Well, we’re day 11 of NaNoWriMo (at the time of this blog post). I’m at 26, 319 words of 50 000. Over the halfway mark. Full disclosure here, I’m a NaNo Rebel. A little bit unfair isn’t it. I use NaNoWriMo to finish novels. Something they only started doing a few years back. I started Tamashii with a NaNoWriMo I didn’t finish. In fact, I found myself utterly bogged down by writer’s block for this particular book. Until I started Bone Jay with Larisa. My little muse that she is. Somehow, writing with her unblocked everything. I hadn’t written anything else on this particular piece since 2013 when I’d written two chapters, working night shifts no less, by hand. I know by experience how damn frustrating it can get to struggle to write anything, just something, please anything. Am I right?
Well…
If you struggling this month to keep up for NaNoWriMo and need some encouragement, you’ve come to the write (right) place. Here are a few tips and tricks to keep the words flowing and the goals piling up. The old adage, write anything even if it’s crap is true. For the most part. However; here are some more tips and tricks both from NaNoWriMo themselves and us from Three Little Sisters Publishing.
Did you stick to the plot? Can’t drag that plot racehorse across the finish line? How about trying the Plot Dot on for size. NaNoWriMo has provided a downloadable, interactive Plot Dot to help you rein in your story plot and guide it to the finish line.
Stuck on an idea. Can’t seem to incubate that little idea egg? How about 4 ways to generate ideas and develop them. Another nice little downloadable and interactive file from NaNoWriMo! With excercises like News You Can Use and Borrow a Character the ideas should hatch a whole new slew of little chickie poos.
Don’t forget, surround yourself with other like-minded people. Check out the NaNoWriMo Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NaNoWriMoHQ/
The old adage, write anything even if it’s crap is true. For the most part. However; here are some more tips and tricks both from NaNoWriMo themselves and us from Three Little Sisters Publishing.
When I’m stuck, sometimes I’ll talk it out. Some writers will do recording sessions. Most word processing software now has a dictation option, which is pretty cool actually. Microsoft Word has theirs. Works pretty decent enough. So, next time you get stuck try dictating to your word processor. Might help get past that little difficult bump in the road. Might even run roughshod through that blockade in the road we all know as the dreaded writer’s block.
Are you still stuck on what to write about? Worse than writer’s block is plot block. It’s like a messy room that you don’t know where to start with and just end up sitting there staring around you so overwhelmed your start got up and started without you?
How about a plot generator? http://writingexercises.co.uk/plotgenerator.php OR Adopt a Plot from NaNoWriMo’s Adoption Center from their forums.
The biggest thing that can help you jump off that limb is encouragement. Sometimes that encouragement comes from the most unusual of places and sometimes we seek it out on purpose. You need encouragement, try the buddy system. Find yourself someone who is willing to give you an open and honest critique. Who isn’t afraid they might hurt your feelings so to speak. Find a writing buddy. There are tons of Facebook groups, there’s the NaNoWriMo forums and even their buddy system on our profiles. Need a buddy? Hit me up: TabithaTodd_79
