NaNo tips from O'Abby's archive

 As I mentioned last week, most of the questions O'Abby is receiving are about NaNo, and most have been answered in previous years.  So here's another from the archive to help you out if you're doing NaNo.  And if you are, let us know how you're getting on in the comments.  I'm not participating this year, but love cheering people on from the sidelines!

Dear O'Abby.

I'm behind on my word count for NaNo, and I'm not sure I have the time to catch up.  

Do you have any advice about how to do it? 

Have you ever managed to get there when you're way behind on the word count?

Yours,

Behind.

Dear Behind,

I'm with you.  I'm also behind on my word count.   At the pace I'm working, it's unlikely that I'll reach 50K by November 30.  So here are a few things to try if you want to pick up the word count and make it to the end.

The most important thing is to prioritize your writing.  If, like me, you have a demanding day job and a family, it's hard to make time for writing.  But this week, talk to your family and see if they can make a few concessions to your writing.  Maybe your partner can cook dinner a couple of nights so you can write for an extra hour.  Maybe your kids can.

If you have to take your kids to swimming lessons or ballet or any other activities, see if you can write while they participate.  Sit in the car and do it, if you have to.  Just make the most of that time.

And this weekend, see if on at least one of the days your partner or another relative could take the kids out for a few hours to give you space to write.  Or stay home with them so you can go somewhere quiet to write.

Or, if it's at all possible, see if you can take a day off work.  Two even.  Maybe you have a lot of leave days piling up or haven't taken any of your sick days yet this year.  Take one or two days and write during the hours you would normally be working.  You'll be amazed how much you can do in just two days.

That's what I'm doing this week.  Taking two days off to just write.  I'm hoping to get through 10K in those two days, which will get me back on track to finish by 30 November.

But that's not going to work for everyone.  So if you can't take time off, and you can't find anyone to watch the kids or take over any of the chores, you will have to find the time somewhere else.  If you put your mind to it, it's amazing what you can get done in an hour.  So maybe get up an hour early and write before everyone else gets up.  Or stay up an hour later at night if you're an evening person.

Use your lunch breaks if you need to.  Or your commute if you're not driving.  But I think I've talked about those pockets of time elsewhere.

The key thing to remember is, you can do this.  You can find time.  Any time you find yourself swiping idly through your phone, that's time you could be writing.  So use it and use it well.

Good luck!

X O'Abby

Dear O'Abby - I'm Behind in NaNo. How do I catch Up?

Dear O'Abby.

I'm behind on my word count for NaNo, and I'm not sure I have the time to catch up.  Do you have any advice about how to do it?  Have you ever managed to get there when you're way behind on the word count?

Yours,

Behind.

Dear Behind,

I'm with you.  I'm also behind on my word count.  I'm malingering around 26K.  At the pace I'm working, it's unlikely that I'll reach 50K by November 30.  So here are a few things to try if you want to pick up the word count and make it to the end.

The most important thing is to prioritize your writing.  If, like me, you have a demanding day job and a family, it's hard to make time for writing.  But this week, talk to your family and see if they can make a few concessions to your writing.  Maybe your partner can cook dinner a couple of nights so you can write for an extra hour.  Maybe your kids can.

If you have to take your kids to swimming lessons or ballet or any other activities, see if you can write while they participate.  Sit in the car and do it, if you have to.  Just make the most of that time.

And this weekend, see if on at least one of the days your partner or another relative could take the kids out for a few hours to give you space to write.  Or stay home with them so you can go somewhere quiet to write.

Or, if it's at all possible, see if you can take a day off work.  Two even.  Maybe you have a lot of leave days piling up or haven't taken any of your sick days yet this year.  Take one or two days and write during the hours you would normally be working.  You'll be amazed how much you can do in just two days.

That's what I'm doing this week.  Taking two days off to just write.  I'm hoping to get through 10K in those two days, which will get me back on track to finish by 30 November.

