Do you have a book that you need to write or finish writing before the end of the year? (Remember that New Year's Resolution?) November may be the month to push and get it done because...
November is National Novel Writing Month or #nanowrimo. This is a month in the year where novelists around the world "get together" on social media and via the NaNoWriMo website and write a 50,000-word manuscript in 30 days, which equals out to about 1,666 words per day. It’s more like 1,667 words per day in my estimation since dividing 50,000 words by 30 days gives you 1,666.6666… Whichever of the two words counts feels right to you, are you up for the challenge?
If you are a nonfiction author, don’t worry. November is also National Nonfiction Writing Month, AKA #NaNonFiWriMo or WNFIM (Write Nonfiction in November), detailed here by Nina Amir. #NaNonFiWriMo is the same month. Same word count. Personal accountability.
What's cool on the nonfiction side of this challenge is that most publishers look for nonfiction books to be right at 50,000-60,000 words. So by the end of the month, you have your standard size nonfiction trade book.
The preferred word count for fiction is a bit longer at 70,000-90,000 words or so. Though 50,000 words may make a nice novella. Publishers such as Harlequin Love Inspired go for shorter fiction manuscripts of 55,000. There publication requirements may be perfect for you.
Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, you can get a whole book completed in a month and make yourself proud that you honored your book-writing goal for the year.
Before I sign off, here are a few tips that will make your writing process this month that much easier.
Choose a topic or story line you know well so that your writing will flow.
Take these last few days of October to nail down your target audience or genre and outline your story or book concept, chapter by chapter.
Set a daily appointment on your calendar, about 2-4 distraction-free hours, where you can get those 1,666/1,667 words written. Usually early morning or late night is best for people with families and/or who work during the day. Treat this time like special YOU time that you GET to tend to your lifelong dream at last. This is indeed a treat for yourself. Claim it. You and your dreams are worth. The people your book will bless or entertain are worth it.
Keep a pen and dedicated journal handy, or create an Evernote notebook to catch the words that bubble up while you’re at work or running errands during the day. Consider using your phone’s voice recorder app as well to record things that come to your mind while commuting. Don’t text/type and drive, right?
Block out all dream-stealers, including your own mind and words, by cutting out negative thinking and self-talk. Do this by praying, mediating, and setting your expectations toward positive outcomes. You may even want to use Canva or some other easy graphic design app to create a mock book cover to hang near your writing station to help you stay positive and inspired.
Tell covenant friends and prayer partners what you are planning and ask them to add you and your project to their prayer lists.
Connect with me on Facebook, find the post where I link this blog article, and type “I’m in!” in the comments and I’ll check in with you periodically through the month.
I know I have a few ghostwriting projects to push out this month, so I’m going all-in for those. I would love to have a little writing tribe to do all this with. Writing is solitary work, but we don’t have to do it alone, you know?
So who’s in with me?