NaNoWriMo Tips from Your Favorite YA Authors

“A first draft is always a little surprising. It’s messy. Too long. Too short. Sometimes there are great missing chunks. Sometimes there are blind alleys and red herrings and wild goose chases that don’t belong. Sometimes your characters make weird requests or tell you secret things you weren’t expecting. Sometimes, often, in fact, random people will stroll into your first draft demanding to be heard. While during a time-limited exercise like Nanowrimo you might prefer to ignore these strangers, I advise you listen, write them out, see where they take you. Even if they end up deleted from your story, they might reveal useful things. If you’re writing fast, like during Nanowrimo, and especially if you’re pantsing (writing without an outline), your first draft is going to be a junkyard of a book, but consider all the great stuff you can find in junkyards. So don’t worry about a messy, random, weird, crowded and noisy first draft. That’s exactly how they are supposed to look.” —G.S. Prendergast, author of (the NaNo-born novel) Zero Repeat Forever

“Sometimes it’s incredibly hard to start your novel because you don’t know your characters yet. For lots of authors writing character sketches really helps them figure out who these strangers are. Rather than starting with what they look like, as many authors do, try putting them in a situation where they have to make a momentous decision. Authors (and readers) learn a lot about characters by how they respond to a dilemma. Do they choose chocolate, cheese or chicken? Why? What kind? Do they share it? Why? Stick them in a lifeboat. Three people are swimming towards the boat but they can only save one. Who do they save? Their aunt, their crush or their best friend? Why? What is it about their aunt that makes them save her? Or do they figure out a way to save everyone? Sometimes while writing these character sketches you’ll realise that you’ve actually started writing your novel. Well done, you. Sometimes you’ll never look at them again once you get going with your novel. Also well done, you. They’ve served their purpose. Good luck!” —Justine Larbalestier, author of My Sister Rosa and Razorhurst

“For me, the absolute worst thing to do while I’m trying to draft and generate big word counts is to do anything close to revising. I try not to reading any further back than a paragraph of what I just wrote. My drafting brain and revising brain are not compatible. In fact, they are enemies. My revising brain is so critical it will talk my drafting brain out of all its ideas before I even write them down. I need to give myself permission to let first drafts be total garbage, or else I’ll never get a first draft done.” —Amy Reed, author of Nowhere Girls and Beautiful

“Dory from Finding Nemo said it best: ‘Just Keep Swimming.’ When you get stuck–and you will! we all do!–find ways to keep the narrative moving. Ask yourself questions: what does my character want right now? What are they doing to get it? What’s in their way? The answers to those questions can give momentum back to writing a scene or jumpstart your writing day.” —Alex London, author of Proxy and Guardian

“If you’re beating your head against the wall trying to make that word count, give yourself permission to jump around in the manuscript. Write the scenes you’ve been dreaming of first! That first kiss, that epic battle. It can really help to hammer out the details of what you’re writing towards. Later, you can string the scenes together later like beautiful beads.” —Heidi Heilig, author of The Girl From Everywhere and The Ship Beyond Time

“The most successful I’ve ever been in terms of productivity—regularly reaching a word count or page goal—was on two occasions when my son read chapters of my WIP as I completed them. He would get off the school bus at the foot of our driveway each day, walk in the front door, and say, “Where’s my chapter?” Meeting that expectation was wonderful motivation for me, because I find it really difficult to crank out the words if nobody’s waiting to read them. And while I thrive on deadline when my editor is at the other end of it, self-imposed ones never work for me—they’re too easy to push them aside (usually with empty with promises of twice as much work the next day). But when your kid is waiting for a completed chapter? That’s great motivation, and was also a really special experience for us to share. I’m about to start this process again with my 13-year-old daughter, who helped me brainstorm the plot of my next book. Don’t have a teenager at your disposal? This approach would work just as well with a friend, neighbor, critique partner, another NaNo writer, or even a member of a local teen book club. Their job is simply to be waiting for that chapter at the end of each day. No criticism, no feedback. Just anticipation of what happens next!” —Sharon Roat, author of How to Disappear and Between the Notes