But that's not going to work for everyone.  So if you can't take time off, and you can't find anyone to watch the kids or take over any of the chores, you will have to find the time somewhere else.  If you put your mind to it, it's amazing what you can get done in an hour.  So maybe get up an hour early and write before everyone else gets up.  Or stay up an hour later at night if you're an evening person.

Use your lunch breaks if you need to.  Or your commute if you're not driving.  But I think I've talked about those pockets of time elsewhere.

The key thing to remember is, you can do this.  You can find time.  Any time you find yourself swiping idly through your phone, that's time you could be writing.  So use it and use it well.

Good luck!

X O'Abby

Dear O'Abby: I don't have time to write. Am I a writer?

Dear O'Abby,

I have always written.  Since I was a kid, and old enough to know how to hold a pencil and make it work.  But since finishing college, starting work and the demands of a young family, I just can't seem to find the time to write.  And it's driving me crazy.  I have so many story ideas squirreling around my head, but the most I can do is scribble them down in my notebook and hope they still sound good when - if - I ever have time to sit down in front of my computer and write.

Can I call myself a writer if I don't write anymore?

Yours,

Time-Challenged.

Dear Time-Challenged,

You are not alone.  I think most writers are in much the same boat.  I know I am!

I think the biggest thing to take on board is to be realistic.  Maybe before you had kids and a job you could knock out 3000 words a day without thinking too much about it.  Maybe you were even one of those people who could write an entire novel in a weekend.

Forget that.

If your time is limited, you need to make the most of what you do have.  Work out when you are at your most creative and see if you can carve out a few minutes at that time of day.  Or if that time doesn't suit, you may need to just force yourself to write at some other time.  Personally, I'm a night-owl naturally, but for many years I worked nights so I wasn't able to write at night.  I trained myself to get up at 5:30am so I could get an hour and a half of writing time in before my kids got up at 7.

And I still do that, even though I don't work nearly as many nights now.  It works for me because my day job is so crazy, I often don't have the energy or creative drive to write in the evening.  If I do, great.  I can do more.  But if I don't, I know I've had that time in the morning.
 
Maybe you're in a different situation and writing at night, after the kids go to bed, will work better for you.  Or you may be able to steal an hour or so while they're napping in the afternoon.

The point is to write.  I know writers who write on their phones while their kids are in swimming lessons.  Or who scribble in a notebook during their lunch breaks or on their commute.

You don't need a clear two hour block to write.  If you can steal a quarter hour here and a half hour there and use them productively, you will be able to write those stories.  It may take longer than before, but at least you can still call yourself a writer.

Good luck!

O'Abby.

Preparing for NaNoWriMo: Setting a Realistic Schedule

November is National Novel Writing Month, otherwise known as NaNoWriMo. It's an entire month dedicated to writing, or, more specifically, to amassing fifty thousand words on an original novel. Last year, over 400,000 writers from around the world participated. The NaNo website helps you track your word count, provides regional support and chat boards, and allows you to "win" when you hit your 50,000-word goal. Every November, bookstores, coffee shops, and 24-hour diners fill up with writers - you can practically feel the creativity in the air! NaNo provides a great community, and it's a great motivation for starting or continuing a novel project. 2017 will be my seventh year tackling NaNo, and I can't wait to get started!

That said, there are a few ways to set yourself up in advance for NaNo success. We'll explore these each Thursday in October, so you'll be ready to hit the ground running on November 1st!

Today, let's talk about setting a realistic NaNo writing schedule. 50,000 words over a 30-day month breaks down to roughly 1667 words per day. Very few of us will be able to devote all of November to writing, without the obligations of work, school, family, friends, etc. interfering. So take a good look at your schedule, whether you have unusual obligations coming up (travel, presentations, exams, etc.), and plan accordingly.

Many people stick to the strict 1667 words/day method. That's what I usually do. In November, I set my alarm for 5:30 a.m. on weekdays so I can write for a few hours each day before work. If I write more than 1667 words one day, that means I can stress a little less as the end of November approaches. But, as often happens, if I write less than 1667 words, I know I'll need to make it up over the weekend. Knowing the intense schedule is only for 30 days helps me stay committed to waking up early and writing until my fingers ache.

