National Novel Writing Month is only two weeks away, so it’s time to start thinking about how you’re going to get through what may very well be the most hectic month of the year. Even though you’ll be churning out 50,000 words in 30 days, writing isn’t the only thing you have to be concerned about.

Household Tasks 

Delegate and plan now. Start telling your family what you’re going to be doing, and ask for help. Remember to be specific. Ask someone to take over handling dinner, doing dishes, taking care of laundry, etc.

Take a few minutes and jot down everything you’ve done so far this week that you might want to ask for help with. Your list might look like mine.

• Cook meals, pack lunches
• Clean house
• Look after pets
• Walk dog
• Laundry!
• Pay bills
• Buy groceries
• Drop off mail, bills
• Caulk bathtub

First, ask yourself if anything can be put off. Can you order pizza one or two nights a week instead of cooking? Can everyone be responsible for his/her own laundry next month? How about buying paper plates to cut down on dishes?

If things can’t be put off, then get someone lined up now to help you with it. Even a couple days help a week can take a lot of stress off.

Blogging 

If you’re a blogger, start lining up extra posts now. You have two problems with blogging and NaNo-ing. The first is time (obviously). It’s going to be tough enough to find time to write your novel without adding the pressure of keeping up with a blog schedule.

The second issue is one I have to be careful not to succumb to. Blogging is often a very tempting distraction from the stress of the novel, particularly in the long second and third weeks.

One option is to write some extra posts now, if you haven’t started already. Set aside a few hours this weekend or a little time each night, and put together some posts for your blog. Most blog software will even let you schedule the post now to appear some time next month, so it’s truly something you can do now and forget.

Another option is to ask for a guest poster to contribute to your blog next month. If you have a person who frequently posts good comments, then ask if she’s open to guest posting. Another alternative is simply to ask (gasp!). Of course, you’ll want to read the posts before you post them on your site, but it can be a great time saver.

Thanksgiving 

In the U.S., we have the added challenge, and excitement, of having Thanksgiving fall during NaNo month. Cooking and family time are important, and you don’t want to miss thanksgiving dinner. My best solution is to plan on missing a couple days’ writing during the holiday.

Yes, as hectic as it will already be, I’m telling you to plan on writing your 50,000 words in about 28 days, not 30.

By the time Thanksgiving rolls around, you’re going to be exhausted. I know the respite from writing actually does me a lot of good. I rest, eat too much, and then start writing frantically the weekend after Thanksgiving.

Writing the Novel 

Which brings me to the core of the challenge. How do you keep your writing momentum through the month?

The short answer, you won’t.

In my case, I usually start and finish strong and struggle during weeks two and three. You may experience something different, but I doubt that many people can maintain their momentum through the entire 50,000 word trek.

I do a couple of things to make sure I don’t get too far off track during the rough times.

• First, I write more than my daily quota every day that I can. I know that even a few hundred words here and there will come in handy when I’m struggling to fill even one page.
• Second, I write every day (except Thanksgiving). Even if I don’t even come close to quota, something is better than nothing.
• Third, I don’t make myself write the novel in order. If I’m stuck on a scene, I skip it and move on to something a little easier.
• Finally, when I start wondering if I’m going to make it, I think about how great it feels to hit that 50,000 word mark. Believe me, it’s worth it.

What are your tips for making it through NaNo month?

Note: This post is a part of the group writing project at The Writer’s Manifesto Blog. The entry deadline isn’t until the 20th, so head on over and participate.

With NaNo just around the corner, we’ll be focusing on novel writing for the next month and a half. Today, I thought a few links to others’ tips might be useful.

If you’re looking for a little help writing your novel, or you feel that you need a little more structure, Susan Hill is running a creative writing course for free on her blog.

Marie Phillips gives some great all-purpose tips on writing. Tip #6, “Be wary of telling people too much about what you are doing” really strikes a chord with me. I never talk much about a work in progress. The more I talk about it, the less I’m inclined to write it!

If you’re looking for NaNo-specific tips, then Angela Booth has some links that cover getting your novel underway.

Mark Terry talks about the struggle between writing for money and writing for art, and why we choose to write in the first place.

