Not a Novelist? Make NaNoWriMo Work for You! By Rochelle Melander
October 13, 2015
Note From Rochelle
Dear Writers,
Last week’s newsletter was filled with … broken links! I’m sorry about that! For those of you who’d like to finish a book before the year ends, I’ve created a special Write-A-Thon class. We’ll be focusing on writing short nonfiction books that you can use to boost your business. If you’re interested in attending the class, click here to learn more.
And if you want to learn more about how a book can boost your business, be sure to join us for the Write Now! Mastermind Class: Five Ways a Book Can Attract Clients. Class meets Wednesday, October 28 at 12:00 PM CT.
For those of you who don’t write fiction, today’s tip will help you plan for National Novel Writing Month!
Happy Writing! Rochelle, the Write Now! Coach
Not a Novelist? Make NaNoWriMo Work for You! By Rochelle Melander
With just two and a half weeks until National Novel Writing Month, I’m in full preparation mode. On Friday, I began planning my project—outlining the small steps I’d need to take this month so I’d be ready to write 1666 words a day in November. On Saturday, I did my pre-NaNo cooking spree so that I wouldn’t have to think about snacks or lunches during the big month. I baked cookies, roasted granola, cooked up a big pot of soup, and made burritos.
For those of you who write fiction, participating in National Novel Writing Month makes sense. Why not join a tribe of people who do exactly what you do? For those of you who prefer writing nonfiction or short pieces, NaNoWriMo probably looks like the LAST thing you’d want to try.
I get it. I was raised to be a rule follower, and the NaNoWriMo rules limit the fun to novelists. But why not break a few rules this year? Here are five ways you can break the rules and still compete in NaNo.
1. Write Nonfiction. I completed my first draft of Write-A-Thon during NaNoWriMo. This year, I’m planning to pen another book on writing during the month. If you’re an expert on violence in American or green businesses, why not take the month to write a book on the topic? Whatever kind of nonfiction you write, this could be your opportunity to capture the NaNoWriMo inspiration and finish that book!
2. Try Poetry. Though National Poetry Writing Month (NaPoWriMo) does not start until April, I’m all for breaking rules! Why not use November to write a poem a day. One year, a friend of mine wrote a haiku poem a day during November. But don’t be limited by one form of poetry—the goal is to get those ideas on paper, every day, for the entire month.
3. Blog. National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) started in November and now runs all year round. The goal is to post a blog every day for a month. So if you have always wanted to blog, this might be your chance to get into the habit of blogging regularly!
4. Query. If you are a working professional writer, the idea of giving up a whole month to write a book that you may never get paid for sounds ludicrous! So why not use the month to send out queries? What would happen if you wrote a query a day for the entire month? You may just increase your income!
5. Journal. If you are not quite ready to take on a project like writing a book, why not use the month for doing writing practice. Plan to write every single day of the month. If all you get stuck, make a list of:
- The people, events, and experiences you are grateful for.
- Your achievements.
- Your strengths and the stories behind them
- The best and worst and most embarrassing moments of your life!
- A list of 50-100 things you want to do before you die.
Now are you ready to NaNoWriMo? You can sign up to participate at the NaNoWriMo site. I’m offering a class geared to helping you plan and write a short business-boosting book. And, of course, there’s always my NaNoWriMo book, Write-A-Thon. Happy NaNoWriMo!
