NaNoWriMo 2008: 10 Tips to Triumph

As a NaNoWrimo writer going into my fourth year of participation - and the regional Municipal Liaison for the Alamosa, Colorado, area - I've learned that winning isn't always easy. Therefore, I've compiled a list, based on my own experiences, to help those in their first year of participation (and those who just can't seem to hit that 50,000 word mark).

Tip One - Don't put off your word count! The daily minimum for every writer is 1,667 words - roughly three pages a day. For two of my previous three years I started out strong (10,000 in one night!) and then stopped and had to struggle to the finish. So even if you go over your word count, don't take a night off, keep writing.

Tip Two - Don't over-plan! The story will practically write itself if you give it a lot of loose rope. Conversely, shy away from plunging in with no ideas whatsoever or the story will sputter out far too quickly. Those of us who can't wait for November 1^st have been known to write up detailed character descriptions (I wouldn't start that too early, either, I gave myself a month to do it one time and was startled to find myself with twenty-three main characters... which, while being a fun challenge, is nearly impossible for the non-Tolstoy).

Tip Three - The Internet is your enemy. Kill the connection when you're trying to write, it's too easy to get distracted by Wikipedia or IMing with friends. If there's something you need to google, just make a note of it and look it up later. Hit your 1,667 before you open any browsers - anything after the needed daily count is icing on the cake!