How to Coach a Writer Through National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)
The leaves are changing and Pumpkin Spice Pancakes are fully stocked at Trader Joe’s, which means only one thing. . . It’s almost NaNoWriMo season!
NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. It's the ultimate writing adventure that happens every November when writers from all corners of the globe come together for an intensive writing spree.
Writers who participate pledge to write a 50,000-word novel in just one month. Which is a lot of words, but the camaraderie pushes many writers to achieve this lofty goal. Virtual write-ins, forums, and in-person gatherings foster a sense of solidarity unusual to many who pursue their creative endeavors alone. The goal is quantity. Editing comes later, but November is reserved for rapid and consistent drafting.
So, how do you coach your writer through NaNoWriMo?
First, ask yourself “Should my writing client participate in this?”
NaNoWriMo is all about getting words on the page. Many writers focus on letting their creative process flow freely to hit that 50,000-word goal. Good for them. But is YOUR writer at this particular writing stage? There is nothing more discouraging than finishing a rough draft of a novel just to discover that a majority of it needs to be rewritten. Such a devastating realization has prematurely ended the careers of many aspiring novelists. One of your goals as a coach is to set your writer up for long-term success. With that in mind, a one-month writing sprint might be deleterious to their writing longevity.
If you have been working with a writer who wants to participate in the November festivities, evaluate whether your writer is at that stage with their book. If they are still in the world-building, outlining, or planning stage encourage them to wait until next year or amend their goal for the month so they can still participate.
If you both decide the writer is ready, here are a few best practices for NaNoWriMo:
Set clear goals with your writer
Setting clear daily and weekly goals will help your writer stay motivated by their progress. The key here is setting measurable goals so each day your writer can get that sweet sense of accomplishment that encourages them to keep going. Their goals will look different depending on where they are in their novel writing process.
The primary goal is to write 50,000 words in a month. Encourage your writer to break this down into daily or weekly word count targets.
If they are not yet at the writing stage but still want to participate, create goals that reflect where their writing project is. For example, you can tell them,
Develop a backstory for all 4 of your main characters by EOW.
Finish outlining the last 6 chapters of your book by EOM.
Each day, complete one of the following 9 world-building prompts.
Be realistic and specific about your expectations for the month
You know your writer’s habits better than anyone. Can they focus for this long each day? Do they get discouraged by occasional failure or does it challenge them to do better? Your writer is bound to have off days and you don’t want them to beat themselves up over it, or quit early on.
A specific goal is easier to accomplish than a general one. Instead of tasking them with “Outline your novel” give them detailed instructions to kickstart their creativity, like, “Outline the growth arch of your main character’s best friend.”
Work with your writer to make a list of their expectations for the month and evaluate if they are possible. It’s a balancing act of pushing them to write, encouraging them to achieve more during this month, and also keeping their long-term writing success in mind.
Set boundaries for your writer and yourself
Just how often do you want your writer to check in with you? Daily or weekly? Once at the beginning of the month to receive their NaNoWriMo plan and once at the end to evaluate how it went?
Be intentional about how much bandwidth you have to give your writer and be intentional with their time too. If your writer is a mom of 3 with limited time in the mornings to sit down and write then help her create boundaries around her creative time. These are her creative aspirations, they are important and deserve to be fostered. Part of this may also include encouraging your writer to communicate their needs and lean on their support system to help them set aside dedicated time to write.
On the other hand, if your writer lives and works alone from home and mostly spends her free time reading and writing, she may need to be encouraged to take scheduled breaks. Scheduling breaks is just as important as scheduling time to write. In fact, it's during the restful breaks that our creativity expands and reloads. Think with your writer about how much time they want to dedicate to NaNoWriMo daily, when to stop and do something else, and what they can do to refill their creative tank.
Work with your writer to create a writing schedule that fits within their current schedule. If their day is completely filled wall-to-wall with engagements, help them evaluate what needs to be removed from their schedule to make room for writing. Trying to squeeze in a few minutes of writing in between meetings or social engagements won’t allow for the kind of results they are looking for.
A few things to consider:
When does their creativity peak? Is it first thing in the morning, or are they night writers? Do they like to take a break at midday to write during lunch? Determine the time of day that is creatively best for them.
When will they be undisturbed by kids, co-workers, an insistent boss, or their favorite show? Pick the hour or two when they are most alone.
How much time do they need each day to accomplish their goals? This will involve some math. The basic goal is to write 50,000 words in November. There are 30 days in November which means that they will need to write 1,667 words per day, every single day. Consider upping that goal to 2,000 words a day to allow for life to happen. Sometimes they won’t hit the word goal for the day. Planning for these instances will give your writer some breathing room.
Estimate how long it will take your writer to complete 2,000 words a day. Then, help them carve out that time in their schedule. Tell them to guard that time like their life depends on it– because their ability to win NaNoWriMo does
The ultimate goal of NaNoWriMo is to win by achieving a 50,000-word novel. As a coach, your goal is to help your writer win by achieving a goal that supports their long-term success. And by the end of the month, in addition to helping your writers achieve their goals, you can treat yourself to some Pumpkin Spice Pancakes from TJ’s!