Write a Novel in 30 Days - NaNoWriMo
Writing a Novel in a Month
As someone who just completed the NaNoWriMo challenge, I can tell you, it is possible to write a novel in a month.
NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month (or National November Writing Month).
You write 50,000 words from scratch staring on November 1st and end on November 30th, or earlier.
When I first heard about this, I was curious. I thought only an established novelist could attempt a challenge such as this.
Then I heard about other hubbers and writers who were going to take on the challenge. I went to the NaNoWriMo website to study up on how anyone could possibly tackle this monumental task in only 30 days.
With a gnawing pit in my stomach, I decided to jump in and rise up to the challenge.
I will relate my experience and how I managed to write 57,299 words for NaNoWriMo. I kept a blog diary of my day-to-day experiences, as well.
Resolving to Write - Be a Part of a Writer's Community
If you've ever thought about writing a novel, I would recommend being part of a writer's community. I had the support of fellow hubbers and writers, but NaNoWriMo also has a community of writers with whom to interact.
You see, when you can gauge the progress of other writers on the same journey, it acts like positive peer pressure to help you reach your goals. On the first day, I saw people with 5,000 words already and I was not about to be left behind.
Your community can cheer you on when you achieve your goals and can help you if you feel discouraged. Plus, it's a wonderful feeling knowing other people understand exactly what you're going through.
Get an Idea and Make an Outline - Or Not
I didn't come up with an idea of what to write about until about a week before NaNoWriMo was due to start.
A lot of people recommend making an outline.
I actually didn't. I made pages and pages of notes and graphic organizers and had a pretty good idea of where I wanted my story to go.
From my own experience, I would say that you need, at least, to have a solid idea.
Building Upon Your Novel Idea
You'll need a main character, who will be the protagonist. Then you'll need other characters who will be antagonists.
Your main character has to have some sort of problem or challenge to overcome.
For example, let's say you have a divorced, middle-aged woman who can't seem to find love. That's a challenge.
The minor characters, or antagonists, either can help or hinder your main character. Thus an old boyfriend can constantly interfere, a work boss can overload the main character's schedule, thus rendering her with no social life. She can take solace in her best friend or sister.
This is but one of many scenarios. The bottom line is that the protagonist has to spend time overcoming a challenge.
Do You Think You Could Write 50,000 Words in One Month?
Dive In and Write
The best way to approach the writing process, at least for me, was to make a routine out of it.
I got up early every morning and before doing anything except making tea, I began to write. I let my subconscious mind work out the details.
I found out a lot about the writing process. If I could compare it to anything, I'd say it was like completing a painting.
When I have completed works of art, I would paint my idea on canvas. Then, I'd work on the details and let things happen that I didn't always expect.
I also wrote about what I already knew.
If you do that, you're not having to stop and research; you can always fill that in later.
The unexpected certainly happened! Though I had an idea of where I wanted the book to go, it seemingly took on a life of its own at times.
I invented characters that I didn't even know existed before I typed them out. Events occurred that I had not anticipated. In fact, the writing process parallels real life in many ways.
Another great tactic is to aim for a certain number of words every single day. To complete 50,000 words in one month, you need to shoot for 1,667 words per day.
That amounts to about one and a half hours of writing, assuming you can do about 1,000 words per hour, typed.
Some people did a lot more than that. There were NaNoWriMo authors who attempted 80,000 words, and they accomplished their goals!
Do Not Edit
Turn off your voice of criticism and just write.
I admit, this was one of the hardest, most difficult things to do.
There were times I felt like my writing was terrible. Other times I wanted to scrap the whole challenge.
Still, other times I'd briefly look at what I was doing and think, "this is awful."
You have to plow through those uncertainties. You have to ignore the inner-editor, and inner-critic, then willfully silence them.
You will not accomplish your task if you wallow in self-doubt. You must learn to ignore it if you cannot silence it.
Your inner-editor can come out after the month is over, or after you have finished your first draft.
Personally, I have not edited my book at all, yet. I'm going to wait until after I finish the first draft, sometime in December 2012.
Is it a rough first draft? Of course! I wrote with reckless abandon for nearly 30 days! But, I'll have a chance to go back and edit everything soon enough.
Tell Everyone!
One of the great things about telling people you're writing a novel is that if everyone knows, then they'll expect you to have produced something by the end of the month.
I can tell you I told everyone. As I told people, I'd hear the awe in their voices or see the looks on their faces. It felt great! I was going from someone who never wrote a book to being a novelist.
