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xenithWrite early
Whatever you do during the day, if it's work, school, play, kids, find a few minutes first thing in the morning to type up a few lines. It doesn't have to be a lot, just a sentence or two, or a paragraph. Then later in the day when you do have time to write, it'll be much easier if you're not looking at a blank screen. And you won't be thinking "2000 words to write tonight and I haven't even started". Because you'll have started!
And yes, I said 2000 words. You only need 1700 words a day (well OK 1667 but that's an ugly number) to get to 50K by the end of the month, but if you can those extra few hundred each day, you'll have a buffer in case you need a take a day off or something goes wrong. Also, it is much easier to keep motivated when you're ahead of the game, rather than just managing to keep up or behind. Once you get behind it's harder.
Write often
Whatever your daily goal, do it every day. If it seems to hard today, it will be harder tomorrow. Yes, it will. Really. And whatever you do, don't think you can make it all up in a burst on the weekend. You won't. Really. There is one exception to this, and that is iff* you wrote at least 13,000 words on the previous words then you can take it easy the following 5 days. (But if you have put in that effort, why waste it?)
Otherwise, remember if you don't do it today, it will be harder tomorrow
One things many experienced writers will tell you is it's not writing they enjoy as having written. The thought of having to sit down to actually type out words IS off-putting, especially at the end of the day when you're tired and it seems so much easier to just sit and watch TV... Once you actually have some words on the paper, the rest will be easier.
Word wars
Gather some friends who are also doing Nano. Set a timer for 10 minutes. At the end, see who has written the most words. Repeat.
Set a timer for 10 minutes. At the end, see if you wrote more words than the previous time. Repeat.
Set a timer for 10 minutes. Write.
It doesn't matter if you're competing against other people (and if you are, you actually wins) as long as you do nothing but write for 10 minutes. No looking at Facebook. Or a quick check to see what that email that just came in is about. Or talk with whoever else is in the room. Or watch TV. You can do all these things at the end (it's your reward). Get the hang of doing this, and your productivity will go up. It helps avoid procrastination. (It's only ten minutes, that's no big deal). It helps focus your brain on the job at hand.
Support
Forums.
Facebook.
Write-ins.
When you're done for the day, update your word count and tell people.
If you're finding it hard, tell people. It can get hard. Read those motivational emails you've been ignoring and you'll find there are times when it's hard for everyone (even those people who write 200K in November find it hard at times).
If you need help, with anything from thinking of character names to plot problems to hating your writing and wanting to delete all evidence of its existence, talk to people.
It's the social aspect of Nano that makes it work, so make use of it.
Although if you find you're spending more time socialising than writing you're doing it wrong :) Make it part of your routine: 10 minutes focused writing, 10 minutes chatting online, 10 minutes focused writing....
Reward yourself
Set rewards for reaching certain word counts. A small rewards for each 1000 words (a bit of chocolate, a cup of tea, listen to a song, play a game for 10 minutes). A slightly bigger rewards for every five thousand words (ice creams, an episode of a TV show on a new DVD or a chapter of book, a new game for 30 minutes, go shopping). Decide the rewards before you start, and you get it iff you reach the goal.
*iff = if and only if
Whatever you do during the day, if it's work, school, play, kids, find a few minutes first thing in the morning to type up a few lines. It doesn't have to be a lot, just a sentence or two, or a paragraph. Then later in the day when you do have time to write, it'll be much easier if you're not looking at a blank screen. And you won't be thinking "2000 words to write tonight and I haven't even started". Because you'll have started!
And yes, I said 2000 words. You only need 1700 words a day (well OK 1667 but that's an ugly number) to get to 50K by the end of the month, but if you can those extra few hundred each day, you'll have a buffer in case you need a take a day off or something goes wrong. Also, it is much easier to keep motivated when you're ahead of the game, rather than just managing to keep up or behind. Once you get behind it's harder.
Write often
Whatever your daily goal, do it every day. If it seems to hard today, it will be harder tomorrow. Yes, it will. Really. And whatever you do, don't think you can make it all up in a burst on the weekend. You won't. Really. There is one exception to this, and that is iff* you wrote at least 13,000 words on the previous words then you can take it easy the following 5 days. (But if you have put in that effort, why waste it?)
Otherwise, remember if you don't do it today, it will be harder tomorrow
One things many experienced writers will tell you is it's not writing they enjoy as having written. The thought of having to sit down to actually type out words IS off-putting, especially at the end of the day when you're tired and it seems so much easier to just sit and watch TV... Once you actually have some words on the paper, the rest will be easier.
Word wars
It doesn't matter if you're competing against other people (and if you are, you actually wins) as long as you do nothing but write for 10 minutes. No looking at Facebook. Or a quick check to see what that email that just came in is about. Or talk with whoever else is in the room. Or watch TV. You can do all these things at the end (it's your reward). Get the hang of doing this, and your productivity will go up. It helps avoid procrastination. (It's only ten minutes, that's no big deal). It helps focus your brain on the job at hand.
Support
Forums.
Facebook.
Write-ins.
When you're done for the day, update your word count and tell people.
If you're finding it hard, tell people. It can get hard. Read those motivational emails you've been ignoring and you'll find there are times when it's hard for everyone (even those people who write 200K in November find it hard at times).
If you need help, with anything from thinking of character names to plot problems to hating your writing and wanting to delete all evidence of its existence, talk to people.
It's the social aspect of Nano that makes it work, so make use of it.
Although if you find you're spending more time socialising than writing you're doing it wrong :) Make it part of your routine: 10 minutes focused writing, 10 minutes chatting online, 10 minutes focused writing....
Reward yourself
Set rewards for reaching certain word counts. A small rewards for each 1000 words (a bit of chocolate, a cup of tea, listen to a song, play a game for 10 minutes). A slightly bigger rewards for every five thousand words (ice creams, an episode of a TV show on a new DVD or a chapter of book, a new game for 30 minutes, go shopping). Decide the rewards before you start, and you get it iff you reach the goal.
*iff = if and only if
