National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) launched over the weekend! During November, writers around the globe attempt to write a draft for a 50,000-word novel in a 30-day period.
To help GalleyCat readers who are taking this challenge, we will be offering advice throughout the month. Last year, 325,142 NaNoWriMo participants wrote a book in 30 days. This year published authors including: Gene Luen Yang,N.K. Jemisin, Charlaine Harris and Diana Gabaldon will offer advice through weekly pep talks.
Every year, we collect and publish links to writing tools and tips to lend a helping hand. For today, we’ve rounded up five years’ worth of advice in a single post for GalleyCat writers. We hope these 130 writing tools will aid those who have signed up to tackle this daunting task.
20 National Novel Writing Month Tips from 2014
NaNoWriMo Tip #1: 110 Writing Tools in a Single Post
NaNoWriMo Tip #2: Get Some Pep
NaNoWriMo Tip #3: Plant Some Greenery On Your Desk
NaNoWriMo Tip #4: 3 Methods to Trigger Story Ideas
NaNoWriMo Tip #5: Start With a Memorable Introduction
NaNoWriMo Tip #6: Get Comfortable With Telling Lies
NaNoWriMo Tip #7: Always Carry a Notepad
NaNoWriMo Tip #8: Follow The Hero’s Journey
NaNoWriMo Tip #9: Banish Away Self-Doubt
NaNoWriMo Tip #10: 3 Ways to Tackle Writer’s Blockw`
NaNoWriMo Tip #11: 3 Ways to Use Dramatic Irony
NaNoWriMo Tip #12: Harness the Power of Simple Words
NaNoWriMo Tip #13: Practice Positive Psychology
NaNoWriMo Tip #14: Pare Down the Distractions
NaNoWriMo Tip #15: Consult Cheat Sheets
NaNoWriMo Tip #16: Write What You Don’t Know
NaNoWriMo Tip #17: 3 Skills to Help With Writing Dialogue
NaNoWriMo Tip #18: Use Strong Metaphors
NaNoWriMo Tip #19: Keep The Reader’s Perspective in Mind
NaNoWriMo Tip #20: Learn From 5 Established Authors
20 National Novel Writing Month Tips from 2013
NaNoWriMo Tip #1: Establish a Writing Schedule
NaNoWriMo Writing Tip #2: Create an Outline
NaNoWriMo Tip #3: Create a Character Outline
NaNoWriMo Tip #4: Establish a Setting
NaNoWriMo Tip #5: Develop Your Novel’s Plot
NaNoWriMo Tip #6: Don’t Think Like an Editor (Yet)
NaNoWriMo Tip #7: Develop Your Protagonist
NaNoWriMo Tip #8: Don’t Check Your Email
NaNoWriMo Tip #9: Make a Soundtrack For Your Book
NaNoWriMo Tip #10: Work on Point of View
NaNoWriMo Tip # 11: Assign Yourself a Word Count
NaNoWriMo Tip #12: Take a Walk
NaNoWriMo Tip #13: Save Your Work
NaNoWriMo Tip #14: Read a Chapter of Your Favorite Author’s Book
NaNoWriMo Tip #15: Listen to the Advice of the National Book Awards Nominees
NaNoWriMo Tip #16: Invent Names For Your Characters
NaNoWriMo Tip #17: Listen to the Advice of Great Authors
NaNoWriMo Tip #18: Drink Some Coffee
NaNoWriMo Tip #19: Power Write Through The Holiday Weekend
NaNoWriMo Tip # 20: Don’t Be Self-Critical
30 National Novel Writing Month Tips from 2012
How Stephen King Writes Imagery: NaNoWriMo Tip #1
Use Free Google Docs Tools: NaNoWriMo Tip #2
Write Like Hilary Mantel: NaNoWriMo Tip #3
NaNoWriMo Tip #4: Get Off The Internet
Submit Your NaNoWriMo Novel to Avon Impulse: NaNoWriMo Tip #5
25 Writing Prompts to Inspire Twitter Fiction: NaNoWriMo Tip #6
Check Your Grammar Online: NaNoWriMo Tip #7
NaNoWriMo Tip #8: Why You Should Write By Hand
Tools to Outline Your Novel: NaNoWriMo Tip #9
NaNoWriMo Tip #10: Use deviantART for Inspiration
NaNoWriMo Tip #11: Read Two Years’ Worth of Advice in a Single Post
NaNoWriMo Tip #12: Use WriteChain to Track Your Progress
Get Figment Writing Prompts: NaNoWriMo Tip #13
NaNoWriMo Tip #14: Turn Your Browser into a Typewriter
Fake Name Generator for Writers: NaNoWriMo Tip #15
NaNoWriMo Tip #16: Get Writer’s Digest Giveaways
NaNoWriMo Tip # 17: Answer Twitter Questions
Write with the 1,000 Most Common Words NaNoWriMo Tip #18
NaNoWriMo Tip #19: Visit Your Genre Lounge
Best Writing Music of 2012: NaNoWriMo Tip #20
NaNoWriMo Tip #21: How To Find a Writing Partner
Try the Cut-Up Machine: NaNoWriMo Tip #22
NaNoWriMo Tip #23: Dial 911 for Writer’s Block
Explore a Genre Mind Map: NaNoWriMo Tip # 24
NaNoWriMo Tip #25: Try the Random Line Generator
How To Create an Anti-Hero: NaNoWriMo Tip #26
NaNoWriMo Tip #27: Have a Literary Drink
Get Some Exercise: NaNoWriMo Tip #28
NaNoWriMo Tip # 29: Plot Bank for Writers
Don’t Forget To Edit: NaNoWriMo Tip #30
30 National Novel Writing Month Tips from 2011
1. Take the Random Cliche Test
7. Download Seven Free Writing eBooks
8. Get a Literary Butt-Kicking
12. Download the Free Writing Cheatsheet
13. “Obvious to you. Amazing to others.”
14. Listen to Spotify: NaNoWriMo Tip #14
15. Read 30 Tips from Last Year
17. Fix Your Computer Screen Color
18. Join the Typewriter Brigade
19. Fill Out a Character Chart
20. Meet Your Deadline with Kittens
23. Explore the World with Globe Genie
25. Try Communal World Building
28. Explore the Onomatopoeia Dictionary
30 National Novel Writing Month Tips from 2010
3. Cliche Finder Stops Cliches Before They Start
4. Take the Fantasy Novelist’s Exam
6. Seek Library Write-In Support
7. Consult Role Playing Game Plots
8. Best Pandora Stations for Writing
11. Use Foursquare for Inspiration
12. ‘Failure Instructs the Writer’
13: Use the Online Graphical Dictionary
14. Write ‘TK’ for Missing Facts
15. ‘Everyone Has a Certain Amount of Bad Writing to Get Out of Their System’
18. Use the Reverse Dictionary
19. Use Correct Writing Posture
21. ‘It’s Not a Sprint, It’s a Marathon’
22. Use Your Smartphone for Novel Writing & Editing
23. Turn Your Computer Into a Typewriter
24. Use Write or Die for Motivation
25. Relax with a Literary Drink
26. Browse BibliOdyssey for Inspiration
27. World of Warcraft Procrastinator Support