10 Steps to Prepare for a Long Writing Sprint
Photo by Clemens van Lay on Unsplash
Although the official NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) no longer exists, you may be preparing for a long writing sprint to close out the end of the year. For some people, adding the pressure of completing X number of words (the traditional 50,000 or some other number) feels like too much pressure to put on what is often the busiest time of year. For others, it’s the perfect time to think of pushing to complete a major project.
Of course, you can do a major writing sprint at any time of year. For me, the best time is the beginning of the new year, when I have that “New Year” energy, and there’s less going on in my life. So, whether you’re doing one now, or thinking of doing one later, I have put together some tips to help you prepare.
If possible, find support. It can be hard to stay motivated to do a major writing sprint alone. Grab a friend, start a group. Share your goals. They don’t have to be the same. One person might be going for that 50K word rough draft. Others might be on a final editing sprint to complete a manuscript. Someone else might focus on writing a poem a day. Having a clear goal in mind makes it much more likely that you will complete it. Also – share how you plan to reward yourself at the end!
Create a schedule. Break down your goal into daily pieces. Then, figure out how much writing time you’ll need to complete that. Then, put it in your calendar. Do not simply assume you will find time! 50K, or 1,666 words per day for 30 days, is a stretch goal for many. Make it something that is a stretch, but doable. If it’s impossible, and you know it, that will de-motivate you very quickly. You'll fall behind, and – poof – you've failed.
Plan for what you’ll write. It might be a time goal – 15 minutes of freewriting every day. Or a poem a day. In these cases, you just show up and write. For other goals, some planning will be in order. You might mindmap, or blueprint, or outline, or freewrite, or do a Stoplight analysis of what editing needs to be done – whatever works to get you revved up so you don’t get to your first writing session and stare at the blank page.
Make this a focus on writing. In other words, reading craft books, or doing research, or any other procrastination-that-is-writing-adjacent doesn’t count. Of course, there are times when we need to do those things. But there are also times when we use them as a crutch to avoid the work we know we need to do.
Let it be messy. Tell yourself it’s okay not to be perfect - especially if you are doing the traditional 50K long rough draft. This is also a product of focusing on the writing, and not anything else. Forcing yourself to focus on the writing means pushing past those internal barriers that say I can’t. Often once you push yourself, you’ll find the answer to your story problem, or achieve an unexpected breakthrough.
Don’t edit as you write. Let this be a time to create. Allow your creative brain full rein here. Let your editor brain kick in after you’ve completed the sprint. Again, pushing past the desire to edit will allow your imagination to open up. A micromanaged creator, with the internal editor always on her shoulder, will never fly as high and free as she will if she lets the creator loose.
Track your progress. Create a calendar or some other visual representation of your progress. Make a big red X, or put on a fun sticker, or something that is a visual motivator.
Remember your Why. When motivation flags, remembering why you’re doing this is important. Not just why you’re doing the sprint, but why you’re doing this particular project. You can even write it down and display it in your workspace. It’s okay to list external motivators as well as internal.
Prepare for the next day. Whether you leave off in the middle of a sentence, or jot down a few notes or ideas to spark your imagination the next time you sit down to write, it’s a huge motivator to know that you already have some clay to start with before you start spinning the wheel.
Plan for self-care. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep, nutritious food, water, and exercise. A writing sprint doesn’t equal letting everything else go. Without all those things, you will find you have much less energy to write. If you’re pushing yourself to go beyond what you usually do, this may require some planning. Shopping ahead for simple meals to prepare (or trying out a meal service for a month); having plenty of easy, nutritious snacks on hand; deciding when and what kind of exercise will benefit you (maybe you dial back a little to give yourself more time to write, or maybe you do more walking and less aerobic-class-based exercise).
Is anyone planning to do a November Writing Sprint this year? If so, let us know in the comments!
If you like this, head on over to the Contact Page and sign up to get my monthly newsletter featuring tips on creativity, productivity, and the writer’s craft.
