National Novel Writing Month, also called NaNoWriMo, is right around the corner. As writers prepare for the challenge of writing a novel in a month, many wonder how they will manage it. Writing 50k words in 30 days is a daunting task.

These tips will help writers be more productive every month of the year. Especially for self-publishing authors, more time to write means more opportunities to write their bestselling masterpiece.

1. Use an Outline

Many writers like to let their story unfold as they write but doing so costs time and wasted words when the author realizes they are taking a detour they never planned and their story suddenly is heading in a completely different direction than the one they thought. This can result in thousands of wasted words and hours of wasted time.

Having a solid outline for a story is one of the best ways for a writer to use their writing time to its full potential.

2. Be Prepared Before Sitting at the Keyboard

This ties into tip #1. The time to plan and daydream stories isn’t while sitting at the keyboard.

Keyboard time is for writing. Thinking through scenes can be done while showering, washing dishes, or any other number of menial tasks that people do throughout their day. Before a writer sits down to write they should already have a solid idea of what will be said and done in the scene they are writing. This allows their time at the keyboard to be more productive as it will be spent turning the story into words instead of weaving plot threads.

3. Use Speech to Text

Most people can talk faster than they can type. A good speech-to-text program will increase the number of words most writers can get on the page in a writing session.

4. Create a Writing Routine

Write at the same time every day, if that is at all possible.

Many writers benefit from having things in their writing routine that signal to their brain it is writing time. That could be a specific time, a place they sit with their laptop, a hat they only wear when writing, an electronic typewriter that is only used for writing, or even the act of turning off the internet on a computer to avoid distractions.

Just as bedtime routines help children calm down and prepare to sleep, so too do writing routines get the writer in writing mode and call the muse forward to do her work.

5. Focus on One Step at a Time

Writing a novel can feel overwhelming and writers often feel as though they have to have all the answers when they sit down to the blank page. In actuality, most writers are more productive when they can focus on the scene they are writing today. Writers should not let themselves get distracted by things like interior book design or book manuscript formatting while writing their first draft. They also should not edit as they go but wait to edit until the first draft is completed. This eliminates unnecessary backtracking and time spent editing scenes that will be cut from the final draft.

Whether a writer is attempting to pen a novel in November or chipping away at the epic that is their magnum opus, time-saving techniques will help them find the time in their busy lives to birth their remarkable stories.

Once your story is created, InstantPublisher offers a wide range of self-publishing services to turn your draft into a digital or printed book. Call 1 800 259 2592, fill out our online contact form, or send an email to questions@instantpublisher.com for more information.

Almost every writer has an opinion about outlines. Some writers swear by them. Some hate them. Many writers are baffled by them.

As National Novel Writing Month approaches, many writers will find outlining a key ingredient in the recipe of finishing their novel in a month.

1. Outlines are a Road Map

Very few people would jump in a car to take a long journey with no concept of destination.

Writing a novel without some sort of outline is like deciding to take a vacation and jumping in the car with no plan. There might be some awesome sights seen along the way but there are also many avoidable challenges.

Outlines, at a minimum, should show the author the direction they want to take. It is the map equivalent of saying one wants to visit Disneyland and planning a trip with that destination in mind.

Before sitting down to create the roadmap for your book you should understand your end goal. Not just for the story but for the journey you want your book to take. For more thoughts on writing end goals read How to Organize Your Writing  Project.

2. Outlines Don’t Have to Be Too Detailed

Many writers feel that outlines will restrict the adventures they can take on their writing journey and they fear they will miss exciting roadside attractions on their quest to the destination.

Outlines can be minimalistic with a beginning, key scenes, and end noted in bullet points. It can equally be a detailed excel sheet describing every planned scene and listing who is present in the scene and what the goal of that scene is for the novel.

3. Detours Are Okay

Once a writer maps out the outline they can still take detours along the way if a new idea strikes them or if they stumble across a better road to take as the story is unveiled.

Outlines are tools, not contracts. Writers shouldn’t adhere to them to the detriment of their stories but they are a good way of keeping the writer focused on where the story is intended to go and to get the writer back on track after a detour is taken.

4. Genre Matters

Most genres have a built-in road map that writers of the genre should follow. Writers who plan to self-publish can deviate a bit more from genre norms but they should still be aware of them so that their audience is satisfied.

For example: in a romance novel, the characters who will fall in love must meet. They must spend time developing a relationship. The relationship must blossom and then there must be an incident that threatens to tear the couple apart. Finally, the couple must come back together and there must be an indication that the couple will live happily ever after. Even if a writer only plots out these points of their romance they are more likely to stay on their story’s path than an author floundering around with only the goal of a happily ever after somewhere near the end.

5. Map Out the Characters as Well as the Plot

Many writers assume outlining only involves planning the plot but that does them a disservice.

The plot is important and understanding where a story goes is extremely valuable for discovering a story but plots without characters don’t come alive. When an author outlines they should include the character arcs along with the plot. This allows them to write character growth and to map that growth along with the map of the plot.

Outlining is a valuable skill even when an author isn’t trying to write a novel in a month.

Once you’ve completed your novel, InstantPublisher can help assist in completing the book publishing process.

InstantPublisher offers a wide variety of self-publishing services including book printing and binding, interior book design, and custom book covers.

For more information about self-publishing services visit our website at https://www.instantpublisher.com. You can also call 1 800 259 2592, fill out our online contact form, or send an email to questions@instantpublisher.com.