication! For most of us, it is difficult enough to fit a couple thousand words per day around our everyday lives.

That difficulty is something that prompts many people to do their own sorts of preparations for NaNo. Personally, I've been watching twitter feeds and reading articles for writers that give tips and tricks, as well as drawn on some of my own experiences to make myself a list. I'd like to share that with you now, in hopes that you may not have heard all of these ideas!

1. If you find comfort in having a layout, make one! It isn't cheating to decide which direction your story is going to take. I like to make a list of key plot points to make sure I can steer my characters in the right direction. Of course, they are often going to have their own ideas about what could happen.. and I think it best to follow their instincts over your own. But if you end up getting stuck, you can look back at your list and think of a way to get to that next point! 
2. If you don't want to do a layout, try having some writing prompts for each chapter. You could arrange these or simply have a list of them to pick what 'feels right' to help you get started with the next chapter. Who knows, it could lead you and your characters on an amazing adventure!
3. Think carefully about your characters' names. Do they seem to fit in their time and place? Their social class, ethnicity, or species? Is the name so complex that you stumble over it.. and if so, can you give them a nick name? These are things I didn't originally think were very important.. but after reading some stories with poorly named characters, I understand! Don't distract your reader with an unfitting name unless it is important to the plot or to the character's ark. 
4. Decide ahead of time what perspective you will be using. First person perspectives draw the reader in faster, but are very limited on what information the reader gets. Third person limited can jump between various characters, but limits the information the reader gets as well. I like third person omniscient because then the reader can have as much information as you are willing to show them. You can talk about the thoughts of different characters in the same scene as well as pan out and show the larger world. What your story calls for may be different each time... in fact, I've heard of people rewriting the whole thing into a different perspective. Best to save yourself the trouble and figure out what is best beforehand!
5. Go easy on yourself. Like I said above, this is supposed to be a rough draft. If you can't take the time to research some facts or are too 'in the zone' to stop, make yourself a note in brackets to check it out, then keep going. While it's a good idea to do lots of research beforehand, your characters are likely to surprise you by getting into situations you hadn't anticipated! Don't read back over what you've already written unless it's to pick up your place. You'll be tempted to edit and that will not add to your word count! 
6. Have fun! If it isn't fun, it isn't worth doing. Make sure you enjoy your novelling experience as much as possible. While it may be difficult, just think about the self satisfaction you will have at the end, and all of the raw material you will be able to work with. Schedule some milestone gifts for yourself, such as taking a break to watch a movie, having some tasty treats, or having a big celebration when you get to the end! 

Of course everyone is going to have different tips, so it's a good idea to look around and see what all you can find before crunch time. NaNoWriMo begins 2 weeks from today, so get prepping!