Can you feel that chill in the air? You know what that means. NaNoWriMo (aka National Novel Writing Month) is just around the corner! It’s no wonder you’re getting itchy fingers. Despite the official organization’s more recent controversies, you can still plan to fast draft a story in the month of November. And wouldn’t it be awesome to complete at least half a novel before Christmas? As a novelist who fast-drafted eight 100k-word novels in 6 weeks or less, I can attest that the satisfaction is well-worth the effort. So why not give it a try? Wondering how? This month, we’ll be focusing on preparing for NaNoWriMo (or any form of fast drafting). So grab your Pumpkin Spice Latte and settle in as we launch into the Preptober Series.
Here are 5 reasons to consider fast drafting your next novel:
1. Save time
The fact is, when there’s a deadline, things get done. With minimal time to second-guess your ideas or spend endless hours googling (or social media scrolling—for research, of course!), you can pour your best hours into penning that book. Make a schedule and stick to it, and you’ll find you’ve happily achieved a goal most aspiring authors could only dream of by December.
2. Build confidence
I’ll be the first to tell you that successfully completing a novel can be addictive. Once you’ve shown yourself that you’re capable of achieving such a feat, you’ll realize that writing a novel isn’t nearly as overwhelming as it seems, and you’ll want to do it again. Pushing yourself to pound out those words daily is an excellent way to overcome any doubts about your abilities and simply focus on doing your best. By sticking to a schedule, you’ll quickly learn how to “put a pin” in those pesky writing flaws for later and just keep going. Never forget, the best writing is rewriting.
3. Silence your inner critic
With less time to talk yourself out of great ideas, you’ll be challenged to explore options you may have never considered otherwise. With no more than 4 weeks to outline (should you choose to participate in Preptober), you’ll be forced to make tough decisions and stick to them—regardless of your doubts. So set a timer and start generating your options. And choose to show yourself exactly what you’re capable of by committing to your choices.
4. Find a community
A great benefit of participating in an event like NaNoWriMo (officially or unofficially) is meeting other aspiring authors, just like you. Lots of writers aim to fast draft in November and are flocking to resources like those here at Better Writing in 5 for tips and tricks. Check out comments and forums for like-minded authors in your genre. You might just find an excellent critique partner or group.
5. Have fun
A golden rule of fast drafting is to never look back. Just enjoy the process and read it all later. You never know what ideas or twists could spark your imagination as you’re drafting. So relax and get going. You might just surprise yourself when you see what you’ve come up with in a mere 30 days.
Conclusion
Completing a first draft doesn’t have to be a daunting process. All it takes is some commitment, a little bit of passion, and a plan. Don’t let anxiety hold you back! Finally convinced that this year will be the year you’ll complete that first draft? Great! But I see you Pantsers out there rolling your eyes. Let me show you why planning your novel in Preptober is the perfect recipe for NaNoWriMo success.