Others will devote their weekends to writing, and not stress too much about it during the week. Write-ins, or in-person or online meet-ups dedicated to NaNo writing, can be very effective for this. Setting aside three or four-hour blocks for writing on weekends will get you to the 50,000-word count just as effectively as writing every day.

Many regional chapters will also set up all-night writing parties during the month. If you find yourself very behind on your word count by mid-month, this can really help.

Keep in mind that November also means Thanksgiving, so for many of us, we won't be able to write over the holiday, what with cooking, cleaning, eating, family/friend time, more eating, Black Friday shopping, more eating, etc. It can help to plan to take a day or two off over Thanksgiving weekend, because then you'll know in advance that you won't make your word count on those days, and you can make up for it on other days.

What's your scheduling plan for tackling NaNo this year?

Calling the Muse

I used to believe that writing took inspiration, that there were only specific circumstances under which great words might come through me. I don't remember what exactly the circumstances were... but they were complicated enough that it didn't happen often. Thus, I didn't often have to write. Because, you know, I couldn't. Right?

More recently, I've had a realization. This realization was potentially driven by the fact that in the past two years I've been writing under much different conditions than I ever had before. I have publishing contracts, and therefore, I have deadlines. And it turns out that when you have a deadline, it doesn't pay to sit around waiting for the stars to align and for the fourth of the month to fall on a Tuesday, or for your coffee grounds to form a small bird when dumped on a plate. It really doesn't pay to wait for anything, because waiting is no way to get a book written, is it?

And so I was forced to write, muse or no muse. And it turns out that the muse is really just an excuse to NOT write. It's nice to feel inspired and feel like the words are meant to be, that you're writing something cosmically correct and preordained. But the truth is that if you have any talent for writing and storytelling, that talent should be there regardless of the conditions under which you call upon it.

I don't write well when children are standing at my shoulder whining about apple juice and snacks and brothers hitting them. But that circumstance aside, I've found that I can write at practically any other time when I really have to. That said, I've also learned that I write best early in the morning when there are no distractions at all.

So my advice? Ditch the muse. Tell her to take a flying leap. You don't need her anyway. And that writer's block you hear people moaning about? It's a fallacy. It's no more real than the sneaky little muse who makes herself so scarce.

You've heard it before, but it's the truth. The only way to accomplish writing goals is to write. Sit down and start, plain and simple.

I've still got two deadlines ahead. I need to finish a book by October 1st. I've got 6000 words so far. Think I can do it? The simple truth is that I must. So I will. But not if I sit around waiting for the muse or allowing procrastination to circle my desk wearing a shirt that says "writer's block"... Starting Monday morning, I'll be at my desk for an hour each morning before work, pounding out the words that will get me closer to meeting that deadline. Will you be writing, too?

What are your strategies for getting words on paper? Do you need a certain coffee mug, or a specific kind of music playing? How do you make it all happen?

Guest Post with Wendy Nikel

Today we have a guest post with Wendy Nikel!

WHAT AN 8-ARMED, 2-BRAINED CYBORG (AND OTHER ROBOTS) CAN TEACH WRITERS ABOUT PRODUCTIVITY

I'm a mom of two preschoolers, so often when I get up the courage to tell people that I also write speculative fiction short stories and novels, the reaction I get is usually something along these lines:

"Wow, when do you find time for that?"

or

"I have come to the conclusion that Wendy is a cyborg. She only needs a half hour to recharge and has eight arms and two brains."*

Maybe you've had that reaction as well. Oh. Maybe not? Most writers don't have the luxury of being able to sit around and write for 8+ hours a day. We're moms and dads, teachers and students, part- and full- and over-time workers. So how do we make the best use of the little time we do have? Well, some of us are 8-armed cyborgs with two brains, and that helps. For everyone else, here are a few tips and tricks to boost your productivity.

