I’m typing up this post in a hurry because I realized NaNoWriMo starts in seven hours (from my time zone), and I haven’t said ANYTHING about it on my blog yet! Usually I have some writing tips I compile beforehand, but for some reason, that task escaped me this month, so we’re just now getting to it.

First, I don’t know what I’m writing. I’m not freaking out, you’re freaking out. I have sooooooo many ideas, I just don’t know which one to choose!

I think this time around, I’ll do something a little different and make two lists, one for first-time Wrimos, and one for seasoned veterans. I’m sure there are seasoned veterans who are more seasoned than me, I’m just a little bit seasoned, but I’ll do my best here.

So without further ado, I present to you my VERY disorganized list:

Tip Number 1 (for everyone): Trust your instincts.

I’m saying this to myself as much as anyone else. NaNoWriMo is a time of frenzied, sleep-deprived word vomiting. As romantic as it sounds to sit listening to the rain over a cup of coffee, scribbling out a novel, it’s not always glamorous. You’ll inevitably hit writer’s block, forget what words are, and second-guess yourself. I’m second-guessing myself right now, and we haven’t even started yet.

But what happens when you let go of that inner editor critiquing your every move?

Release your inner writer! Chances are, some part of you will just instinctively know what story to write. Or where to take your plot. Or how to get your character where he needs to go. The instincts may be wrong sometimes, but that’s what the other months are for! Which brings us into tip number B:

Tip Number B (for first-time Wrimos): Get the words written.

The point of NaNoWriMo is not to write a bestseller. That’d be impossible in 30 days. All you have to worry about right now is to get the words written. Just get them on the page. And you can worry about the rest later.

It’s okay to write a bad novel. I certainly have. Give yourself permission to make mistakes. Leave in the typos, even. Polishing and editing both come later.

Tip Number 2½ (for seasoned veterans): Write every day.

Chances are, if you’re a seasoned veteran, you’re no longer the young, carefree writer you once were. You have responsibilities and stuff now. You have to go to work, or at least keep up with schoolwork. I guess this tip could also be for first-time Wrimos. If you find yourself swamped with grown-up responsibilities, it may very well be the case that you’re just unable to write every day. And do you know what? That is okay.

Personally, I have found that writing every day helps me tremendously, and I suspect many writers are the same. There are some days that I just don’t feel like it, and I don’t have any ideas at all. But even if I write something as short as a paragraph, I will have written something. And that is something to celebrate!

Tip Number Whatever (for everyone): Get some writing snacks.

I say it every year: chocolate. Does a writer really need anything else?

Snacks are a great way to motivate yourself! Try setting up a snack stash that’s just for writing time. That way, you can reward yourself for sitting down to write and have something to munch or sip on as you enter into the world of words. I’ve stocked up on chocolate, crackers, juice, and my favorite teas!

Tip Number Five-ish (for first-time Wrimos): Establish a routine.

Write at the same time every day. Sit in the same place. Use the same pen. Listen to the same music. These are just a few ideas for establishing a writing routine!

Of course, you may not be able to stick to the routine for every writing session; life just gets in the way, and sometimes you have to get those words written no matter what. But a routine will help you stay consistent!

Tip Number Six (for seasoned veterans): Do not let your past failures define you.

I have a lot of failed stories that never made it past chapter two before I gave up on them. I haven’t won every NaNoWriMo I’ve ever attempted. But I can’t get stuck there. I just have to try again, because this is something I am passionate about.

Failing at something doesn’t mean you are a failure. It just means you’re learning. Maybe it just wasn’t the right time to write that story. Maybe you had too much else going on in your life to write a novel at the time. It’s okay to be afraid of failure, but you can’t let it stop you from doing something you love. Otherwise, you’ll never know how far you can go.

And that is what I want to leave you with: you never know how far you can go until you try. So go on, dear writer, and write. You might just discover something magical.