How to Survive + Conquer NaNoWriMo

Want to know the secret to winning NaNoWriMo? Are you ready? Here's the secret, my friends: get ready to write like crazy. 

So what is NaNoWriMo? It stands for National Novel Writing Month and takes place the month of November, when crazy writer kids get together and try to write their novels. A whole novel. 50,000 words to be exact. Guess who happens to be a crazy writer kid?

Last year, I loosely participated in NaNoWriMo with a group of my writer friends, but it fell at an odd time for me. Because I was nearly finished with my first novel, These Are the Moments, I had trouble reaching my word counts.

But this year, everything changes. Not only am I taking #TATM2 to NaNoWriMo—Lord, help me—but I'm taking you with me. This year, I'm hosting an exclusive NaNoWriMo community, and you're invited. Scroll to the bottom of this post to sign up!

Are you up for the challenge? We need a game plan, folks. I've got three tips on how to survive NaNoWriMo, coming at ya':

Kiss the Delete Key Goodbye

50,000 words, people. And every single one of them counts. I'm a big believer in  writing sprints, so much so that it's my number one writing secret to writing faster. The key to making your word counts is to let your mind wander.

I'll be honest with you: I'm not the best at being totally edit-free, but with practice, I've learned to write through my mental editing. So, goodbye delete key, who needs you anyway?

For stratey, try reading:Why You Should Write Your Novel on Paper.

Be Distraction-Free

"Oh look, a tweet!" How often do you find yourself clicking through apps when you've promised yourself you'd write? We spend so much time wasting time that writing takes twice the time.

Let's break this down, shall we? For NaNoWriMo, you need to write 1,666 words a day. When sprinting, I can write 1,000 words in thirty minutes. That's around 45 minutes of unlocked writing time a day! But add in Twitter? And I'm done.

How do we fix this? Here are some helpful hints:

1. Find your ideal writing space. Do you need absolute silence? Do you write at a desk? Find what makes you most productive!
2. Download a distraction-free software.
3. Turn off your WiFi. (I know you're scared. Trust me.)
4. Schedule your social media ahead of time.
5. Leave your phone in the other room.

Plan Ahead

The most important part of how to survive NaNoWriMo is preparation. I'm talking a whole lotta coffee. When it comes to NaNo prep, this involves at least a small degree of outlining.

A few things you should know before you jump into November:

1. The general plot. When November 1st rolls around, you don't want to be choosing between two story ideas. Unless you think you can write 100,000 words.
2. Your main character. Or a character, at least. Don't worry about names, just know what he/she is all about.
3. A few scenes. 1,666 can add up really fast, especially when you don't have a scene idea. Save yourself the trouble and keep a list of scenes you want to write as a reference.

Remember, NaNoWriMo is a marathon. You don't just wake up one morning and say, "I think I'll go run a 5k today." You train. You practice. Take this same principle to NaNo.

How to Break Writing Rules

Confession: I'm not a grammar nut. 

I know the rules and aced my English courses, but that doesn't mean I have to like them. (I mean, really, can someone just make a definitive decision on the Oxford comma?) 

For me, grammar is just a vehicle. A means to an end. (See what I did there? That wasn't a sentence. I don't care.) So how do we break writing rules and get away with it? Well, my friends, the great writers do it all the time.

Here's the secret: try new styles. Let me rattle off a list for you: Rainbow Rowell, George Saunders, Jonathan Tropper, William Faulkner, Kurt Vonnegut. These writers set their own style from subject matter to word choice to punctuation.

And guess what? People love them. Because they're interesting. Because they make no apologies. Here are the writing rules you should definitely consider breaking:

BREAK PLOT RULES

Happy endings are too predictable. Don't start your story with a prologue. Remember your story structure.There's a reason that there are writing rules. They work. Good old Joseph Campbell with his hero's journey. The snowflake method. The Three Act Structure. 

These plot structures are tried and true (but often predictable). Am I saying to throw every rule out the window? Absolutely not.

There is no wrong way to write a story. Forget about plot point one, climax and denouement. Don't try to make your story fit a structure, if it so clearly doesn't. Let's get specific: 

• Combine genres. I'm ridiculously intrigued with crossover novels. Fairytale meets dystopian. Classic retellings combined with zombie apocalypse. For my novel, These Are the Moments, I stuck with a simple new adult meets young adult genre. 
• Bold endings. Worried about your cliffhanger? Scared to kill off your main character? Be bold, my friend! 
• Pacing. Ditch the clinical structure. Add more action, less dialogue. Add less dialogue, more action. Do what works for your story. 

Examples of breaking plot rules: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

BREAK PUNCTUATION RULES

Quotation marks are for dialogue. Yes, Oxford commas. No, Oxford commas. I happen to be a firm believer in the fragment-as-a-sentence trick. For emphasis. (See?) However, that doesn't mean I'm going to abandon all proper, well-crafted sentences.

