How to set goals for NaNoWriMo

NaNoWriMo starts on Saturday!

(on your mark…)

If you’re not familiar with NaNo, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. Basically, almost writer on the planet holes up for 30 days to scratch out 50,000 words on a fury of caffeine and chocolate snacks. Some over achievers actually spit out an entire novel. If you make the 50k word goal, you won!

But I’m a NaNo rebel. While I do like Twitter word sprints and inspirational posts, I usually adjust the 50k goal so my body doesn’t putter out with migraines around week two (which it usually does).

And, I figure if I share my goals publicly this year, I will be held accountable.

(get set….)

Here are my goals (Dream big at this stage—we’re going to edit goals later):

• finish line editing RBRP
  which includes Luka’s POV
  importing my stack of hard edits
• receive and incorporate feedback from my 3 readers
• send to other 3 readers, receive and incorporate feedback
• go over agent list to query
• research self pubbing more (I’ve been really waffling with RBRP on this)
• start drafting TPT—30k
• move back into posting twice a week

Here’s a dose of reality (very important if I want to set realistic goals for myself. Remember to take into account holidays, illnesses, and even a freebee day or two.):

• I’m gone for my sister’s bridal shower one weekend,
• attending a one day writer’s conference another weekend,
• and might be a leader for a 3-day junior high retreat for our church.
• Then there’s thanksgiving with family.
• And I’ve got to account for recovery days for travel and sick days (‘tis the life of a chronic migrainer….)

Now to tweak my goals (when reality meets the big dreams. If I want to win, I must make my goals realistic and geared to me):

• finish line editing RBRP
  which includes Luka’s POV
  (I can do this. I want it to take 1 week, but it will probably take me 2)
• importing my stack of hard edits
  (I’m fuzzy here. I want it to take 1 week. If I import as I hand to readers, it will take until December. If I’m really lucky, it might only take 2 weeks.)
• receive and incorporate feedback from my 3 readers
  (I can on 2 readers, 1 will take into December)
• send to other 3 readers, receive and incorporate feedback
  (I can’t control when they’ll give it back on 2, so I’ll do what I can)
• go over agent list to query
  (I’ll keep adding to the list, but I won’t refine it. Screen time aggravates my migraines, so this is a goal I can save until later)
• research self pubbing more
  (I will keep this, but make it less of a priority. I first need to finish RBRP before I can consider what to do with it)
• start drafting TPT—30k
  (I won’t put a number on this. TPT will be my fun outlet. It’s supposed to be quirky and funny anyway)
• move back into posting twice a week
  (Honestly, I’ll be happy with getting out one post a week, but I’ll keep trying for you!)

So, to make my goals a little more succinct and pretty (from greatest to least):

1. Finish line editing RBRP (Luka’s POV and moving hard copy edits into word doc)
2. Finish sending to readers and incorporate feedback, as much as I can
3. 1-2 blog posts a week

And, if the migraines stay where they’re supposed to and editing goes swiftly, I can add:

4. start drafting another book, as much as I can (either TPT, or even RPRP 2)
5. look more into self pubbing

I think that sounds doable. We will find out!

Onto Saturday!

(go!…)

Are you planning to participate in NaNoWriMo? Or are you a rebel and adjust the goals, like me?

If you do like the 50k idea, check out the official NaNoWriMo website. Lots of cool people and inspiration there 🙂