Four Tips to Win Camp NaNoWriMo 2021
I blinked, and half the month disappeared. Remember that Camp NaNoWriMo 2021 challenge I gave myself?
Yeah, me too.
Are you behind?
Yeah, me too.
This week, I’m throwing down two pieces of motivation, and four tips to help you meet your goal.
You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.”
―
Don’t Panic, You Still Have Time to Win Camp NaNoWriMo 2021
When the month started, we were ready. We had the energy to meet the challenge and a clear vision of what it would feel like to win Camp NaNoWriMo 2021. Now we’re in the saggy middle and we’re wondering if it’s worth it.
Of course it is.
Sure, the effort will be greater, but we can still reach our goal. Recommit to your project and yourself.
Don’t Quit, You Still Have Time to Win Camp NaNoWriMo 2021
We all have stuff come up. Wanna hear my excuse? Edits came in for Book 1, so I dropped Book 2 like a hot potato. But do I still want to finish the month with a significant amount of work invested into Book 2?
You better believe it.
Continuing toward your goals, despite distractions and setbacks, will help grow your resilience.
Tips to Win Camp NaNoWriMo 2021
Get Realistic. It’s time to buckle down. At the start of NaNoWriMo, we have a goal of 1670 words per day to meet the 50,000 word goal. However, because I’m behind, I have to calculate my new work rate.
For me, that’s 50,000 minus the words I’ve completed (17,217), leaving 32,783 words. Dividing that by the number of days left in April (14) means I need to increase my rate to a little over 2,300 words per day. Tougher for sure, but not impossible, especially since I can do more than the minimum on weekend days.
Get Engaged. NaNoWriMo participants are terrific cheerleaders and do a magnificent job of encouraging each other. Reach out to other WriMo’s through the NaNo Discord channel, on the socials, or in any writing forum you engage with. Last November, I found joining the NaNoWriMo virtual write-ins were key to helping me keep on top of my word goals!
Get Motivated. Remember the vision you had when you started your creative project? Visualize what finishing your project will feel like. Even if you don’t feel like writing right now, how badly do you want to meet your goal?
Get Working. Seriously, it’s time to boogie. You still have time to win Camp NaNoWriMo 2021, but the task only grows harder with each day you delay. I challenge you to open up your project, today- now- and work on a paragraph. Then another.
Now that you’re sufficiently motivated, I’m throwing down one last gem. Know what? Even if you don’t meet your goal, you’ll still win. Sure, you won’t get that banner to brag on the socials…but you’ll be 15,000 or 35,000 or 47,000 words closer to your goal. That’s a win, my friends.
I’m ready to get to work. I promised myself I’d finish 50,000 words this month and by gum, I will not break a promise to myself. How about you?
Header Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash