It is now halfway through NaNoWriMo and you, like many other wordsmiths, may be experiencing some mild insanity.
This is common when writing a novel in a very short amount of time, but do not fret: We have some top tips on staying sane while participating in this mammoth writing challenge.
1. Think About the Bare Necessities!
Remember to eat properly, drink enough (whiskey doesn’t count) and get a good night’s sleep as often as possible. We also have a handy blog post, The Ten Commandments of NaNoWriMo, which might help you keep on track.
2. Don’t Let the Pressure Get to You
Look at it like an exercise, or a challenge, rather than a potential failure. Nothing tragic will happen if you don’t finish in time. At worst, you’ve made a good start on a novel you can continue working on at a gentler pace.
3. Manage Your Time
Make a list of all the activities and commitments you have, and see where your best window for dedicated writing time falls. If you manage to sit down and write for even an hour or two every day, you’ll achieve more than you might think!
Making sure you don’t push yourself over these time limits will help you keep the crazies at bay. If you spend a lot of time online, why not use a time-management tool, such as rescue time, to keep procrastination to a minimum?
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4. Do Something Else
If writing is making you feel as though, to quote Bernard Black from Black Books, your brain is ‘falling away like pieces of wet cake’, it may be best to do something else for a little while.
Step away from your laptop or typewriter, maybe call a friend and have a nice cup of tea, go for a nature walk, or meditate. Meditation, in particular, can be particularly helpful for creative types. Check out this blog on the subject.
5. Talk to the WriMo Community
It may sound simple, but speaking to another writer about the process can alleviate some of the madness-inducing aspects of writing a novel. The NaNoWriMo forum is a great way to do this.
If you’re participating in NaNoWriMo because you would like to have your novel published, we would love to help out with proofreading your manuscript. Just drop our lovely admin team a line and see how our professional proofreaders can help perfect your literary masterpiece.