NaNoWriMo Resource Round-Up
NaNoWriMo is a significant undertaking, and it can help a lot to have some resources to fall back on both during prep for November and during the event itself. Here are some of the resources I’ve found helpful in past years.
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Programs
Fighter’s Block
Fighter’s Block is a sprinting tool that’s great for cranking out words. You select a character, set a word count to beat, and hit start. You type directly into the site, and as long as you’re typing: 1) you’re lowering your opponent’s health points, 2) your opponent can’t hit you, and 3) you’re building up your own HP. If you stop typing, though, your health starts to deteriorate. Fighter’s Block has settings for monster speed (how quickly your HP fades if you stop), monster strength (how much HP disappears at a time if you stop), and the look of the word processor (font, size, background color, etc.). It’s a really handy tool, and it’s helped me out a lot over the years since I discovered it.
Scrivener
Scrivener* is not a necessary tool for NaNoWriMo by any means, but if you have the money to invest it can be a great tool for November and beyond. It allows you to keep all of your planning notes and all of your actual draft in the same file, so they’re all easy to access and you don’t have to keep switching between windows, and even allows you to see them in the window side-by-side (which I’ve found helpful when referencing an outline). And if you’re participating through the NaNoWriMo site, you can get 20% off Scrivener, or 50% off if you win the event, so it might be worth investing in after NaNoWriMo instead (which I think is what I did a few years ago). But I do highly recommend the software, either way.
Community
Christian Teens Together!
If you’re a Christian teen participating through the NaNoWriMo site, come join us in this forum thread! It’s full of super supportive, kind, open people, and I’ve found it to be a really edifying atmosphere. We pray for each other all the time, we cheer each other on, we have respectful theological debates… It’s just a really cool group, so definitely come join us. :) (Fair warning, though: We talk a lot and it can be difficult to keep up sometimes. XD)
Story Embers
Story Embers is a website that was created with Christian authors–of all ages–in mind. The blog provides awesome faith-based writing advice, and the forums are a fun and encouraging place to talk about the craft, share our stories, and cheer each other on. We tend to be fairly quiet on the forums (at least from what I can tell, but I don’t check the new topics very often), so if you’re looking for something more fast-paced this probably isn’t a great fit unless you join it and another group.
Go Teen Writers
Teen writers in general are welcome to join the Go Teen Writers Facebook group, which is a great place to ask for writing advice and feedback. There are often word wars hosted in the group throughout November, which I’ve found super helpful.
Prep
Preptober Prompts
Preptober Prompts is an event I created last year and I’m trying to improve upon this year. Each day, there’s a prompt to get you thinking about your NaNoWriMo project in a different way than you might have before. If you haven’t been following it up to this point, you can catch up at the post above (there are links to all of the prompts so far), or you can just jump on this week over at Saver of Memories.
Articles:
5 Benefits of NaNoWriMo – Scribes & Archers
Why Bother With NaNoWriMo? – Pen of a Ready Writer
NaNoWriMo Prep Tips – Briana Morgan
Writing for NaNoWriMo: Making October Count – The Sprint Shack
Checklist: 30 Things to Do for NaNo Prep – The Road of a Writer
How to Rock NaNoWriMo This November – Well-Storied
Other
The Scribes & Archers resource library includes a NaNoWriMo prep checklist for newsletter subscribers!
November Tips
Articles:
Writing Tips for NaNoWriMo – A Tea With Tumnus
NaNoWriMo Tips: 9 Ways to Hit 50k in Less Than 30 Days – A Tea With Tumnus
How to Survive + Conquer NaNoWriMo – Jenny Bravo Books
6 Tips and Tricks for NaNoWriMo Success – Scribes & Archers
Side Note
For those of your participating in Preptober Prompts, today is the last day I’ll be accepting prompt submissions! If you want your blog to be featured at the end of this month, submit a NaNoWriMo prep prompt below!
Awesome post, Archer! 😀 I can’t believe how quickly October is going by…November will be here before we know it. Which means, I should be outlining…🙃
Thanks so much for sharing my post! I really appreciate it!
This is a great list of helps! November 1st just won’t come soon enough! My fingers are itching to write this story.
Absolutely! You put into words something I think is super important to remember for NaNoWriMo. ^-^