Lovely Link-Up: NaNoWriMo Tips

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Wow, where in the world did October go? I swear that was the shortest month this year so far. Halloween is my favorite holiday. Although I'm mourning it's loss, I'm also a little excited that it's finally November. Why? Because it's National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo for short)!

For those of you not in the know (it's totally fine), NaNoWriMo lasts the whole month of November. The goal for everyone who participates is to "win" by completing a novel in 30 days. When I say, "novel," I mean some kind of manuscript totaling at least 50K words. Certainly nothing to laugh at!

I've done NaNoWriMo and won in the past, but I'm not going to participate this year. I'm still editing my novel MUD EYES. With that being said, I'd like to serve as everyone's cheerleader this year. I'm offering encouragement and advice over on Twitter. I'm also taking the opportunity to share some tips and techniques for success in this post.

Word Sprints

When you're trying to make word count, word sprints can be incredibly helpful. On Twitter, search "#wordsprint" to see sprints that have started or are about to start. Sprints can last anywhere from 15 minutes to one hour and are a great way to stay motivated and productive.

Keep Moving

During NaNoWriMo, the backspace key is not your friend. DO NOT EDIT. Now is not the time for edits. All you need to focus on is getting the words down on the page. You'll have plenty of time for revision once the novel is finished.

Prioritize

If you want to finish your novel this month, you're going to have to commit to writing every day. Make it the first thing you do upon waking up or the last thing you do before going to bed. Write on your lunch break. Cram some words in while you're waiting in line. Above all, make sure you put your work before play. You can still have a social life, but you need to do your writing first.

Join the Fun!

If you'd like to participate in this link-up, write your own NaNoWriMo-themed post, grab the button below to add to your blog, and leave a comment with a link to your post. There's only one other rule: you should visit the blog that's linked before yours and leave a comment on their post. Encourage the link love.

Happy blogging!

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