Nanowrimo Survival Tips

We had a thread about tips and tricks for NaNoWriMo, and this is what the members came up with. One of our members compiled it for us.

NaNoWriMo Tips and Tricks

Give yourself LOTS of room to not know where you're going with this.

Write autobiographically. Don't be afraid to fictionalize people and scenes from your past.
This is especially important during NaNo. If you're busy fretting about whether or not Johnny from third period will recognize himself in a story he probably won't ever read anyway, you'd not getting anything written. It's very likely that the characters will end up differing significantly from their real-life counterparts, but even if they don't, you can worry about that later. The point of NaNoWriMo is the creative process. Editing comes later.

Get a small notebook today and carry it (and a pen) with you everywhere you go. Ideas and inspiration strike at very strange times.
Do this even outside of November. I even keep a small pad of paper in my purse and I have been known to jot down notes while sitting at a stoplight or standing in line at the grocery store.

Listen to movie soundtracks while writing sentimental scenes.

Get out and have fun once your writing for the day is done.

Set a word quota for the day and stick to it. No matter how tired or uninspired you feel.

Write with a partner or two, and don't let the other go to the bathroom or get water until the agreed-upon word count has been met. Challenge each other. Have prizes and punishments. If none of your friends are writers, hold write-ins with other local NaNoers. When other people are writing around you, you're less likely to procrastinate. That, and you can go to the bathroom without worrying about leaving your laptop unattended.

Let chapters be any length you want. I like to have many, many chapters.

Read Anne Lamott's nonfiction Bird by Bird.

Keep a reference novel or two close at hand to see how writers handle dialogue.

Don't feel like you have to "tie it all together." Reading is by nature an act of assembly and interpretation. Leave some events unstated and plot moves unelaborated. It gives readers an active role in creating the story. But most importantly, it means less work for you as writer.

Try and pace your story so you hit "The End" exactly at 50,000 words. This will probably mean leaving out some scenes and writing others in a slightly truncated form. But getting an entire story arc out in a month makes it much easier to come back in December and get the edits rolling.
This is much more important than most people realize. I, like so many others, always focused on reaching 50,000 words, no matter at what point in the action that left me. This meant I did a lot of rambling at the beginning and never actually finished anything...which meant that I did not have a completed first draft by the end of November, which meant I had a lot of writing to do before I could start the editing process, which meant I never got around to starting the editing process.

If you don't know how something works and you have to write about it, find someone you know who does, or try the NaNoWriMo.org Forum's Character and Plot Realism Q&A.

If you can't find someone to explain it to you, just make stuff up. Invent. Lie. Wing it. Most people won't notice anyway. And you can always go back and add realistic details later.

Keep the story about characters, not plot. One of the most magical things about writing a novel is the supernatural way these people you create end up shaping their own stories. Bring your characters to life, then stand back and let them go where they will.
This is very very true, and a lot of people end up writing themselves into a corner because they're too focused on their outline. As schizophrenic as it sounds, the characters will do their own thing. When you're really cooking, it'll feel more like you're taking dictation than making it up as you go along.

If you are at all susceptible to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or any RSI, be REALLY careful in November. Pamper your body with treats and delights. Make your loved ones give you frequent massages.

Keep your priorities straight. NaNoWriMo is NOT more important than your schoolwork, spending time with your family, your best friend's birthday party, band practice, or your job. Be wary of the attitude that says, "I'm writing a novel and if you really loved me you'd understand that and not expect me to be there for you until December."

You have more time than you realize. Be mindful of how much time you spend watching television, reading for pleasure, surfing the internet, playing video games, or pursuing other hobbies.

Remember that only writing is writing. Thinking about writing and talking about writing are not writing. Fire up that old word processor and get to work.

Don't get it right, get it written

Don't get all hyped up if you DO write yourself into a corner. You can always check the Dare thread for some wacky character or plot to step in and help. If SF writing, you can create an alternate universe/reality from a quantum string or whatever the heck phenomena you want. If something other that SF & F, try memories. In my writings, memories often help flow from one event to another event that is seemingly unrelated on the surface. A memory triggered by one event can triggered a thought or even another action of the character.

If you’re stuck, try what I call the Ender's Series Method. Stop your book right where you are. Now, write the same story again, but this time, from another existing character's point of view. (Like Ender's Game was from Ender's POV; Ender's Shadow was the same story, but from Bean's POV...) The ESM also helps character development if you do this more than three times, or do a sequel in more than one POV.

Let yourself get a little sloppy if you must. Lock the door and try going a few days without showering (probably as the Nov. 31st deadline approaches.) Think of it like camping. Only do what you have to to stay alive. Wear your favourite inspiration-cardigan, even if you spilled dressing all down the front and if you turn on the space heater the entire room fills with saveur-de-warm-blue-cheese. Don't let the little things get you down, is what I'm sayin'. If you take every opportunity to go put on some lip chap cos you feel a little dry, or paint your toenails, or trim your goatee, whatever: it will eat at your time like nothing else. Maybe that cabinet needs to be dusted, or you promised you'd clean out the fridge--NO! Stop now! Go sit and write!
If you get assignments, do them as soon as you can because that way, you have a chance to get them done without getting distracted later. Same comes with work projects - get them done quickly unless the time runs over the 30th.

Find a completely distraction free corner to write.

Reward yourself! Even if it's just saying, "I'll have a 10 minute break after ... words, it makes you feel better and the words just chug along!"