It's a powerful incentive to keep plugging on. If everyone is cheering for you, you're less likely to give up and let them down.
What To Expect
Week 1:
You're happy, and full of ideas. Things are sailing along at a rapid pace. You're busy establishing your characters and getting into the "thick" of the plot.
Week 2:
You hit a wall. It's hard. The words don't flow like they did during the first week. I remember being in tears on Day 9, wondering why I wasn't doing something that would bring me tangible money - at least in the foreseeable future.
Week 3:
This is much better. You have the routine down, and you're in the writing flow. All of your words seem more colorful and descriptive as you home in on describing your characters and their traits.
Week 4:
You're all but finished and the thought of crossing that finish line is a powerful motivator. You're declared a "winner" on the NaNoWriMo site when you reach 50,000 words (or more) and you validate your novel.
Edit and Publish Later
Once you finish that first draft, then the editing can start.
Now that you have a volume of work, though, you're likely to not "scrap" it. Some will shelve their book, but I intend to work with mine and publish.
That's my experience anyway. There have been times when I wished that I could write more fantasy or young adult material, but I ended up writing about "what I knew."
My story? Is about a college-aged girl who encounters monumental struggles and finds herself embroiled in a relationship with a man who has a deep, dark secret.
After all the editing, the publishing process will begin.
© 2012 Cynthia Calhoun
Comments
AUTHORMaryam - hello! Thanks for coming by and commenting. I hope the novel writing goes well! It's hard work, but so worth it when you're finished. Have a wonderful day!
Quite useful information. I'm currently working on a novel. I will try to follow the steps you mentioned and speed up my writing to complete it within a month.
Thanks :)
Hi, Cynthia,
Great article. I could possibly do the 50,000 words in a month. It would be fun. I'll consider that.
Hmm.
Thanks.
sincerely,
Tim
- AUTHOR
Thanks, Deborah. I hope you have fun with Nanowrimo this year. So fun!
Good story! I love nano wrimo month, I participated last time, and it kick started my project. I intend to participate this year as well. Congratulations on your book!
- AUTHOR
Kristen - yes, busy is my middle name these days. Whew! Closed on the first house and closing on the next one in a couple weeks. :)
Will think about NaNo. Thanks again! I appreciate all your comments - you definitely brighten my day!
Cynthia, wow, you're a busy bee. Fingers crossed for your sale of your home and buying a new one. Give Camp Nano next month a try or Julno. You can set your own goal for the month, whether it's 25 or 50 K. I only did 19 K in April though.
- AUTHOR
Kristen, as soon as I settle more into my job and finish selling my current house (fingers crossed that it's next week!) and buy a new one (hopefully THAT will happen within the month) I cannot WAIT to get back into this. I did NaNo in 2012 and had a great experience with it - though there's no way I'm publishing that novel, lol. It was dismally abysmal. Ha!
But, thanks for letting me know about the camps: I wasn't sure what they were and now, I'm definitely interested in giving them a try. :)
Great hub Cindy. I've done Nano since 2007 up until 2013. Last year, I took it off, since it dealt with my late mother's birthday and my muse was on break. I've also done Camp Nano (both spring and summer) since 2013 and Julno since 2008. I hope to plunge back in this fall. I also have a post-Nano round in December (better known as NanoFiMo) in the fall. Voted up for useful!
- AUTHOR
Venkatachari - thank you so much! Are you going to do NaNo this year?
Very interesting and useful hub. An encouragement to writers. Thanks for sharing it.
- AUTHOR
Enigmatic Me - awesome! I want to get Scrivener - haven't downloaded it just yet. I need to review it. :)
- AUTHOR
Sylvia - that's great! Nothing beats writing blues better than having a writing community. Go for it and good luck! :)
cclitgirl,
Actually signed up for MacApps, got Scrivner and 9 other programs for the price of scrivner by itself....great deal.
One week left!! Good luck!
Thank you! This article is inspiring. After reading the section, "Resolving to Write - Be a Part of a Writer's Community", I hopped over to my local area's writer's association & joined online! Why didn't I do that before? Great idea.
- AUTHOR
Vinaya - good to see ya! I hear that. When the pressure is on, it's so much harder for sure. I might try it again this year, and will recount my experiences here if I do. :)
If I have time and I am in a mood, I can write up to four thousand words in a day, which means I can write 120000-word novel in a month. However, this calculation is only a theory. I have never taken a writing challenge, and I cannot write when I take a pressure of completing something.
