So You've Decided to Take the Writing Plunge!


Over the past ten weeks, half of my weekly segments have been dedicated to getting writer's ready to write their own book. If you, like many people around the globe, have decided to take the plunge into signing up for this years National Novel Writers Month, NaNoWriMo for short, I offer your a few tips and tricks for staying on top of it.

So, without delay, here's a recap on a few tricks for conquering NaNoWriMo and staying in the zone! See my original NaNoWriMo Prep post here.

Distracting Grumbles!
When you find yourself in the zone, and all the words are flowing perfectly from mind to paper or keyboard, the smallest distraction can cause your train of thought to derail. Your stomach can be the greatest distraction of all. Prepare for the month to come by doing some meal prep and freezing as many meals as you can. That way, when you're stomach demands attention, you can pop a meal into the microwave and get back to writing, instead of taking a half hour to an hour to prepare and cook something from scratch.

Snack attack!
A writer's got to eat, even if you're not hungry enough for a full meal, snacking can help you stay focused and keep your energy levels where they need to be. Stash some non-perishable snacks where you'll be writing in order to have them on hand to avoid foraging through cupboards and losing valuable writing time. Remember, you'll be sitting down a lot this month to write, so if you can opt for healthier snacks, all the better.

Stealth mode!
When I did my first year of NaNoWriMo, I took advantage of every free moment I had to write (after all, 50,000 words in 30 days averages to 1,667 words a day, and that's no small feat!) and this included breaks and lunches at work. The problem? I needed to stay at my desk to do my writing if I wanted to avoid the loud noise of the staff room, but this put me in the line of fire for coworkers with questions who forgot I was on break. Easy fix? Headphones and warning signs! Headphones, even if you're not listening to anything, can dissuade verbal traffic because often people won't bother talking to you if they don't think you can hear them. Often, but not always. To double up on anti-distraction measures, I also put up colourful little signs when on break, reminding people that I was on break and occupied with NaNoWriMo.
Bonus Tip: Write on your signs that they can ask you what NaNoWriMo is after your break.

Know yourself!
At the end of the day, we all have different creative habits. Take the time to know what works best for you, anticipate what you will need, and discover what distractions prove to be your weakest points. It is only by figuring out these things, that you can truly optimize your writing in the month to come.

Discovered some new tricks? Share them below to help other writer's who may have similar habits as you!

Cheers,
The Bra Street Rambler
P.S. You've got this.
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