To some university students, November isn’t about growing a moustache (Movember) or even preparing yourself for the crazy fun that is Christmas. It’s about NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and the stress of writing a whole novel – or a shorter piece of fiction – in 30 days, all whilst balancing a full university schedule AND a social life. I know, it’s a daunting task. However, there are ways to write a novel and stay on top of your student life. So whether you’re a NaNoWriMo veteran or a newbie participant like myself, here are five ways you can balance a month of daily writing on top of your academic work.
1. Use the resources.
The NaNoWriMo website will turn out to be your first port of call in November, so why not make the most of it? It has an amazing number of resources, from tips on how to structure your dialogues, to Q&A sessions with writers and publishers. Definitely try and use their “prompt creators”, because they’re great for when you’re stuck for ideas. Which is undoubtedly going to happen at some point. Sigh.
2. Organisation and planning is key.
Spending a whole 30 days writing and trying to hit your target word count everyday can get uber stressful, especially when you’re doing it after your lectures and seminars. To prevent tearing your hair out on November 30th, plan out your writing vs. university tasks, and organise your days according to how much uni work you have to do compared to how many words you need to reach. Everything will be much easier if you’re following a daily schedule.
3. Work in a group/with a writing buddy.
The good thing to know about NaNoWriMo is that you’re not the only one doing it! The NaNoWriMo website can assign you a region according to where you live when you sign up, and there are often meetings and trips planned between the people living in the same area that may help with your inspiration. The website also suggests having a writing buddy for the month, a useful thing if you feel like bouncing your ideas off someone. This could be online, or in person if you’re lucky enough to know someone also taking the challenge!
4. Know your limits.
NaNoWriMo isn’t for everyone, even if you’re an aspirational writer. If you find yourself overwhelmed with school work, or unable to write a novel with only a month’s deadline, don’t be afraid to stop for a few days, or even back out if it all really gets too much. Be sure to always take things at your own pace. There’s always next year to prove your writing chops, and school work should definitely always come first.
5. Finally, have fun!
As stressful and time-consuming as it may be, if you’re organized and have a good idea or outline, you’ll have an amazing time. You’ll be getting to know other student writers along the way, and expanding your writing skills beyond what you’d ever thought you could do. Getting rewarded with a “NaNoWriMo” winner title is a good bonus too, and a clear motivation to do it again next year!