Happy National Novel Writing Month!
If you’re participating this year, best of luck. If not, you can still harness NaNoWriMo’s positive energy toward your current project. For instance, I’m trying to get through the first big round of revisions on my novel-in-progress.
Whatever your goal, it will inevitably take a lot of time—time we don’t always have. No matter how much we’d like to hole up in a room and work nonstop until the book is done, we can’t ignore the jobs, family, and other responsibilities pulling our attention away from our beloved story. Even when we do have time for writing, it’s impossible to work on one project nonstop. We have to take breaks now and then to avoid burnout.
So, in the spirit of NaNoWriMo, here are five things you can do to stay in touch with your story even when you aren’t writing.
- Brainstorm. In the shower, in the car, in a boring meeting at work. Think about plot holes you need to fill and questions that need answers. Play out your next scene in your head. This will help you maintain your original enthusiasm for the story and prepare you for your next writing opportunity.
- Read. Read in your genre and out of it; read books with similar themes and tones to your novel and books that feel totally different. Read short stories, poetry, and essays. You’ll be amazed how much you learn about writing by observing how others do it well.
- Study. If you’re struggling with a side character, look for resource books and blog posts on the topic. Take a class. Join a critique group. You’ll learn new techniques, which you can then implement in your work-in-progress.
- Research. Google the place where your story is set or the occupation of your protagonist. Create a mood board, whether on an actual bulletin board or on Pinterest. Figure out what your characters will wear and what buildings will populate their town. Just be careful not to fall down the research rabbit hole and put off the writing for too long.
- Network. Finding a writing community is the best way to energize yourself and invigorate your writing career. Forums (like the NaNoWriMo one), organizations, critique partners, workshops, and conferences are just a few ways to meet other writers and talk shop. You’ll get fresh ideas and advice, and you’ll leave feeling inspired to get back to your novel.