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NaNoWriMo Resources!

October 31, 2012 by Nathan Bransford 13 Comments

It’s Halloween, which means it’s NaNoWriMo Eve!

In case you haven’t heard of NaNoWriMo (but I’m guessing you have), it is a one month challenge whereby you ignore your friends and family and instead dedicate yourself to the noble pursuit of writing a novel as fast as your fingers and brain will allow. 
It’s a fantastic event for beginning and veteran writers alike, and it has inspired quite a few fantastic novels, some of which went on to be bestsellers. This year there’s a program specifically geared toward young writers, and the NaNoWriMo org estimates that overall, 250,000 writers will participate. 
Are you going to NaNoWriMo it up? Here are some blog posts that will help get you started:
How to Write a Novel
How to Format Your Manuscript
Do You Have a Plot?
Is It an Archetype or a Cliche?
How to Get Started Writing
Why You Shouldn’t Follow Trends
Seven Keys to Writing Good Dialogue
How to Create a Dynamic Relationship Between Characters
All About Conflict
How to Craft a Great Voice
What Makes a Great Setting
5 Ways to Stay Motivated While Writing a Novel

And here’s NaNoWriMo boot camp 2010:
Choosing the Right Idea
Goals and Obstacles
How Do You Power Through?
Editing As You Go

And and don’t forget about the discussion forums!! Share your trials, tribulations and victories with your fellow writers. Here’s the NaNoWriMo 2012 thread.

Filed Under: Writing Advice Tagged With: NaNoWriMo, writing advice

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Elizabeth Varadan aka Mrs. Seraphina says

    October 31, 2012 at 4:15 pm

    Thanks for this post! I've never participated in NaNoWriMo, but I think I will this year. I'm finished with book 1 of a series, and need to get started on Book 2. This seems the best way to get that first draft out! Thanks for the links.

    Reply
  2. Lauren I. Ruiz says

    October 31, 2012 at 4:27 pm

    I've been outlining all month (or sort of outlining all month), and I'm actually a bit nervous for NaNo.

    This is my first year taking it seriously. A few failures in the past have taught me what I hope are the necessary guidelines to win this year.

    Good luck to me, and good luck to everyone else participating!

    Reply
  3. Deborah Blake Dempsey says

    October 31, 2012 at 4:52 pm

    This will be my first time. I do not have an outline. I do not know who the characters are. I do know the overall story idea. I'm nervous and excited. We'll see how it goes.

    Good luck to all.

    Reply
  4. MIke says

    October 31, 2012 at 6:00 pm

    Great list, thanks for sharing Nathan. I ran across this yesterday and thought it was a great resource as well. Basically just a nice word count tracker from a fellow NaNoWriMo-er.

    https://davidseah.com/blog/2012/10/nanowrimo-2012-word-count-tracking-calendar/

    Good luck everyone!

    Reply
  5. Bryan Russell says

    October 31, 2012 at 6:01 pm

    Beware the stress, though, or you will DrinkMoFoNaNoWriMo.

    Reply
  6. JohnO says

    October 31, 2012 at 6:55 pm

    I just signed up (for the first time) … what the hell am I thinking?? Anyhow, good luck everyone! Send chocolate, coffee, beer, and spare hours!

    Reply
  7. dawnpier says

    October 31, 2012 at 6:58 pm

    I just did the math and was shocked to discover that 50,000 words in 30 days breaks down to a measly 1666.66666… words a day!! That blows my tiny mind. I'd love to know what Lauren (above) learned from her other attempts so that we may avoid her mistakes.

    Reply
  8. Stephsco says

    October 31, 2012 at 8:29 pm

    I just LOL'ed at the article title "Do you have a plot?" Back in 2010's Nanowrimo, the answer was no. There was no actual plot.

    Here's to hoping the last two years of studying writing and finishing a different novel will lead to more plot and less meandering.

    Reply
  9. Mirka Breen says

    October 31, 2012 at 11:54 pm

    A quarter of a million participants? Is this right? Does this translate to a quarter of a million new novels churned all over the English speaking world?
    Just thinking about it is dizzy making. Got to sit down.

    Whether you sit this one out or sit down and write, best to all (November) novelists.

    Reply
  10. Susanne Drazic says

    November 1, 2012 at 12:56 am

    Great post! Thanks for all the links.

    Reply
  11. Ankita says

    November 1, 2012 at 3:11 pm

    i signed up for the first time too! hope these resources will help 🙂

    Reply
  12. K. C. Blake says

    November 1, 2012 at 6:22 pm

    This is my first time. It's very exciting. I spent last month getting more organized than I've ever been with a chapter by chapter outline, character bios, and even a setting chart.

    Today I managed to write over four thousand words. Hopefully I can keep it up. Smashwords is letting people put their WIP from NaNo up on their site so people can read them for free as we write. I'm not sure about letting people read a first draft, but it might work.

    Reply
  13. Kevin Right says

    November 25, 2013 at 7:34 pm

    Hope to participate in NaNoWriMo! thanks a lot for sharing.

    Reply

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Hi, I’m Nathan. I’m the author of How to Write a Novel and the Jacob Wonderbar series, which was published by Penguin. I used to be a literary agent at Curtis Brown Ltd. and I’m dedicated to helping authors achieve their dreams. Let me help you with your book!

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