• 3-minute read
• 10th November 2015

The Ten Commandments of NaNoWriMo

It is now ten days into NaNoWriMo and you’re probably sat in front your laptop thinking ‘what the hell was I thinking? This is insane. I’m insane’.

The veritable insanity of attempting to write a novel in one month is not in question, but this doesn’t mean you should lose faith!

We’ve climbed the writerly mountain and today return with stone tablets, on which the Ten Commandments of NaNoWriMo have been inscribed. Behold, unbelievers, and despair at our productivity tips!

1. Thou Shalt Not Delete All in a Moment of Fury

You’ll literally have achieved nothing; persistence is key to being a WriMo. Check out this article on why you shouldn’t delete your writing.

2. Thou Shalt Not Get in Straight from the Workhouse and Write Until Dawn Without Consuming Food or Liquid

Keep your water bottle topped up next to you when you are having marathon writes. Remember that tea, coffee and soft drinks may not provide adequate rehydration. It is important to keep yourself hydrated, here are a few reasons why.

3. Thou Shalt Not Become Incensed by Technical Failures, or Writer’s Block, and Throw Thy Laptop at a Wall

Many have done it, however it doesn’t really help anyone. If you are getting stressed out, just take a minute to recompose yourself before you try and fix your computer, or redirect the energy into your writing, but perhaps use paper instead. Do you remember that stuff?

4. Thou Shalt Not Forget to Save Thy Work

Get into the habit of tapping the save button periodically.

5. Thou Shalt Not Be a Negative Nancy

50,000 words is doable. Just keep positive and don’t give up! Even if you can’t make the word count, you can still walk away with a great foundation for a novel to work on in your own time.

If you feel a little dejected, reading the journeys of other writers may help. This blog post by the Writer’s Digest can be a good place to start.

6. Thou Shalt Not Leave Thy House Without Quill or Parchment

Never be far away from writing paraphernalia, keep a pen and paper on you wherever you go for those moments of inspiration.

7. Thou Shalt Not Go a Day Without Writing

Writing every day is the best way to keep on top of the game.

8. Thou Shalt Not Write Gibberish Just to See the Word Count Rise

It isn’t worth it. Remember, you’ll have to come back and try and edit this one day!

9. Thou Shalt Not Forget Loved Ones During this Quest

The characters in your book are not a replacement for actual human beings.

10. Thou Shalt Not Take Any of it Too Seriously

Remember to enjoy the process and let it be fun!

Are you thinking of having your NaNoWriMo novel published? If so, get in touch with us today and find out how our professional proofreaders can help perfect your work!