How to Write a Novel in a Month: 8 Tips for Success

Writing a novel in a month can help anyone break out of their rut—whether it’s your first novel or your tenth. Here are some reasons why it can be rewarding:

1. 1. It gets you writing. The main idea behind writing a novel in a month is that it encourages writers to write. If you’ve felt like you’re stuck in a rut or overwhelmed by writer’s block, this may be just the thing to get you reinvigorated about a new writing project.
2. 2. It establishes a daily routine. More than just getting you to write during the month, the exercise of writing a novel in a month helps you establish a consistent writing routine. In the end, it’s not all about writing a great book—it’s also about the writing habits and writing processes you develop along the way.
3. 3. It’s all about the first draft. Another big problem writers often have is they get hung up on editing everything they’ve written, rewriting and polishing it before they move on—and this usually results in not a lot of writing. If you decide to write a novel in a month, you don’t have time for the editing process. This will help you focus on word count and moving forward rather than idling. It will help you release your focus on writing an instant bestseller and get back in the mindset of a rough draft, which is the right place to start.

Interested in diving in? While there’s no perfect step-by-step guide for how to write a novel in a month, here are some writing tips to help make your experience a success:

1. 1. Come up with a rough outline beforehand. Even if your writing is contained within one month, that doesn’t mean you can’t think about your story idea beforehand. Start working on your general idea: Write down a one-sentence premise; brainstorm some bullet points of plot and conflict; keep a list of main characters’ names, ages, backgrounds, and motivations; write a one-sentence description of your setting. Even if you describe yourself as a “pantser” (someone who writes by the seat of their pants), having a general outline of your next book will make all the difference when it comes time for you to fill in the details as you write.
2. 2. Decide on your daily word count. It’s absolutely vital that you set a specific goal for your writing time each day. For instance, the NaNoWriMo event specifies that the goal of participants is to write 50,000 words of a new book (either a 50,000-word novel or the first 50,000 words of a novel to be finished later) by writing every day of the month. This averages out to about 1,700 words per day. Whatever your target word count, make sure that you stick with it and don’t write too little every day. The goal is to channel your motivation so that you can keep the momentum going for the entire month.
3. 3. Set aside writing time. Set aside time to start writing every day to make sure you avoid procrastination and learn how to work around your time constraints. Can you only write during your lunch break at your full-time day job, or during your child’s naptime? Do you prefer writing early in the morning or late at night? Decide now whatever time range will work best for you for your writing session, and write it down somewhere so that it feels official.
4. 4. Designate a place to write. Whether it’s your desk, your couch, the library, or a sunny bench outside, going to the same place every day will help send a consistent signal to your brain: It’s time to write. Pay attention to the first time or two that you sit down—if partway through the month, something just isn’t working, be ready to change your routine a little. Maybe your desk is too formal, or the library is too quiet, or your computer is too distracting and you need to abandon the word processor in favor of a notebook. Whatever it is, let yourself explore other options to make your writing process work for you.
5. 5. Find time to read for inspiration. If you’re having a hard time with writing inspiration during the month, consider setting aside a little time to read the work of other writers to get your creative juices flowing. Read something in your genre or something totally outside of it; pick up one of your favorite books or one you’ve never read. Sometimes, reading another book can help you see what’s not working in your own project.
6. 6. Keep writing. Writing a novel in a month is a sprint, but it’s not a race—the point is merely to finish, not to finish first. Throughout the month, distractions may come up and keep you from reaching your goal for a particular day, but that doesn’t mean that you should give up. The most important part of this exercise is to keep writing. In that same vein, even after the month is up, try to avoid asking, “Now what?” The goal is to establish consistent writing habits, so after thirty days, what to do next is to readjust your word-count goals and keep it up.
7. 7. Tailor your routine to your needs. If you simply don’t have time to write a novel in a month, don’t set yourself up for failure by saying you’ll write 1,700 words a day only to burn out after the first week. Make the exercise work for you—instead of a novel, how about writing a novella in a month, or a collection of short stories? And if fiction writing isn’t your thing, try a nonfiction book instead.
   
8. 8. Find other writers. Connect with other writers or find a local writing community. Communicating with other writers who are trying to write their novel in a month is a great way to stay accountable and track your daily progress.

Feeling like writing a novel in a month sounds fun but might end up being a waste of time? Here are a few NaNoWriMo novels—published books that began as NaNoWriMo projects:

1. 1. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (2006)
2. 2. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell (2013)
3. 3. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (2011)
4. 4. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins (2010)
5. 5. The Darwin Elevator by Jason M. Hough (2013)
6. 6. Wool by Hugh Howey (2011)

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