1. SET CLEAR DIRECTIVES The past few Novembers, I've taken part in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), which forces me to set a steep goal: one month, one first draft of a novel. It helps also that NaNoWriMo breaks this goal down into bite-sized daily word counts so I can track my progress. For the other eleven months of the year, I set my own goals, whether it's finishing a revision or writing some short stories or giving my critique partners feedback on their novels, or a combination. Clear, accomplishable goals can really help with making the best use of your time.

Or you might end up like this guy

2. FIND AND SECURE YOUR WRITING TIME You've probably heard it said that people find time for the things that are important to them, and it's true. When I first decided I wanted to seriously pursue writing, I knew I had little "free time" to work with and that writing was going to eat up any time I'd previously spent keeping up on all of my reality TV shows. For me, writing won out over The Bachelor and ANTM and yes, even Project Runway and Cupcake Wars. If I could afford it, I'd totally hire a maid and personal chef to take care of my housework so I could spend that time writing. Maybe someday. But for now, my most effective chunks of writing time come mostly in the evenings, after the kids are in bed.

Writing is more fun than watching TV anyway

3. MULTITASK Disclaimer: Not everything can be multitasked. The trick is to figure out which things you can multitask on and which things are going to require your full attention. You might find it useful to create a list of your common writing tasks and then determine how much of your undivided attention they require (full, high, medium, low). For instance, my "full attention" tasks are writing first drafts, doing revisions, and writing out feedback for my critique partners' work, and those have to wait for my designating writing time (see #2). But I have plenty of "medium" and "low-attention" tasks that I can do while going about my day: sending out short story submissions while I watch my kids play in the backyard, copyediting while I eat breakfast, thinking my way out of plot holes before I fall asleep at night (just make sure to have a pad of paper by the bed), and answering emails while waiting for my soy chai. ]












Multitasking FTW

4. DON'T LIMIT YOURSELF TO ONE FORMAT It also can help to have your work in multiple formats. I use my laptop for most of my writing and editing, but I'll often answer emails on my phone or read and make notes on my work on my Nook. I recently discovered that editing on a printed copy of my manuscript works well for road trips (no outlet or batteries needed!). Use dropbox or some other online file storage to ensure that you can access your work from wherever you are, so that the next time you end up with a delayed flight or a long line at the DMV you won't be stuck twiddling your thumbs. Plus, it's always good to have backup copies of your work anyway, in case the unthinkable happens and your computer crashes. 

I wouldn't wish this on any writer

5. DON'T MULTITASK Though it may seem like a contradiction to #3, it's not. As discussed above, some things can be multitasked, but when the time comes to do those things that need your full attention (writing first drafts, doing major revisions, etc), GIVE THEM your full attention. For me, that means waiting until the kids are in bed and then turning off the WiFi so I'm not tempted to go check twitter (@wendynikel) or get distracted by emails or Facebook or BuzzFeed or the Absolute Write Water Cooler. This time is precious — use it wisely! Try this: The next time you get an uninterrupted writing time, turn off the WiFi. Seriously. Do it. You'll have plenty of time for social media after completing your goals.

... after I finish this revision

6. GET ORGANIZED I have what may be an unhealthy obsession with spreadsheets. But they help keep my life orderly and they're especially helpful when querying or submitting short stories. My short story spreadsheet outlines markets with their word counts, genres, pay rates, and submission info, so that when I write something new, it's easy for me to pull up my spreadsheet, see where I already have stories out and where my current work would fit best. Other great writing tools to check out:

• The Submission Grinder (online database of short story markets)
• Query Tracker (online database of literary agents)
• Scrivener (downloadable word processing program for writers - $)

Just sending out another story...

7. RECHARGE YOUR BATTERIES Everyone needs some downtime, including writers and 8-armed cyborgs. If writing is stressing you out, try recharge your creative batteries by spending time reading, taking a walk, observing nature, talking with others, or, you know, dancing or something.  
 