Kate Elliott has some advice for first time science fiction and fantasy writers.

Nano is only three weeks away, so are you ready? Do you have your idea, your outline, and your characters written up?

I’ve done Nano three years so far, and each time I’ve done it with very little preparation. I had an idea and a general idea of where I wanted the novel to go, but that’s it. I reached 50,000 words each time, but the results were mixed. I got two viable rough drafts and one draft that’s absolute swill. What’s more, the two rough drafts were VERY rough; both need extensive rewriting before they’ll be even close to ready to go out.

To be honest, both probably need to be completely rewritten.

While I really enjoy the creativity of writing by the seat of my pants, I don’t enjoy having to rewrite every novel I produce, so this year I’m trying something different. As I’ve said before, I’m working on an outline, using the snowflake method. I’m hoping that this year the rough draft I produce will be much less rough than previous years’ have been.

If you’re not ready to put together a detailed outline, I’d recommend doing some sort of plan for your Nano novel before November. At the very least, know how the novel ends, your main character, and the major catastrophes that will befall the protagonist and how those will move things forward. If nothing else, that will keep you from getting bogged down as the month progresses.

I think the second and third weeks of Nano are the toughest. The first week is easy; you’re excited and the story is still fresh and intriguing. In the second and third weeks, however, you run the risk of having your ideas dry up, or you wander off your original course and get “lost.” If either of those happen, it can be tough to get back on track.

For me, dealing with the sheer exhaustion of writing so much is tough. If you aren’t already writing daily (or nearly every day), then I’d suggest you start now. Also, try to get as much of your word count in your first week as possible; you’ll need the cushion later.

What are your tips for getting through November?

Here are some more sites you may want to check out. These should help you organize your thoughts and be ready to start writing that first draft.

I’m really intrigued by the Snowflake method. In fact, I’m using it this time around to get ready for NaNo. You start with a one sentence synopsis and gradually expand it to a full-fledged plan, including a scene-by-scene outline. Randy Ingermanson is the creator, and he recommends taking as much as a week for some steps, so don’t put off getting started!

Justine Larbalestier describes a more seat of the pants approach to novel writing. You sit down and write first, and only after completing a significant chunk of writing do you start to plan out the novel. If the Snowflake method seems a bit too much work up front for you, this might be a good option.

And here’s some tongue in cheek advice on writing your novel while at work.  I wouldn’t recommend everything in the article (okay, not even most things in the article), but arriving a little early to work on the novel before your real work day starts might be a good option for some. Using your lunch time is another option, but that’s one that I try to avoid because I need the mid-day break to mentally recharge.

You’ve probably got at least a seed of an idea for your novel, maybe even several ideas. Next, we’ll work on putting together an outline.

As I’ve said here before, I tend to not be an outliner. I like writing that way, but the problem is, it leaves the novel in a bit of a mess when you’re finished. This year, I’m hoping to avoid the hefty rewriting process by trying to outline up-front. I’m not at all sure how well I’ll like it, but I know that a lot of (may most) writers swear by outlining.

Since I’m not an outliner in general, I can’t offer a lot of personal advice on how to do it. What I will do is talk about what I’m doing, what’s working (and not), and point out some good resources. If you use outlines for your novels, toss in your ideas below.

Holly Lisle is a great resource in general, and her workshop on story outlines. No, it’s not specific to the novel, but it’s a good start. She also has a workshop on how to finish a novel.

You all know I’m a big fan of Paperback Writer’s site. She has a post on how she outlines that’s very detailed and useful.

In “Outline your novel in 30 minutes,” you’ll answer some questions that will help you put together a plot outline.

If you post your NaNo novel outline on your blog or site, drop a link here in the comments and I’ll put together a post linking to all of them.

As we’re getting ready for Nano, the first step is to come up with an idea. I wrote a post about finding a novel idea the other day. Let’s explore idea generation a bit more before moving on to the outline.

You need to have a driving idea for the novel in order to move forward. Here are some examples…

A group of people face the end of the world — twice. After being mysteriously spared from a virulent plague, they must band together to save the world. Stephen King’s, The Stand.

