NaNoWriMo Tip #6: Get Comfortable With Telling Lies

By Maryann Yin 

When author Mac Barnett gave a talk at TEDx SonomaCounty, he described his occupation as writing “honest lies” for children. Barnett is not the first (nor will he be the last) to point out that being an artist sometimes requires spinning a few tall tales.

To help NaNoWriMo participants get in the right mind frame, we’ve embedded an animated video above that focuses on “The Language of Lying.” We’ve also collected three tips from this TED-Ed lesson:

(1) “Liars reference themselves less when making deceptive statements.”

(2) “Liars tend to be more negative.”

(3) “Liars typically explain events in simple terms.”

This is our sixth NaNoWriMo Tip of the Day. To help GalleyCat readers take on the challenge of writing a draft for a 50,000-word novel in 30 days, we will be offering advice throughout the entire month.