5 of the Best NaNoWriMo resources

NaNoWriMo is six days away.

That is freaking close! In preparation for NaNoWriMo, I've put together a list of great resources for those working out "last minute" details for your story.

1.) NaNoWriMo Forums. If you haven't signed up officially for NaNoWriMo, I recommend you do that so that you'll have access to the forums. They are so useful when you are stuck and need some advice on where to go.

2.) K.M. Weiland's website. One of the first writing websites I ever came across was K.M. Weiland's. It is still one of my favorites to read and even reread.

3.) Jenna Moreci's Vlog. The first video I ever saw of Jenna's happened to be her 5 hater's video (which I highly recommend you watch). She has a lot of great advice, plus she's super funny.

4.) Pacemaker Planner. I will admit, I've never actually used this, but it has been recommended to me multiple times. It helps you set up your plan/ goal and uses an algorithm to help you achieve your goal.

5.) yWriter. I know I go on and on about how wonderful Google Docs are, but if I had to choose a writer program for its adaptability, yWriter would win, no competition.

I don't anticipate posting a lot of blogs next month since I'll be trying very hard to focus on writing my new novel. My most recent problem happens to be the fact a new idea has been beating my brain. I thought I was prepared with a specific tale to tell, but... I can't concentrate on anything else but this new idea.

Also, quick subject change: I changed my hair for the first time in 15 years.

Prepping NaNoWriMo: 6 Quick Tips for making it your best month yet!

It is that time of year again.

Less than one month before the incredible, crazy, stressful, intense, and eye-opening month many people experience as they struggle to write 50,000 words (aka a novel) in one month.

National Novel Writing Month. NaNoWriMo.

I have participated in this multiple times, and I'll be honest: I've never won.

November always gets way too hectic for me to really concentrate.

Last year, in fact, was an absolute mess. I didn't even decide what I was going to write about until three days into the month.

This year is different. This year I have a plan.

This year I am participating in Preptober.

These are tips I'm finding helpful in preparing for this upcoming writing frenzy.

1.) Decide whether you want to actually participate. NaNo is not easy. But even attempting it is worth it in my opinion.
2.) Brainstorm different ideas that could be useful. I recommend creating an outline for at least the overall structure and timeline of your idea.
3.) Sign Up for NaNo on the official website.
4.) Befriend writer buddies. (My NaNoWriMo name is Sohvanya, feel free to add me!)
5.) Breathe. This is a month to help grow as a writer, so stay calm and remember to breathe.
6.) Make a Plan. There are many different checklists and plans and other tools out there to help make a plan, between character info sheets and progress tracking forms. Just remember to plan.

My next few posts this month will be going a little more in depth about preparing for NaNoWriMo, so be prepared for that.

Until Next Time,
Shelby

P.S. If you have an artistic friend who is participating in Inktober, one way to get into the habit of writing every day is once the picture is drawn, write a short amount to go along with the picture and turn it into a story. My friend Magen and I are attempting this and although the "story" is kind of ridiculous at this point, her drawings are great and it's fun.