NaNoWriMo: 4 Steps to a Successful Day 1

National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, is upon us! A time of excitement, regret, and hair-pulling all on the first day. (Or am I in reference to tonight’s premiere of The Walking Dead? Possibly.) Here’s what you need to succeed on Day 1 of NaNoWriMo.

Step 1: Prepare. Get out your fancy outlines to refresh your brain. Get your snack, your coffee, and your notepad (I still use those, okay?) — or whatever you need to get the juices flowin’. Is Scrivener up and running? Did you make a collage of your characters’ lovely faces? Honestly, waking up on November 1 and deciding to throw everything together seems a little ludicrous to me. So prepare, mighty writers!

(By the way, read my post, Arm Your Authorly Arsenal: 10 Weapons for Novelists.)

Step 2: Get support. Get writing buddies. Tell everyone on the NaNoWriMo group or on our very own Curiouser Author Network that you’re commencing the NaNoWriMo-ness. Let them cheer you on. Accept the cheers. Heck, start your own group specifically for NaNoWriMo! Whatever you do, just make sure you have accountability.

Step 3: Rid yourself of all distractions. Tell your family/friends/neighbors/pets you are writing for X amount of minutes/hours. Close your door. Turn your phone on — gasp! — silent. Log out of Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, MySpace — hey, at least you got one checked off the list already, am I right? Lock the friggin’ door and clear your mind so you can write.

Step 4: Turn on your NaNo playlist. I currently have one, and it’s mostly Irish music, because why not? Many authors choose music that they believe would be the soundtrack to their book’s movie adaptation. You can also choose static or rainwater to drown out noises.

Bonus: Write. An obvious step, but surprisingly one that’s avoided even after committing to NaNo (guilty). Get to 1,667 words, and then blow your mind and push it to 2,000. Your future self will thank you.

How do you prepare for NaNoWriMo? Any sweet tips?

CLICK THE LINK AT THE END TO GET NOVEL OUTLINES FOR FREE!

An expert editor, seasoned writer, and author-centric coach, Shayla Eaton works one-on-one with self-published authors, having edited three hundred books. She is the president of Curiouser Editing, where she offers top-notch publishing guidance for authors and their books.

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