“When you get stuck, which will inevitably happen sometime during NaNoWriMo, after taking a walk or phoning a friend–my usual go to’s–sometimes, I take a step back and try this character building exercise. Imagine your character in another setting. The zombie apocalypse. District 12. Hogwarts. Which house is your character in? Are they fight or flights the face if a Walker. Do they volunteer as tribute….Seeing how your characters  act in another environment will help you know them better and will hopefully spurn them into action in your work.” —Danielle Paige, author of Stealing Snow and the Dorothy Must Die series

“Instead of writing what you know, write the the book that you wish was on the shelves right now — the book that won’t exist unless you sit down and write it.”              —Kami Garcia, author of Broken Beautiful Hearts and The Lovely Reckless

“When drafting is really painful I turn on low-key television or movies to distract myself from the fact that I’m ripping my fingernails off writing a book. The TV has to be something not too interesting or it’ll distract me, but not so boring I’m still focused a 100 percent on writing. Then I just keep my hands moving and my mind 80 percent on the story and 20 percent on the fact that I’m just sitting on the couch in sweats watching tv. Nothing to see here! It helps me not psych myself out or pressure myself on a ‘good’ first draft.” —Sarah Nicole Lemon, author of Done Dirt Cheap and Valley Girls

“I’m one of those people who buys beautiful journals for writing projects and then gets too intimidated to write in them. But you know what doesn’t intimidate me? Small, scraggly scraps of paper. When I’m stuck, I tear a piece of notebook paper into quarters and then scribble on the pieces, front and back. Later, after I’ve transcribed what I’ve written into my computer, I throw them away. It’s amazing how quickly the words come when you take away the pressure to write something as gorgeous as a fancy journal the first time around. And sometimes unexpected beauty comes out of something as plain as a scrap of paper.” Alexandra Duncan, author of Blight and the Salvage series

“Usually by November 10th, I’ve fallen behind a little bit. And that little bit can snowball into doubt and worry that stop me right there, 30% of the way. If I can’t keep up, what’s the point, I’ll ask myself. This year I’m trying a new strategy and maybe it’ll help you too. If I fall behind, I’m not going to worry. I’m going to break my writing sessions into more manageable pieces, perhaps 300 words at a time, and add sessions instead of an overwhelming word count goal. And I’m going to keep going, because the goal is to finish. I’ve done it before, and so I can do it again. And I believe you can too.” —Katherine Locke, author of The Girl with the Red Balloon 

 “Bored with the scene you’re currently writing, or dreading having to go back to your MS? That’s probably an indication that you should cut the scene or rewrite it in a way that YOU find attention-grabbing. Find the most interesting approach to what you need to accomplish, whether it’s changing the character’s POV, adding a spontaneous kidnapping, or an impromptu dance party. Remember: if you’re bored, your reader likely will be too.” —Tara Sim, author of Timekeeper and Chainbreaker

“Write with abandon. Don’t edit. Don’t fix your crappy spelling. And most of all, don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. When you type those magical words, ‘the end,’ take a break and celebrate. And when you’re ready, go back and revise. Writing is beautiful torture, but the world deserves to hear your voice.” —Tami Charles, author of Like Vanessa

“So, I am a two-time NanoWriMo failure. The first year, I worked on a project I ultimately scrapped and last year I wasn’t able to get more than a few thousand words. Life interfered with my grand design of completing a November novel. My advice: don’t be too hard on yourself. Try to get in that sweet spot of using NanoWriMo to motivate your writing without beating yourself up. Even though I’ve never ‘won’ NanoWriMo, I have gotten something out of it each and every year and I’m excited to give it another go. The path to publication is long and things like making new writer friends or staying creative even during periods of stress are small victories that add up in the long run. This NanoWriMo, remember even if you lose, you ultimately win.” —Kelly deVos, author of Fat Girl On A Plane