When it comes to punctuation rule-breaking, a little goes a long way. Addendum: there are exceptions. Some novels or short stories are contingent on these off-kilter punctuation strategies.

Take Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes. It's main character/narrator is a mentally challenged man who often misspells words and forgets commas. See what kind of punctuation fits your story, while still being readable. 

Don't forget to vary your sentences. Unless you don't want to. Without all those cool clauses and prepositional phrases, your reader might get bored. Throw in a run-on sentence or two for good measure. (This is starting to sound more like a recipe than a blog post.)

BREAK STYLISTIC RULES

A paragraph is three-five sentences. Every story has a beginning, middle and end. Avoid slang. A writer's style is their brand. I'm fairly confident I could pick up a Jonathan Tropper book and recognize it.

That's why writers like James Patterson and Danielle Steel write so many books. They've found a genre/style that works for them, as well as a loyal audience. 

CHALLENGE: don't stick to one genre. Embrace your writing style and then break away from it. Or don't. (Am I confusing you yet?) The thing about style is that it can't be forced, 96% of the time. (Totally made up statistic.)

Style is a unique trademark of a writer, because it's how that writer chooses to craft a story. Maybe you like to write in long, sweeping paragraphs. Maybe you like to write choppy, incomplete sentences. Maybe you like excessive setting. Maybe you avoid setting altogether. The more you write, the more your style reveals itself.

Personally, I try to write the way I speak. I want my novel to feel real and honest, true to life in all of its fun, sad and scary parts. Just keep writing. Always. (Gotcha again.)

Discussion Time: How do you break writing rules? What new breaks would you like to try?

How to Make Time to Write

Dear reader,

My name is Jenny Bravo. I'm twenty-three. My daily life consists of eight-hour work days, cooking, working out and writing. this. book. And you know what? That's about it.

Disclaimer: I can't  complain. Why? Because I don't have children to feed or a husband to talk to or soccer practice or parent teacher conferences or any of those things. I have me. And somehow, I still have to work hard to make time to write. Goodness, how do you moms do it?

Here's the thing, though: being an adult requires practicality, and writing/singing/art in general is the least practical, most important thing that we can do. If you're lucky enough to write full time, then you are amazing. Bravo, you! (Not that more time makes writing any less difficult. Because, it doesn't.)

If you're like me, and have a limited window of writing time, then we need strategy. We need to prioritize, organize, plan, plot. Basically, we have to TOTALLY go against our nature to make time to write. Sounds fun, right? Let's get started.

Take advantage of every spare moment.

We're creative. It comes with the territory. So, we need to get creative with our time. Maybe you're a morning person (more power to you). Try waking up thirty minutes early, fifteen even. Then write as much as you can in that set time.

Maybe you're a night person. Put yourself to bed thirty minutes early. Write for thirty minutes until you fall asleep. ADVANCED MOVE: Write on your lunch break. This is my newest strategy. With an hour for lunch, I could knock out about 2,000 words. Try this, once or twice a week. Let me know if it works for you!

Word Sprint.

With time restraints, we can't afford writer's block. We don't have the luxury of fumbling around until we find the words. WE NEED WORDS, NOW! Did that sound authoritative? Good. Word sprints are every writer's best kept secret. Set a timer: 30 minutes? 15? Even 10! Then get writing.

As many words as possible without editing, without stopping. You'll be AMAZED at how this unlocks all the words you've been hoarding. I can write about 1,000 words in thirty minutes. If I do that three times a day, imagine the possibility! (NOTE: I do not do this three times a day. Yet.)

Hide your phone, hide your TV.

I'll admit it. After work, I just want to lounge around and not use my brain. But there comes a point where my book is calling and I have to answer it, of course. But I want to talk to my friends on Twitter. And I want to see all those cute coffee pins on Pinterest. And I need to blog. And and and…. the excuses keep on coming.

Are you sitting down? I'm about to lay some serious knowledge on you. READY? Do you know how much writing you can get done, simply by writing? I know. Mind-boggling. Sometimes, when I have my phone in my hand and I'm watching some stupid reality show and I have my WIP up on my screen, I have the audacity to say, "Yeah. I'm writing." NO. Give your writing your full attention. Make time to write, and write only. Just for a small portion of your day. Watch how much you'll get done!

Take Home Work: Read six strategies here, read seventeen ways here and read this hilarious post here.

DISCUSSION TOPIC: Okay, these ideas are great for writing. You will see results and words this way. But how about editing? groans groans groans. How do we make time to edit? Comment below. Let's get the ideas in motion!

