This is an edited and updated post from the archives because it’s NaNo and I’m busy writing all the words!
Week 1 of NaNo has ended, and week 2 is almost complete, and everyone is busy counting up how many words they’ve written. Some have over 10K, others have none.
I have a love-hate relationship with NaNo. I love the discipline and camaraderie, but I also hate the pressure. Since I write every day, I often wonder why I put myself through the stress. Then, I remember how lonely I get and crave the check-ins and gossip with other authors also participating in NaNo. See? I’m conflicted. But one thing I am not conflicted about is guilt or self-sabotage. If I don’t win NaNo, I will not beat myself up or feel badly. It’s just a number (50K) within a 30 day period which is hard for most full-time writers to achieve. Maybe it’s because I’ve been writing for a long time, or maybe it’s my age, but I go into NaNo with the attitude of “what gets done, gets done”. That’s the wonderful thing about being a professional, full-time writer. You have a realistic understanding of both the creative process and the publishing industry.
With that said, I admit that I’m doing well with NaNo this year (unlike last year). Having deadlines is helping me get all of my words down this month. But since life always has its ups and downs, I’m working as hard as I can now in case the rest of the month falls apart. These ups and downs don’t mean that NaNo isn’t worth the time and effort. One thing I have learned with all of my deadlines is that when writing massive numbers of words over a short period of time, you need to take care of yourself with some fun and some self-care. And, no, they’re not the same thing. So here’s a quick list of some things you can do for yourself as you write all the words:
A Few Self-Care Ideas for NaNoWriMo
Take baths. There’s something so inviting and relaxing about a hot bath, especially when the weather gets colder. If you need some ideas on how to add herbal remedies to your bath, check out The Romance Herbalist. There are a number of inexpensive bath salt recipes that will elevate your experience in the tub.
Drink tea. Stock up and drink your favorite tea. Black, herbal, green–it doesn’t matter. Just have it on hand to help soothe your throat and keep your fingers warm as you type.
Rest your eyes. It’s so important to give yourself time away from the screen. Eye strain is real and it can be debilitating. Go take a walk or a nap or meet your friends at the pub. Just get away from the screen and give your eyes a break.
Get outside. I can’t stress enough how important it is to get some fresh air and vitamin D. And walk in silence while your let your subconscious work on your novel. It always amazes me when I come up with the perfect solution to a plot problem while I’m walking through the woods.
Spend time with non-writing people. It doesn’t matter if you go out to dinner, grab a coffee, or go see a movie. Spending time with others who don’t write helps you get out of your own head and eases your mind. You’ll be shocked at how often non-writer friends can solve plot problems over a pitcher of margaritas!
Scent yourself. If you can handle scents, light a favorite candle or choose a wonderful hand cream or add scented salts to your bath. Scents are powerful things and certain ones, like lavender and lemongrass, can help both your conscious and subconscious mind rest and relax.
Play board games, video games, or do puzzles. I know it may seem silly to play games and work on puzzles, but these games provide two things: Spending time with people and friendly competition in something that has nothing to do with writing. Writers tend to be solitary, but unless you’re playing solitaire it’s difficult to play a board game or an online multi-player computer game by yourself. And while you can work on a puzzle alone, it’s always more fun with friends. This kind of time away from your WIP rests your mind and reminds you that there is a life outside of the stories running through your head. (Although watch the screen time with video games if you need to rest your eyes)
Work in the garden. It’s that time of year when garden beds need to be cleaned up and herbs can be harvested for drying. Or you just may need to pull out old tomato plants and drop in some spring flower bulbs. Whatever your garden looks like, no matter how large or small, spending time with your hands in the dirt is a good way to rest your mind and allow your subconscious to plot without the hard work of staring at a blank screen.
Find another creative hobby. Whether is doodling, working on your planners, painting the autumn sky, or cooking a new meal, doing something else creative–especially something you can share with others like a meal–is another great way to alleviate the stress of writing an entire book in 30 days.
While some of the above ideas cost some money (I’m looking at you, margaritas and flower bulbs!), most of them don’t. These ideas are separate from rewards because they’re not about motivation. They’re about keeping yourself sane and healthy while you work so you end the month feeling as great–or better–than when you started. Good luck to you all and I hope the words continue to flow!
While my NaNo project is all set, I’m trying to get my life ready for such a huge project. One of the things I do ahead of time is to plan out some of my meals, for my self and my family.
In the last week, I’ve had a ton of messages asking me about the technology I use to plot and write my books. My absolute favorite way to plot and write is longhand. But as a working writer, that’s not fast enough. So I thought I’d give a brief review of the systems I use.
NaNoWriMo Week 3 is almost over, and we’re more than halfway through the month. I’m not going to talk about word count or anything else about our manuscripts. Today I want to talk about the concept of Rest.
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