5 Tips for Surviving NaNoThon

In honor of today’s first ever NaNoThon and as seasoned binge writer, I feel it is my absolute duty to provide a few tips to those first-time marathon writers out there.

1.  Food & Caffeine: Eat breakfast (with coffee obviously). 

Brainpower increases with breakfast; studies found this with kids, it’s no different with you.  In fact, eat a good breakfast. The difference?  Don’t give an 8-year-old coffee please.

Plus, runners do. In fact, they start eating days before.  (Note: plural, days)

2.  Stretch before, during, and after: physically and mentally.

Physically

But wait! I thought this wasn’t an actual marathon.

Okay, maybe not, but trust me: no matter how comfortable you think that chair of yours is, after 8 hours, your body will thank you if you stretch before (and after). Sitting is hard on your body. Before, I recommend stretching your back (sitting compresses your spine – ouch!), shoulder stretches, and neck stretches.  Every hour or so, break and do a few, particularly the ones where you stand up. After, stretch out your muscles and celebrate!

Hidden benefit?  A completely unscientific and unquantifiable study (my own) has determined that stretching boosts concentration.

Oh, and hey, while you’re at it, try to sit with correct posture.

Mentally

Before? Do a writing warm-up. Maybe you did some in grade school. Here’s the key: make sure its totally different from the story you’re about to write. This post is my writing warm-up. Ideas for yours: journal entry, write about a current event today, more here.

After? Know where you’re going next – especially if you’re writing a novel. Jot down a few ideas for tomorrow or even for further down the road. You don’t want to lose that burst of creativity!

3.  More food and nutrition: Eat snacks filled with protein and hydrate regularly.

At the beginning of every day, I fill up 4-5 water bottles – quick to grab and for this NaNoThon, when I break, those seconds just might count in the long haul much like the runner who grabs a cup of water from the water station and runs.

That runner’s goo? Its packed with protein. Do yourself a favor, boost your energy and creativity with protein snacks.  If you’ve still got time, prepare them for a quick snag and snack.

4.  Create a goal. Now stretch it.

Think you can only write 4,000 words in those 8 hours?  Ha!  Challenge yourself.  If you write 1,000 words in 1 hour, why would you think you can only write 4,000 words in 8 hours?  That’s like telling a marathon runner who runs a 5 minute mile making a goal to complete a marathon in 260 minutes, or in other words, at a 10 minute mile pace!

Yes, you do get an allowance just like a runner would for endurance, but that doesn’t mean you can’t push yourself.  Usually write 1,000 words in an hour during NaNoWriMo?  Shoot for at least 6,000 or, better yet, go for gold and shoot for 8K.

Race yourself.

5.  Just keep moving forward.

Let’s face it: at some point today, you’re going to hit a writer’s wall. Guess what? Runners hit a runner’s wall too.

Do you know what comes after you push through the wall?  The high. Once you’re in the dregs, you’re about to get to the good part.  Like a runner, use a mantra for yourself and literally write it out when you think “I’ve got nothing else.”

Like The Little Engine That Could, you’ve just got to think you can.  Soon, you will say “I did.”

BONUS!

6.  Turn off the social media and livestream, if necessary.

The social media and livestream features that the Office of Letters and Light have going for this NaNoThon are pretty awesome, BUT if you find yourself checking them repeatedly… Guess what? You’ve GOT to turn them off.

If you were running a marathon, would you take mile-long detours? I thought not.

BOTTOM LINE?

You’ve been training for this, right?  Its fun. Plus, you deserve that writer’s high.