How to Write What You Want

Yesterday on Twitter, I asked friends/followers/random passersby to email me their questions. Publishing questions. Writing questions. Cat questions. Shannon-Rachel Dixon was kind enough to send me this email: I'm currently writing book one in a reverse trilogy, the genre being a psychological thriller. My question is, do you think it's harder to get a trilogy published for your first time, than just a single novel? First of all, this book series sounds awesome. Second of all, LET ME JUST BASK IN THE AWESOMENESS OF THIS QUESTION. 

I did a little research, and I've come up with two possible answers. Hopefully, this helps you in some way!

The "Literarily Correct" Answer

(Were you aware that literarily is a real word?) Okay. My first instinct was Write your trilogy! Give it to the world! Get that movie deal! Then I calmed down and realized that wasn't going to help you at all. The first article I came across was from Rachelle Gardner, which advises writers to pitch a single book. 

The gist: Writing is a business. If you make money, you get a career. If you not… I consulted Writer's Digest too. (Okay, we didn't really consult because they don't know I exist. Just throwing that out there.) The gist: tread with caution. If the first one works, chances are the second and third are a shoe-in.

Okay, did you get all that? My work here is done. Just kidding. Here's my advice: WRITE WHAT YOU WANT. That's how people sell books. They write the fringe stories, the stories people tell them will never make it, and then they hit it big. Is that what we write for? No. We write for the satisfaction of telling the stories we want. 99% of the time, our gut feeling doesn't lie. (Made-up statistic.)

Write what you want, but market smart. You want to write a trilogy? Hooray! However, you should write your first book as a stand-alone. Leave it open-ended. Plant the seeds for more books, outline and such, but let it be okay on its own. Query as an individual, then let your agent know that you're working on more books. Should the first sell, the second has a much better chance.

Alternate Options

As a soon-to-be self-publisher, I know about the CRAZY COOL opportunities there are for trilogies in that sphere. Serializing is an amazing opportunity to get readership, either on your blog or on websites such as Wattpad. Even if it's just the first few chapters! Publishing just a chapter or a scene a week can really build that awesome fan base you want. The more you write, the more successful you'll be. That's the name of the self-publishing game.

I hope that answered your question, Shannon! If anyone has any more suggestions, please comment below.

To ask your own question, email blotsandplots@gmail.com! Be sure to sign up for the newsletter for additional opportunities.

How to Choose Your Book Title (Or Not)

If you follow me on Twitter, you already know my struggle with title-picking. Let's think about this logically: a book can be anywhere from 20,000 words to 80,000 words, and as writers, we are supposed to shrink down this whole monster (which by the way, we've labored and sweat over) into 1 or 2 or 6 words. That's like trying to put a mountain in your pocket. GOOD LUCK. Oh, and don't forget: it has to have a message or stand out or bake you cookies or something. Exhausted yet? Want to give up?

If you want to know how to choose your book title, well, you probably shouldn't have come to me, because as it stands, I don't have a title. And I don't see that happening anytime soon. (By that I mean in the next 48 hours. But 49 hours? Yeah... probably not then either.) So why is it so hard for us to pick a title? Because it's an identifier. It's the sum of all that hard work. Sometimes, writers start with a title and find a story to fit. You people are lucky. Still, I think it's easier (ish) to build a story and have it find its title along the way. Maybe it's a second draft thing? Anyway, here are some random techniques I've come up with for title-picking:

Write Down Every Idea. I am a big believer in the iPhone notes section. I have one for book plot ideas, one for quotes from friends/random strangers/etc, and one for title ideas. At this moment, I have approximately 130 title ideas, most of which I hate. So why do I keep them? A few reasons. By keeping the junk ideas, it helps me get to the heart of what I'm trying to talk about. It's giving me a focus. Also, I can mix and match bad titles and hopefully come up with something good. Maybe I'll even get a better idea from the junk pile.

Pay Attention to Words. I'm somewhat of a word collector these days. Like petrichor, which is the word for that after-rain smell. Not that I'm going to use that in my title, but you know, you could. If you pay attention to words, the light bulb in your head might just freak out and it'll be like EUREKA. Yep. BAM. Title. Did you understand any of that gibberish? No? I'm basically just saying you need words to make a title. But you already knew that.

Borrow or "Steal" Titles. You probably already stopped reading, but if you didn't, just calm down. I'm not telling you to name your book "Harry Potter" or "Gone with the Wind" or something. Think about the books that you love and look for structure. For example, Harry Potter is "Name of Character and Situation." The Great Gatsby? Proves the importance of alliteration. This is Where I Leave You? Hey, that's a full sentence. Take structures and fit your own words into it. You never know what might happen.

When all else fails, pick a title out of a hat. Name it "TBD" or "Untitled." Just pick a random word. "Button." There. That's my title. (Just kidding. I think.) I mean, what's in a title, anyway? When you think about Harry Potter, you're not thinking about the name of the book. You're picturing the characters, remembering the story, remembering how it makes you feel. In the long run, a title is a title. It's your story that people are going to remember.