It’s NANO time, peeps and we’re a whopping two days in. How’s everyone doing with their word counts? You nailing that 1667 a day thing? You are? Good for you!
I’m right there with you, toiling away one word at a time. I figured this would be a good time to share a few survival tips for the upcoming weeks of word carnage.
Hopefully you met November 1st with a solid plan. Okay, maybe not a solid-solid plan, more like the bones of a plan, but either way, you have a map (of sorts).
TIP 1: Change direction – when you’re racing down the NANO-bahn at 1667 wph (words per hour, in case you were wondering) and you whip around that curve only to slam on the brakes to avoid the sudden gap in the story asphalt, take a moment to calm your racing heart by reciting every blue word you’ve ever heard (and maybe a few you made up). Go ahead and stare at what lies in front of you: what happened to the story asphalt? It’s like it was ripped away by the cruel hand of the Muse, leaving no traces behind.
Don’t panic. It just means it’s time to re-route. Switch it up a little. Take the scenic route and drop what’s happening in a different location. Or try letting another character drive for a bit. Whatever you do, there’s always a detour available and you’ll eventually end up right back on the NANO-bahn.
TIP 2: Timed trials—not quite getting the wph you want? Try a few timed trials. Start with 15 minutes, then play around with what gets you the best speed. Maybe the 20 mark is better. Try it in the morning, when the sun’s just coming up, or chase the moon across the sky. Don’t forget to shut down the AC and radio so you can plumb every iota of speed out of your keyboard. Don’t worry about who’s watching, I promise the cops are busy elsewhere, so hit the gas and conquer that straightaway.
TIP 3: Evil Knievel It! This is when you decide your ride is just way too boring and want to kick it up a notch. Just leave a note at the spot you left so when you go back to try it again, you don’t forget what’s there, and then jump on over to the next heart-pounding stretch.
TIP 4: Join a race—about mid-way through your journey you may find you’re getting a little lonely. Never fear, look around, I guarantee the other drivers would be happy to commiserate over that rock slide that happened back at mile marker 15 or even better, they’ll be able to give you a head’s up about the nasty road construction going on at the mountain’s bend and share that two lane road that snakes around it.
Whatever happens during your time on the NANO-bahn, remember: the distance you traveled doesn’t matter, only that you gave it your best shot.
Write on!