NaNoWriMo - Modus Operandi

So, it's day eleven of NaNoWriMo (National Write a Novel in a Month for the uninitiated) and I've almost caught up with the daily word count targets. I should have reached 18, 337 but as you can see from my progress meter on the left, I'm a little behind. My excuse is that I was away visiting family and attending a wedding for the first seven days and I'm quite proud that I started and have managed to catch up. It would have been so easy to just not bother.

I've tried lots of ways to structure my approach to NaNoWriMo challenge - this is my third, maybe fourth year - and this year I've returned to my first modus operandi. I wake at around 6.30 am, not naturally you understand but at the behest of my two large Italian sheepdogs who decide it's 'wakey wakey!' time. Depending on the day I will feed them, the cats and the chickens, (my Man Friday and I take it in turns - how is that for sharing the chores) make a cup of tea and return to bed.

Whilst MF is reading and with clear instructions not to laugh, snort or say a word, I open my journal, pick up pen and start to write until I've completed at least 5 pages, if not more. Depending on my style of writing that morning (it is influenced both by my mood and the pen I am using) I can write about 1500 words and it takes me about 30 minutes. This is made a tad easier this year, as I have taken time to outline the premise of the novel and my characters in detail prior to the challenge and have written around 30 one sentence scene prompts.

Later that day, I will process my journal entry onto my PC using the Scrivener programme which does not offer the distractions of Microsoft Word. During this time I can add anything up to 500 words and sometimes will go onto create further scenes that have resulted from the characters actions or is an extension of the plot I had planned. I do not edit or change what I have written down that morning, merely add to it. The morning activity provides an outline, a framework within which to build the scene.

Now this may seem OTT to those of you who go straight to your PC and tap away happily, but my method works for me. And that's kind of the point - I've read a lot of advice about how to 'do' NaNoWriMo and I think the only valid one is - do what works for you.

Until Later....