- AUTHOR
Velzipmur - awesome! Good luck! :)
- AUTHOR
Enigmatic Me - YES! That's great. I AM doing it again this year. :) I have an outline ready, and all my characters are worked out. Hopefully I can get to 50,000 again. PS - if you download Scrivener from the NaNo website, you get a big discount for it. :)
- AUTHOR
SavioC - thank you. Good luck!
great article and a great pep talk, now I know what to expect this coming month
Thanks for sharing. I've attempted Nano twice. I wasn't successful, but, without using your tips on routine or anything, it was easy to fall behind.
I'm going for it again this year. Even went out and bought Scrivener as I didn't like Pages (Mac program). I've been playing with it. It has some great things in it for after-care...easy to compile and easy to find your work all on the one space...no rooting through the hard drive looking for a snippet you forgot the title of.
Best of luck if you are doing it again this year!
Very helpful and encouraging hub. You have made it simple . Thanks for sharing this.
- AUTHOR
Availiasvision - hey there! You know, after completing the Nano Challenge, I kept thinking that I had really wanted an outline. So, I took elements from that book and applied it to a new one. I hope to publish within the year. :) Thanks so much for stopping by! Cheers!
Some really solid advice and encouragement. The plot for your novels sounds great. I'm working on my first novel, a cold war spy thriller and having a blast writing it. I can't put it down. Did you end up publishing your novel?
- AUTHOR
Molometer - Knowing you and your writing, I have to say that I wouldn't be surprised if you cranked out a bestselling novel within the year. You're amazing and awesome and I know you'll do it! :)
Belated congratulations on this mammoth task. I commend your effort.
I managed just 2 chapters before writhing myself into a bit of a cul de sac.
Poor planning on my part I'm afraid.
This is excellent advice which I will attempt to follow.
- AUTHOR
Hey Glenn! Thanks. :) Yeah...it was a great learning curve, for sure but well worth it. I not only learned so much about writing, but things about myself in general. Thanks! ;)
This is a very inspiring review of the process to write a novel in 30 days, Cyndi. You have done a great job with showing how it's done by sharing your own account of the process. You make it look so easy that I am motivated to consider writing a novel myself now. But I do have to set aside a month for it. Anyone who is committed to writing a novel will definitely find your hub the most useful.
- AUTHOR
B. Leekley - thank you so much! I had a lot of fun doing this and it really helped me to hone my skills. Even if I don't necessarily see the whole thing through to publication, I feel like I gained valuable insights to the whole writing process, what I am capable of and so much more. It's an experience I'll never forget. :)
Up, Useful, Interesting, and shared with followers and on social networking sites.
I mentioned NaNoWriMo in my recent hub 7 Creative Writing Rules _ Rule 7 and linked the word to this hub.
This hub is an excellent description of the NaNoWriMo challenge. I did not try it in 2012, but I have tried it several times, but I am too slow a writer to come close to the goal. One year I pushed on to 50,000 words, and it took me six months. But I will try again, maybe in 2013. I have writing friends who have succeeded more than once.
One month for a first draft is exciting. Then comes 11 months for editing, revising, polishing, and submitting for publication. I hope you end up with a novel that is a critical and popular success.
- AUTHOR
PS - it is an amazing journey. I love your feedback here, too. 30 days of reckless literary abandon? Yes, it can be done. :) I need to get back on the bandwagon, too, haha. I haven't done much with my novel since Dec. 1. Thank you for the inspiration. :)
Pretty amazing journey. I have always felt I have a novel inside of me, as have thousands and thousands of us. That is really the reason I came to HubPages. I have things to say...things I need to say for me ...if that makes sense.. And I love the opportunity to read others work here and to have others read and challenge my writings if they have a mind to.
I may just have to take this challenge for me as I know it has ended but I think I will see what happens in 30 days....I will let you know how this turns out ...thanks for sharing this...
Sending Angels to you on this Day 10 of our new year :) ps
- AUTHOR
DeborahNeyens - thank you so much! It's hard not editing. I work similarly to you, actually. I complete a draft and edit as I go. It makes for a slow process, but then I'm a lot more confident in my work. :)
Congratulations on completing the challenge. My biggest challenge to writing anything quickly is feeling the constant need to edit. Usually, when I complete a first draft, it's pretty close to final because I edit as a write. But it makes for a slow process.
- AUTHOR
Lisa - you are my wonderful eagle! You're so sweet and wonderful to spread the HubLove! HUGGGGLES back!
