Preparing for NaNoWriMo 2022

Tomorrow is the start of National Novel Writing Month 2022. The goal is to write fifty thousand words of a novel in a month. This averages out at 1667 words a day, every day, throughout the month of November. Although this may not sound a lot per day, you only have to miss a day because of other things going on in your life and you are straightaway playing catch up. This will be my seventh attempt and after the success of my first effort in 2014 when I wrote 50,284 words, I do not always achieve my goal. However, I still think it's worth trying as it focuses my mind on the plot, while getting fully immersed in the story. By being in their company every day, I get to know my characters really well, too. There was one other year when I wrote 50,000 words and that was in 2020. Because we were in lockdown, I was able to maintain a steady regular output each day. I wasn't going anywhere! These words, added to the words already written before NaNo, meant that the first draft of my novel was finished. There was much editing to do but I was pleased that Her Nanny's Secret was published in September of the following year, 2021.

I missed the buzz of not taking part last year so I can't wait to get started tomorrow. Just registering and seeing my project with a name gave me real motivation to get the job done. At present, my WiP, with a working title of 'A Tale of Two Sisters', stands at 52,000 words so if I could write another 50,000 in the weeks to come thereby finishing the novel, I would have a completed first draft with which to edit and polish ready for submission. I already know that I have a number of days away from the computer so the graph for 2022 NaNo will not look as regular as the one above. 

So, how have I prepared this year? 

• I've been writing plans of forthcoming scenes and highlighting any research needed or things to find out beforehand
• I've listed all those and made notes, ticking them off on the list as they were completed
• I've drawn an imagined map of the tunnels under the cathedral and invented the number of paces to places of interest - a hiding place, a corner where a makeshift altar was erected, an area where prison inmates were housed
• I shall have my laptop open at my side with access to photographs taken on research trips for inspiration and authenticity while I type on the PC

In that way, I hope to be able to write without interruption by not having to stop and check on details. There will still be plenty of that to do when I start editing. I shall try to write more on the days when I know I'll be away from the computer the following day in order not to slip too far behind. As well as a meeting with the RNA Cariad Chapter in Cardiff tomorrow, I'm visiting Westonbirt Arboretum with family and friends on Thursday, followed by an evening talk by author, Barbara Erskine. I may be behind after the first week if I'm not careful! Wish me luck!

Thank you for reading. Are you taking part in NaNo this year? How have you prepared for it? I'd love to read your comments. 

GOOD LUCK!

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