How to Post a Post for NaNoWriMo
National Novel Writing Month is when you lower your head and type as many words as possible, but it can still be fun to turn it into a social experience. Writing is what you need to keep you and your fellow writers motivated. Here’s how to set it up:
Choose a location that has many places to connect and sit
The first thing you need to do is choose a location for your recording. Wherever you do it – in a cafe, library, or someone’s house (which is what I do) – make sure it is a place that has many places to sit down and write, as well as many places to connect laptops and tablets. Regardless of where you ultimately choose, make sure you have extension cords on hand and possibly an extra charger in case someone forgets to bring theirs. No excuses for not writing!
In addition, if you do decide to meet in a public place, you should definitely inform the establishment that you have a group of people that comes at a certain time. This gives them time to set up and prepare. And if you’re in a place that sells food or drinks, encourage everyone to buy something. It is right.
Spread out some inspirational books and write links
During the last recording I attended, the host pulled out all of her writing books she could find and folded them in the center of the large table where everyone was writing. There were books on story structure, character development, grammar, and even name references. It was a great idea, and it made me realize that sometimes a writer’s dead end can be broken with a quick glance at the reference book. Not a bad idea to have a book or print out of nothing but plot clues. A little push can be critical.
Ask everyone to share what they are working on
The best part of recording is talking to others about your project and hearing what they are working on. To start the session, ask everyone to introduce themselves and briefly tell their story. Questions and discussions are encouraged as long as everything is going in a positive way and no one questions the creative direction. The idea is to motivate everyone, not make people feel bad about what they write.
Provide simple meals or snacks
Writers need fuel. If you are in a cafe, coffee shop, or restaurant, encourage people to buy things from that establishment. But if you’re at home, prepare food that you can eat quickly and easily while you work. Pizza is easy to find: all you need are plates and napkins, but maybe something lighter if people want to. Any dish that can be eaten without a bunch of unnecessary dishes or special steps is something you want to strive for.
Snacks are good to have with you too, as long as they are not too dirty. Something salty and crunchy is a great pleasure, just cut out the chips and crackers that leave marks on people’s hands. It’s hard to keep typing when cheese dust is constantly on your fingertips. Pretzels, almonds, and grapes are great options.
Play writing games to get creative flow
Often the hardest part of writing is getting started. You know the story you want to tell, but you don’t know where to start. Writing games can help – or at least shape your mindset so that you can more easily overcome this barrier. Here are some examples of writing games:
- Word War : NaNoWriMo is all about word counting, so this game is an unprecedented race of those who can write the most words in a given amount of time . It can be based on generic writing tips that are given to everyone, or it can be part of the word count in your novel. Set a timer for 15 minutes and see who wins.
- Subjects for the story : Prepare a stack of pieces of paper with an inscription on each. People have to randomly pick a slip and find a way to include that object in the section of the story they’re working on. I often find myself proposing to solve another problem where the scene makes writing more fun. And when you enjoy writing, it usually makes reading more fun.
- Sharing agraph : at a random time in the evening, tell everyone to stop writing (shouting “pencils down!” Optional). At this point, each writer should read their last complete paragraph aloud to the group. It’s always fun to hear what other people write, and sometimes, when you listen, you can be overwhelmed by inspiration. Nobody should read if they don’t want to.
Regardless of which games you decide to play, I recommend having some simple prizes to really inspire people. Pens, notepads, stickers, reference books, and other writing gifts are perfect. And don’t play all the games at once! Use them as breaks while writing so people can use them as time to refresh their minds with fresh motivation.
Have you arranged a recording for NaNoWriMo? What are your recommendations and favorite activities?