I feel like I've been under a rock! I had no idea. cyndi you are incredible. We all dream of writing a novel of some kind but I have a feeling not many of us do it! You should be proud of yourself for seeing this through...you have stick-to-it-iveness. I am sitting here thinking, I can say, "I knew her when."
To.top it all off you wrote this great hub! Wishing you the best with your journey.
Voted up, useless, and totally interesting.
Congratulations! I would love to do this sometime when I'm not working 40+ hours a week. :( It's a great accomplishment. Good for you and thanks for sharing!
I started this two years ago, but did not finish. I started late and did not have an idea even of where I wanted to go with my idea. After reading this, I will be able to do better. But it is a HUGE accomplishment. Congratulations!
I've printed this out so I will be able to apply your wonderful directions.
I am in awe of you and your talent. I don't know if I could ever do anything like this. I am so proud of you my little hummingbird. You are such a great example to so many. HUGGGGGLES ♥♥♥ Thumbs up and shared!!
- AUTHOR
Denise - aww, thank you! It's a really fun experience for sure! Lately, I'm thinking that I don't know if I'll publish it...it's a rough first draft and I keep thinking it's not what I want to be "known" for. Hehe. But, it sure gave me a lot of confidence. :)
Congratulations! woo hoo, you did it! I participated once several years ago. It was a great experience! Your suggestions and tips here are right on. It was so necessary to stay with a routine and shut everything else out. I actually wrote a mystery, which I would never have considered doing a 'first crack' at. I did not finish the end, however, so it has to be completed at some point. Thanks for sharing your advice here.
- AUTHOR
Bravewarrior - I can definitely relate! Just hang in there and keep plugging along. I'll do the same. ;)
Awesome, Cyndi! You're on your way. I need to learn from you. I am busy as hell but making peanuts and have had no time for MY writing!
- AUTHOR
Rose, hehe, thank you. It was definitely a fun challenge. I'd do it again, too. :)
Congrats on your accomplishment, Cyndi! I am in awe of anyone who can finish NaNoWriMo. It was interesting to hear about your experience. I wish you the best with all of your writing endeavors.
- AUTHOR
Melanie - hehe, I'm proud of you, too. Yeah, sticking with what you know seems a good way to go. Thank you, too, for all the support. :)
One2get2no - thank you. Good luck on that first novel! I'll have to check out the Wattpad community.
Julie - hehe, thank you for your support, friend! Yeah, I had to include a little teaser. Hehe. I hope to publish in June 2013. We'll see. ;)
Alocsin - writing a play, to me, would be just as difficult as writing a novel in 30 days, so kudos to you! Thanks for stopping by!
Quite a challenge -- I've written a play in 30 days but that has far fewer words than a novel. Don't know if I'm quite up to it but I'll keep this hub in mind if I find the time. Voting this Up and Interesting.
Cyndi, Firstly, well done you!!!! I never doubted it! And thanks so much for writing an article about your experience which will stand others in good stead next year when they take it on. And I notice that you give us a 'teaser' about what it's about....so what else? Does she get what she wants? Does she finish her degree? Does love get in the way of academic success?....Oh, I hate teasers! That means I will have to read it when it is published :o)
Congratulations.....I can relate to this as I am writing my first novel too. I have joined the Wattpad community and also use a blog for people to critique or give me support.
Yay for you!! So proud of your accomplishment! I also thought I wanted to write something along the lines of fantasy or some other wacky idea that I thought would be interesting, but that didn't get me far. I stuck with mostly what I knew and it seemed to work. The editing part is scaring me though! Thank you for all the support....I can't wait to do it again with you all! :)
- AUTHOR
MT - for me, the schedule thing was so important. I had a hard time working on my writing if I broke from my routine, which did happen once or twice. But yeah...it's a little by little process and you'll get there. :)
MO - I'm proud of you, too. You've accomplished so many things, too! I hope you do the challenge next year: I will stand by your side! You're awesomesauce!
Teaches - Yes...I really think we all have at least one novel inside of us. I heard that from a publisher once who came into a bookstore where I used to work. :) I will read your novel when you publish it. :D
Cyndi, you have posted a lot of helpful information on writing a novel with dedicated instruction and time. I see by the poll that most of us could do it if we had lots (and lots!) of coffee. I hope to one day finish my novel and I may have to use as a guide and inspiration when I get to that point. Voted way up++
Cyndi, YAY! YAY! YAY! I am so very PROUD of you!!
I am also very glad you wrote this hub about your experience. You have outlined many wonderful tips, experiences and emotions. This is truly inspirational and I look forward to tackling this challenge next year. I'm looking forward to updates about your NaNoWriMo experience. You ROCK the AWESOMESAUCE!
