NaNoWriMo Part 4: The Last Bits

Ahh, those last few weeks before NaNoWriMo begins. Whether you've just started prep or are almost done, panic is starting to set in. You've got so much to do before November starts. In my final NaNoWriMo post, I'm going to cover the last things you'll need before your month long adventure. Let's start.

1: Pack Prep

Every NaNo-er (if that's a word) needs a well packed bag all ready to go. It will help keep your things in one place, because who wants to lose something when you only have thirty days to write, and should you go somewhere, it will all be right there so you can grab it and go.

Before you can gather the things to put inside, you need the perfect bag to put it all in. Note: this is the perfect opportunity to buy a new bag. Your bag should be big enough so that you can fit everything in nicely, but not so big you look like Mary Poppins trying to get something out. (Although, her bag would be quite handy sometimes.) It should also be sturdy, and look good.

Bag Essentials-

Laptop (for computer writers)
Lined paper (for paper writers)
Pencils, at least two
Pencil sharpener or extra lead if it's a mechanical pencil
Eraser
Outline, character sketches, and setting notes
Scene list

Less Essential-

Pencil bag (for organization)
Headphones
Music
Story inspiration

Do your best to keep your bag organized so you can find things when you need them. Keep it somewhere safe and don't forget to plug in your electronics. You don't want them to die when you need them most.

2: Goals

Having goals for yourself during the month can be helpful. And not only for your story. As you know, you have to write 1,666 words a day. You should make goals for yourself on when you should be hitting major amounts, like 10,000, 20,000, and so on. This helps you keep on track.

Because you'll be spending so much time writing, you may also want to set little goals for other things you need to accomplish. You may also want to completely clear your schedule and spend all of November living like a hermit, except Thanksgiving Day. Whatever floats your boat.

3: Rewards and Motivation

This ties in to the goal setting part. When you accomplish something, like finishing your daily word count, or each ten thousand words, you should reward yourself. Have thirty pieces of chocolate, one for each day, but only if you reach your word count. Decide on bigger goals for every ten thousand words, and plan something really special if you win. This really helped me last year to keep going.

You also need to keep motivated. There are many ways to do this. Encourage yourself with how writing 50,000 words will feel. Imagine the shame of not accomplishing your goal after telling everyone you know. Tell everyone you know first, so you can't back out. This post from K. M. Weiland has several good ideas.

4: Resources

And lastly, here's a list of many resources for you to read through, to help you with NaNoWriMo. (You can also follow my NaNoWriMo Pinterest board.)

6 Tasks You'll Love Yourself for Checking Off Your NaNo Pre-Write List

5 Ways to Prep for NaNoWriMo

Everything You'd Ever Need to Write a Novel: The Ultimate Camp NaNoWriMo Packing List (totally applicable to NaNoWriMo as well)

Write a Novel In a Month

How to Survive+ Conquer NaNoWriMo

K. M. Weiland from Helping Writers Become Authors and Kristen Kieffer from She's Novel are also having NaNoWriMo series on their websites, so be sure to check them out as well.

And there you have it. The end of my NaNoWriMo series. Don't forget to read parts one, two, and three. This has been fun and I personally can't wait for November.

What's in your NaNo bag? What rewards do you have planned for yourself? Let me know in the comments.