8. ACCEPT THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO EVERYTHING Even 8-armed cyborgs sometimes wish they had 14 arms instead of just seven. Sometimes you're not going to be able to reach your goals. Real life may interfere and throw you off track. The important thing is to not let it discourage you. The best thing to do is pick yourself up and try again tomorrow!

*thanks, krash!

Making Every Second Count

Since we are one day away from the middle of NaNo, and I as went from a gorgeous surplus of words to scrambling to catch up to my daily word goals, I started thinking about how I’ve been spending my time. Some days it seems easy to crank out 5,000 words and other days I can barely write 50. So I looked back through my files until I found this little article I wrote a year or two ago on How To Find The Time To Write to see what on earth I used to do to get everything done. It seemed particularly relevant with NaNo goals looming over our heads :)

I have lost track of how many people have asked me how I find the time to write. The answer is easy….I just do. It’s a struggle. It’s not easy. There are some things I have to sacrifice. But it is doable.

The key for finding the time to write, at least for me, is in a little bit of organization and prioritizing. I have been lucky enough for the past couple of years to be able to stay at home full time with my kids, though when I began writing "for real" that wasn't the case. And I am very lucky this year because both of my kids are in school full time. So, I try very hard to make sure I’m not on the computer when my kids are home and awake. Which means once they are home from school during the week, and on the weekends, my time belongs to them.

So, the following are a few things I do to help make sure the time I do have during the day is spent wisely (we’ll talk about how often I really do these things and how often I waste whole days staring off into space relishing the silence another day *coughcough*)

1. Carry a notebook and pen, a recorder, laptop, etc.
One thing I’ve noticed about myself is that even when I’m not writing, I’m writing. Story ideas, conversations between characters, ideas for scenes…these are always running through my head. I tend to get epiphanies when I’m in the shower or doing the dishes. I may not have time in the middle of a load of dishes to rush to my computer and write a scene the moment it occurs to me, but if take a second to jot down a few notes, then I have something to work on when I can sit down at my computer. This both saves me the frustration of trying to remember something I really wanted to include in my book and the precious minutes of think time when I am in front of my screen.

2. Get chores and errands done in a timely manner.
If my husband read this, he'd be laughing so hard he'd be choking. Our house usually looks like a small nuclear device went off in at least one part of it. But hey, I try. Most of the time :D This is something I struggle with, but if I can get my household chores and errands completed early in the day, then whatever spare moments present themselves can be used to write. I can concentrate on my story instead of feeling guilty that I should be doing dishes or laundry instead.

3. Treat it like a job.
Author Rosellen Brown spelled it out perfectly. She said:

It’s a job. It’s not a hobby. You don’t write the way you build a model airplane. You have to sit down and work, to schedule you time and stick to it. Even it it’s just for an hour or so each day, you have to get a babysitter and find the time. If you’re going to make writing succeed you have to approach it as a job.

Just like a “real” job, writing is not always fun. It’s work. It’s HARD work. Editing, critiquing, rewriting, researching, replotting…this stuff all takes time and can sometimes get downright tedious. This is why treating writing like a job can really be helpful. You don’t always like your job, but you still have to do it. Approach your writing like you’d approach your job. Just Do It! Agatha Christie said:

Write even when you don’t want to, don’t much like what you are writing, and aren’t writing particularly well.

It is not always important WHAT you write – that is what editing is for. What is important is that you sit down and DO IT. Butt to chair, fingers to keyboard (or pen to paper). When you least feel like writing is when you need to do it the most.

In an effort to do this, I do two things.

