Last week I wrote a slightly pessimistic article that described my past experience with NaNoWriMo. In it I explained how none of my attempts had been remotely successful, and I admitted to myself that nothing was likely to change. I had accepted defeat, but I was going to try again anyway, as a sort of proof to my inner writer that it wasn't feasible. One week later, though, I am pleasantly surprised to report that I'm on top of my word count. Not only that, but it hasn't taken me nearly as long as I had expected, and I'm finding myself actually looking forward to the time of day when I sit down and start typing. Honestly, I'm still kind of in shock. What changed in me that allowed this miracle to occur? I think a large part of it is that I finally found the writing routine that works best for me. Here are some things I've done this week to increase my production.
1. Break Time.
I've found that before I settle down to write, I need some time for my brain to switch over from school mode to free time mode. I start to lose the ability to study effectively at around 5 p.m., so when that time hits I stop what I'm working on and spend some time talking and hanging out with my family, reading something I enjoy, and maybe watching a video or playing a game. This cool-down time lasts about three hours. That's more than enough time for me to decompress, eat dinner, and (most importantly) make sure my family knows I haven't wasted away up in my room. Once I make the mental switch from work to fun, I'm more relaxed and able to approach writing as a luxury instead of as a chore.
2. My Working Hours.
I give myself a little more time than I actually need to write my amount of words for the day. I start at 8 p.m. and allow myself until 11 p.m. at the latest to get everything done. In the past, I was able to churn out about 500 words per hour on a good day, so when I started I figured three hours, give or take a little, would be barely enough time to squeeze out my daily 1,667 words. To my surprise though, when I sat down to write I found that I was able to meet my word count in about two hours. It turns out that when I sit down and type for longer than an hour, I hit the writer's equivalent of a runner's high. I get loosened up and the words flow much faster and easier after that point. Using a bigger block of time instead of little chunks here and there throughout the day allows me to be far more productive in the long run.
3. Tea is Key.
During my first writing session, I made myself a cup of tea on a whim. I'd heard hot beverages were a writer's best friend, and I needed all the help I could get, so I gave it a shot. I allowed myself half an hour to drink my tea and gather my courage to write, and to my amazement, something clicked in my brain. at 8:30 sharp, when I set down my empty cup, the words began to flow and they didn't stop until the job was done. I was not lied to, it seems. Tea clearly gains magical abilities during the month of November that only affect writers. Anyone participating should take this into account.
4. Progress Reports.
When I'm reading, I like to feel like I'm getting somewhere. I have a tic of absently flipping through and measuring the amount of pages left in a chapter with one hand as I'm reading. I decided to apply a similar concept to writing as well. When I'm writing, I keep the NaNoWriMo website up in a separate tab on my computer so that I can frequently update my word count. I do this about every 100 words or so. This lets me see how close I'm getting to finishing my word count. There's something very satisfying about that to me, and it helps me push through to the end. When I do break my word count goal for the day, I even find myself mildly disappointed.
I'm not sure exactly why it took me so long to figure all of this out. I know my own habits and oddities pretty well, but I had never really worked with them when I was writing. Perhaps I was trying too hard before. I likely overthought it and had some mystical image of the ideal way a writer should write, even though I'd been told every process is different. Part of it is likely that college has forced me to loosen up in my writing and not worry about every tiny detail being perfect, or even good. A part of me is annoyed that it took me the majority of my lifetime to find a consistent routine, but the rest of me is so overwhelmingly relieved that I don't care. Whatever the reason for my sudden creative productivity, I'm supremely grateful. I might actually have a shot at the winner's circle this year.
