Tips & Tricks #1: Know Your Enemy

This is that magical time of year when people all over the world are saying to themselves "Oh no! What have I gotten myself into?" as they contemplate the prospect of writing 50,000 words in 30 days. It sounds nigh-well impossible, but it's not. In fact, while it will have a noticeable impact on your life, it needn't disrupt things entirely.

You've heard stories, I'm sure, of Nanovelists who have pulled some sort of Herculean all-nighter on 11/29 and managed 25,000 words on the very last day to finish. I can't do that. I am a person who likes to break a task up into equal, manageable chunks and pace myself.

If you take this approach with Nano, your task is this: 1,666.67 words per day for 30 days.

In the beginning, when you're still getting in practice, it might take you a few hours to get all 1666.67 words out (just do 1667 - that 2/3 word is tricky), or it might take you half an hour. When I'm really in form, it takes me about an hour to an hour and a half to do 2,000 words including time I spend pondering whether to say "hermaneutic" or "heuristic."

One swell way of powering through your words is to make a pact with yourself. You will NOT get up from your seat without having finished. Not to get a drink, answer the phone, pee - you will NOT get out of that seat.

And just remember - you only have to reach 50,000 words. You don't have to write something publishable. You don't have to write something readable. Your novel does not have to be finished, even. My first attempt had reached 83,000 by the end of November, but it took another two years and several complete re-writes to get it into shape.

Next issue: Where to Write