Staying on schedule and writing so many words does seem like a very difficult task. Congratulations on successfully completing that. I wish you the best on your novel. I have been kicking around some ideas for nonfiction books and this kind of structure might help me get out of the starting gate on them.
- AUTHOR
Kris - thank you so much! It's a great experience and challenge.
Laura - it sounds like you had a lot on your plate when you attempted the challenge. It's also hard not to edit. But, yeah, if you participate next year, let me know and I can get you in touch with one of the many groups that do it. :)
Debby - aw, shucks. I hope people do it - at the very least, the sense of accomplishment is worth it. You do go through some wacky emotions, but you come out so strong. :)
Donnah - thank you!!
Yvonne - that's great that you have done this challenge! I'll have to check out your book on Kindle. Could you let me know the title?
GoodLady - Thank you for all your wonderful thoughts and comments. It was a heck of a journey, but so worth it. I hope I can get my novel published soon. :)
Goon on YOU. And this Hub is wonderfully helpful. I always wondered what it was like to work on the NaNoWrMo and thanks, I now know. It really does seem possible. Certainly a first draft will come out of it from beginning to end. I'll do it next November and meanwhile I'll work on more notes and research.
Voting and sharing and FB'ing and Pinning too. WELL DONE!!!
Congratulations Cyndi! Glad to hear you made it! I didn't do NaNoWriMo this year but have done twice before and it definitely gives a sense of achievement.
Like you characters developed differently to I expected, and I love when that happens - even if in my case it's meant I had to totally rethink the novel I was working on.
It's great when you publish too. I have a novel on Kindle and I've just come from my hairdresser's, who told me she's almost finished it and really loving it! It's so nice to get that sort of feedback. Good luck with yours!
Fantastic! Congratulations and thanks for sharing your journey.
Dear Cyndi - They need a check box for "inspiring" because you probably have encouraged many others to take the plunge next year.
I took your little poll and at first thought, "NO!" then "oh, well, maybe?" then "okay, with some coffee, it will be attainable." Wanting to overcome fear or negativity, I'm sure you go through a series of emotions during the entire month.
Having all the other authors must be a group experience. Do they help each other out in any way? I love to see that BADGE that you made it through to the end. My only worry would be having a storyline, characters to develop and something to say. Seems like a talkative person would do best. Or, maybe the quiet type who keeps everything inside?
Loved reading about your experience. Blessings, Debby
Congratulations...I attempted the challenge several years back but didn't finish although I did have a substantial amount written feeling a failure I just shelved it mid-way through the third week. I blamed hosp-icing my mother and a hectic work schedule but my inner critic just got the best of me. Trying to not edit was extremely hard for me but even participating with the other writers is worth giving it a try. Next year boldly I will try again . Great hub and reminder thanks.
Congratulations! I've heard people reference this challenge in passing but never really picked up on the details. Thanks for providing all the background and information. Sounds coos:)
- AUTHOR
Janine - you never cease to amaze me with your commenting abilities. I've writte three things today: a hub and two blog posts and you commented on ALL THREE!!! Holy moly, how do you do that? hehe.
I could just HUG you! I can't wait to read that blog article. You're amazing, you know that?
Congrats again Cyndi and love how you wrote your experiences from the past month here. I did a huge blog article that I will be publishing soon, but could have put a lot of it here, too. Just so happy that we travelled this journey together and enjoyed sharing this with you!! Definitely voted this one way up and shared all over, too!!
- AUTHOR
DzyMsLizzy - you're remarkable! Even with a full plate, I see how you're still commenting and doing so many things. You're amazing! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment and be sure to take a little time for yourself - you are a gem!
I do hope to publish mine...I'm on a seven-month time frame, from the time I started this book. We'll see how I do. Hehehe.
Congratulations! I know a woman (on of my Face Book acquaintances) who has actually done this, and got it published, and it was a very enjoyable book.
I've looked at it, but realistically, I have too much on my personal plate right now--even my writing here is taking a back seat.
Voted up, interesting, useful and awesome!
- AUTHOR
Audrey - that's GREAT!! CONGRATULATIONS!
Julie - you made me giggle. Did you get tired. HEHEHE.
Wow...very thorough...This hub kept going and going...and thanks for the link up!! I should go back and link up this one with mine. Great job!
I wonder how many writers here participated?
I am!!
- AUTHOR
Thanks, Audrey! Yippee!! I need to follow up, but your finished, too, right?
Yay Cyndi!!
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