October 22, 2025
8 Tips to Prepare for NaNoWriMo
Every year, thousands of people jump into the massive time commitment called NaNoWriMo. They vow to write 50,000 words by November 30th at midnight. Few make it, but many benefit. Here are some tips to help you if you’ve chosen to participate:
- Each day, write until your mind throbs like a thumb hit with a hammer
- Dinner is defined as ‘microwave’
- Choose your words like steps in a minefield–no, don’t do that. Choose them like it’s a field of daisies–no danger there. Just get all those thoughts down on paper. Your goal is quantity–quality comes later.
- Write until sleep hits you like a prizefighter’s punch
- If you’ve been struggling with your writing, consider this an intervention. It’s a totally different approach with lots of epeople on the sidelines cheering you on. Go get ’em!
- When you need a break, read in your genre. It’s quite inspirational.
- As you write, the picture you hope to create is probably Michelangelo rather than Jackson Pollock. That’s OK. You’ll fix it later.
- Whoever or whatever calls you, let it go to voice mail. Except the dog. That may be too important to miss.
That’s it–eight tips. Does this sound like your sort of gig? If not, that’s OK. You have to bloom where you’re planted. You’ll find sunlight somewhere else.
