Hello, blogosphere! I haven’t been active on my blog lately because I’ve been busy with writing. But since the month of April is over, my writing challenge is complete. I will be refocusing on blogging this month.
Update: My two year blogaversary is tommorow, which is very exciting! I asked those who follow @katiethatbookishgirl on Instagram questions for tomorrow’s Q&A blog post, and have already gotten a couple of responses. If you are interested in me asking any questions about books, writing, bullet journaling, life, or blogging, be sure to submit some before I post my two year blogaversary special.
In this blog post, I will be sharing with you my personal experience with NaNoWriMo last month and advice to help you reach your writing goals.
My goal last month was to write 18,000 words. I am happy to say that I completed my desired word count! 18,000 words is the most I’ve written on a single project in my entire life, and I couldn’t have done it without NaNoWriMo. Although I am not close to being finished with my WIP (work in progress) novel, I’ve made a lot of progress this April. I started off the month attempting NaNoWriMo for a second time, and surprisingly, it was a success.
I was on track during the beginning of April, but then fell behind towards the middle. I got a little bit discouraged but slowly picked it up and as able to write a lot on the last day.
If you are interested in reading a synopsis of my WIP read my “Venturing Into the World of NaNoWriMo” blog post.
Writing Tips to Kick Off Your WIP and Reach Your Goals
- Plan your WIP ahead. For me, this included sketching a quick plot chart and making a map of the world. However, this may not be enough. Another option would be to fill out a character chart and have it out with you as you write.
- Start off your story with a bang. Include a lot of action and foreshadowing in the first few chapters so you have something to work off of if you struggle with writer’s block.
- Don’t give up. If you find yourself at a period of time in your story where you hit a wall (also known as writer’s block), don’t give up your WIP. Instead, take a short break from writing and hunt for inspiration. Go on a walk/run, garden, read, or search apps like Pinterest for writing prompts. After that, come back later and try something different. Once you get through that writer’s block, you’ll find that writing is a lot easier, and the words begin to flow and come together again.
- Know that a first draft is a first draft. Don’t spend hours editing your first chapter when you could be writing your tenth. In my experience, it’s better to spend minimal time editing in the earlier stages and focus on spitting out your first draft.
- Manage your time. When writing, focus on writing. I find it helpful to use timers/alarms and set goals on how long you want to write that day.
- Have reasonable expectations. This is one of the most important things about working on a novel/story. It’s better to have gradual progress than no progress at all. Don’t get down on yourself if you don’t reach your word count goal within the given time frame. Instead, just keep on working and complete as much as you can. Having realistic expectations will help you remain focused towards your goal. There is no way to fail in writing other than neglecting the pen. when you’re making an effort, you’re making progress. You can do it!
Thank you for reading this post. Please follow my blog to receive email updates whenever I post. I really appreciate all of the support! 💛🌷
Are you a writer? Have you ever attempted NaNoWriMo? Let me know in the comments section down below.
Keep On Booking,
☆ Katie K ☆
Katie, That Bookish Girl 