Final Push for the Nanowrimo
by Janice Seagraves
With only a few days left of the Nanowrimo, it's time for the final push. Unless you already finished, most will want to put their writing into high gear and pull all-nighters to make up the word count.
Here’s some tips from me. These techniques can also work for you if you’re trying to finish a manuscript:
Give yourself permission to write a sloppy first draft: we’re writing for speed here. Write sloppy and forget grammar until December first.
Time yourself: You can set a clock for twenty minutes and write as fast as you can until the alarm goes off.
Write a hundred words at a time: I've done this quite a bit and it works well. When the clock is ticking down to midnight and you want to get your words in as fast as possible. Leave the Nanowrimo website open and keep yourself logged in. Then write a hundred words at a time and post it. Seeing the numbers go up helps to keep you encouraged to write more.
Introduce a monster, a murderer or a natural disaster. Nothing makes the word count add up than danger.
Change genres: If you’re working on suspense change it to romance. If you're writing romance add some horror elements, or mystery, or paranormal. How about werewolves in space or a vampire? I've seen it done.
Take a page from the Soap Operas: Add a missing or unknown twin, or a secret baby, or have one of the characters get shot. Hey, it worked well for Larry Hagman’s (J.R. Ewing) career.
Take a chance and go for it!
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Janice Seagraves's website: http://janiceseagraves.org/
Janice Seagraves's blog: http://ladyjanice.blogspot.com/
