Ah, December is almost here, and with it, the smell of sugar cookies and the faint panic of unfinished NaNoWriMo word counts. If you’re staring at your word count and wondering how on earth you’re going to hit 50k, you’re not alone. The good news is that with a few tricks up your sleeve, you can overcome life’s tricky obstacles and finish NaNoWriMo strong.

Here are 5 strategies to help you get back on track when you’re behind during NaNoWriMo:

1. Adjust your goals

Okay, let’s be real—8,000 words in a few days? That sounds like a lot. But when you break it down, you might be surprised. Calculate how many words you need to write each day to catch up. It could be 2k a day for the next few days, and suddenly, that’s manageable. If you’re juggling too many holiday commitments, consider adjusting your goal to something more realistic. (Bonus points if you lower the goal and still crush it.) As long as you’re writing, you’re still winning.

2. Increase writing sessions

More writing time doesn’t always mean longer sessions. If you’re behind, add more writing sessions to your day, but make them short and sweet. Think 15-30 minutes here and there, scattered throughout your day. Can you sneak in a quick session before lunch or between episodes of your favorite show? Even writing while waiting for your coffee to brew counts. Every word is a step closer to that 50k finish line.

3. Use speech-to-text

Here’s a game-changer: use speech-to-text apps. This is especially useful when you’re stuck in traffic or have a spare moment while holiday shopping. Your phone becomes your personal scribe while you dictate that scene where your main character discovers a hidden treasure or has an intense argument. You’d be amazed at how quickly your thoughts flow when you speak them aloud—sometimes faster than you can type. So go ahead, let your voice be heard (and your story be written).

4. Cut corners

Listen, no one’s judging you for skipping a few details if it means hitting your word count. If a scene description doesn’t feel necessary, skip it. If you’re stuck on dialogue, just write a placeholder (like “conversation happens here”) and move on. Use brackets or highlight text that needs to be fleshed out later. This is about momentum, not perfection. You can always come back and fix it in the editing phase. Right now? Just keep the words flowing.

5. Just say no

It’s tough, but sometimes you’ve gotta prioritize. Social events are great, but so is hitting your NaNoWriMo goal. Can you pass on that 2-hour coffee date to make room for writing? Maybe reschedule that big dinner with friends to next month? Shorten your meetups, or even set a timer and tell people you have a writing “appointment” to attend to. Remember, the holidays aren’t just about gift shopping and festive parties—they’re also about writing the book that’s going to make all those people proud of you. And the pie? It’ll still be there after your word count is done.

Conclusion

Don’t let holiday chaos derail your NaNoWriMo goals. Keep the faith—and the words—coming, and you’ll be one step closer to a finished draft by December. The balance you’re learning now between writing and life will come in handy long after NaNoWriMo wraps up. So apply these strategies now, and soon you’ll be navigating both the NaNoWriMo finish line and your book tour like a pro.

Need more tips to keep you going? Check out our next post on how to research on the fly during NaNoWriMo!