• Make a writing schedule.
My children get on the bus at 8:00 and get home at 3:55 (this is the first year they are both in school full time and I’ve just got to say, even though I do occasionally miss their adorable little faces during the day…..it’s HEAVEN to have my days to myself again :D) So, I try to do my housework/puttering/what have you in the morning so that by 10:00, I can be at my computer, ready to work. Some days are spent writing blog posts, answering emails, doing editing work for my brother’s company or anything else I need to work on, but for the most part, I am doing something productive by 10 am. I will squeeze in writing any other time I can, but I schedule my set writing hours while my kids are out of the house or asleep. Fridays through Sundays I try to write for at least an hour after everyone has gone to bed.

• Set goals.
In addition to having my scheduled writing time, I set a word count goal for each day. My goal is to write 1000 words a day (or edit 10 pages or a chapter or finish one section in my NF proposal – just some sort of solid goal). Sometimes I am on a roll and can get that done in half an hour, and sometimes I will write for two hours and only get 500 words out. Sometimes I meet my goal, sometimes not, and sometimes I exceed it. I can almost always get 1000 words written in about an hour – which means an hour and 1000 words a day, five to seven days a week, and I’ve got a finished novel (first draft) in three months. Regardless, it gives me something to shoot for. You can set your goal higher or lower, depending on the time you have available, but give yourself some sort of objective to aim for.

4. Prioritize your activities

We all have spare moments in the day. What we do with those moments is what is important. If you truly want to find the time to write, you have to be willing to sacrifice. I have a lot of television shows that I love. I love to read. I play the piano and cross-stitch. I have children that want to play with their mommy (although I would like to note that time with my children is NOT something I sacrifice in order to write…most days…I have definite Mother Fail days, but I try :) ).

This is where having a writing schedule really helps. My writing time is scheduled while my kids are at school or in bed. That means when my kids come home, I can play with them, do some chores, spend some time in the afternoons reading a good book (if I am lucky enough to have the time), and watch my favorite shows in the evening. And I can spend my time doing this because I know I have already met my writing goal for the day.

If you work full time, you can try and squeeze in some writing time on your lunch break, or wake up a little early or go to bed a little later in order to get your writing time in. It IS possible to find moments to write, no matter what your schedule is….but sometimes it requires a bit of sacrifice. I wrote my first novel while going to school full time to get my master’s degree, working part time, with 2 kids under 2 – it was ridiculous, I never slept, but I did it. If you really want to do it, you’ll do it. Plain and simple.

During the summer when my kids are not in school, I tend to DVR whatever shows I want to watch and write in the evenings after they’ve gone to bed. I'll also do this on normal days and watch my shows while folding laundry - multitasking at its best LOL Or I’ll write in the afternoons instead of reading or playing piano, or choosing some other activity. And very often (because Real Life has a funny way of intervening and throwing all my well-made plans out the window) I sacrifice sleep in order to write.

When I was finishing my first novel, I was waking up at 4:30 in the morning and going to bed at midnight because the only time I could sit down and write, uninterrupted, was when my family was asleep. That is not something I could keep up indefinitely, but in a pinch, I am willing to sacrifice a little sleep in order to write.

Now, let’s face it, Real Life is going to get in the way sometimes. It’s going to laugh at your carefully crafted schedule and stomp all over it, probably on a daily basis. But it shouldn’t matter. If you want to write, write. Find the time. Eat dinner a little faster and use the three minutes you saved scarfing your meal to write a few lines. Carry a recorder around and dictate your book while you vacuum. Scribble on Kleenexes while you wait at the doctor’s with your sick child (just be careful not to use said Kleenex for said sick child’s nose). The time is there…you just have to find it and use it.

Author Kenneth Atchity said:

Every human being has exactly the same amount of time, and yet consider the output of Robert Louis Stevenson, John Peabody Harrington, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury,William Goldman, Neil Simon, Joyce Carol Oates, Agatha Christie and John Gardner. How did they accomplish what they have? They weren’t deflected from their priorities by activities of lesser importance. The work continues, even though everything else may have to give. They know that their greatest resource is themselves. Wasting time is wasting themselves. When people ask them, “Where do you find the time?” they wonder, “Where do you lose it?”

When do you write? What are some things you do to make sure you can get your writing time in?