A young man lives out the curse on his father because of his unusual pride. Tolkein’s, Children of Hurin.

A girl follows her father into Eastern Europe and discovers an ancient evil, and her long-lost mother. The Historian.

Of course, you can simplify any novel this way. If you were to take any of these ideas and write them yourself, it would be drastically different from the original (obviously!)

The gist is, you don’t have to come up with an “original” idea. Your execution, not your idea, is what will be original. Besides, you’d be hard pressed to come up with an idea that hasn’t been done in some form. I think writers tend to get bogged down in finding a perfect idea. Instead of focusing on that, take a good idea that you have and start working with it.

If you haven’t come up with your novel idea yet, try these tips.

1. Carry a notebook for the next few days. Write down any conversation snippets, ideas, descriptions, etc. that come to mind. If you don’t have a notebook, fold up a couple sheets of paper and put them in your pocket.
2. Go back through your old notes, short stories, abandoned novels, etc. for anything that might be resurrected or revamped.
3. Jot down the plots for some of your favorite novels. Simplify them down to one sentence and think about how you might do it differently.
4. Start with a character instead of a plot. Write down what she does during the day, what her goals are, etc. Think about how you’d approach a novel about this person.
5. Stop stressing. Sometimes, the harder you try for an idea, the more elusive they are. Sit down and just start writing; you’d be surprised at what might come to you.

Next, we’ll start talking about outlining the novel.

Are you writing a novel this November? If you’re interested in participating in the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), then that’s exactly what you’ll be doing.

Specifically, you’ll write 50,000 words (at least) on a novel that you haven’t already started. You can outline it beforehand, but not start writing until November 1.

This year will be my fourth, and I can tell you that it’s a challenge, and a blast!

If you’re planning on participating, then the first thing you’ll need is an idea. Over the next weeks, I’m planning a series of novel-building posts to help you ramp up for NaNo. I’ll be using the same ideas to get ready myself.

Where do you get your ideas?

Yep, a stereotypical question, but you have to get them somewhere. If you’ve been keeping an idea journal, then you have some material (maybe lots) to start with. If not, then now is a perfect time to start. Go through your journal and see if any ideas sound promising.

Another idea is to grab a general plot idea and start with it.

• Two people fall in love who shouldn’t.
• Someone gets murdered, kidnapped, raped, etc.
• Someone discovers a something or some place.
• A character goes through a life-altering discovery or change.
• A marriage falls apart.
• A person’s life falls apart.

You can turn any of these into any genre you like.

Another approach is to start with a character, instead of plot. Again, this all depends on your writing preference. I tend to do a bit of both, depending on the work. Think about who your main character will be and jot down some notes.

• Describe your character’s physical characteristics
• Describe your character’s personality
• What does your character want? What does she fear? Frustrating these can make for good story lines.
• See my character building worksheets for more exercises for developing your characters.

Post your NaNo ideas below.

Here’s the example of the novel and how I’m doing the outlining that I promised. Of course, all standard copyright applies. Please feel free to link to it here, but please don’t copy it on your own site.

Novel excerpt

I used OpenOffice.org software to write the novel and do the table of contents, which is actually an outline for me. I can work from those notes as I’m doing the editing/rewriting that’s next in the process.

I used the following abbreviations and style formatting.

S: subject heading1

C: conflict heading2

N: notes heading3

E: ending heading4

You could, of course, add even more layers to the outline. If you prefer, you can even set Open Office to include the paragraph text in the table of contents/outline. I’m sure something similar is possible in Word, but I usually don’t use Word for anything more complicated than a simple document.

This is an extremely rough draft. One thing that jumps out at me is that. the scenes are far too short and choppy. Not all the characters are going to stick around until the end of the novel. Teresa and her story just dwindle away, so I’m probably going to remove her entirely. I’m also going to redo the ending.

By the way, these scenes were written last November as part of NaNoWriMo, so I’m not kidding when I say they’re rough!

I know that writing a novel, and editing a novel, are very personal tasks. I hope that something I’m doing might give you some ideas or come in handy in some way.