NaNoWriMo is almost over, and to those who have somehow managed to keep up, congratulations!

Now we’ve come to the moment in the writing process that is in my opinion more tricky than those bits in the middle. Whenever I’ve found myself close to completing something, I suddenly find myself far less ambitious in the writing process. I figure: well, I’m nearly there, I can relax a little.

Don’t.

Keep going.

Yes, you are nearly at the finish line.

But you’re not there yet.

Take a break by all means to feast on Thursday, but don’t forget that you’ve still got a few days left to reach that 50,000 word count!

As soon as you’ve slept off your holiday banquet.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Halfway through NaNoWriMo, it’s easy to imagine that many writers have reached their Mid-Book Doldrums.

Most of you are probably thinking: “What did I get myself into? How am I supposed to keep this thing going?”

It can be difficult to maintain momentum throughout a story, especially in the middle of your work. (Though truth be told, I have found that the place where I usually face the most difficulty is just as I’m approaching the end. We’ll discuss this more next time, because I think that’s an even more dangerous place than the middle.)

Still, the trick to get through all of this really is to just keep writing. Now, that is far easier said than done, but there it is. Just keep going! Write, write, and write, and then worry about editing and revising and making things pretty later. That’s for your second draft.

I’ve gathered together some quotes from writers about writing, as that seemed like a good source of motivation for those who are currently stuck in the middle. Take a little break, read what others have to say about exactly what you are experiencing right now, and then get back to work!

“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” –Ernest Hemingway

“If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” –Toni Morrison

“The road to hell is paved with adverbs.” –Stephen King

“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” –Louis L’Amour

“This is how you do it: you sit down at the keyboard and you put one word after another until it’s done. It’s that easy, and that hard.” –Neil Gaiman

“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” –Jack London

“Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people, citizens of distant epochs, who never knew one another. Books break the shackles of time–proof that humans can work magic.” –Carl Sagan

“There’s no such thing as perfect writing, just like there’s no such thing as perfect despair.” –Haruki Murakami

“The beautiful part of writing is that you don’t have to get it right the first time, unlike, say, a brain surgeon.” –Robert Cormier

“If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write.” –Martin Luther

“You can’t edit a blank page.” –Nora Roberts

“Books choose their authors; the art of creation is not entirely a rational and conscious one.” –Salman Rushdie

“Easy reading is damn hard writing.” –Nathaniel Hawthorne

We’ve all been there:

You sit down before your open notebook or your computer, all set to begin crafting your magnum opus.

Or, you know, the first draft of your current project.

But let’s call it your magnum opus, because we’re shooting for some self confidence here.

There’s always that moment, just before you begin, where the blank page, or the little blinking cursor, appears to be mocking you. How are you ever going to start this scary new thing? You know exactly what you want to write about, yes, but where on earth to begin?

The point is: you just need to begin.

I often find that I put far too much pressure on myself, and my work, when I begin a draft. I was always a good little student–I still consider myself a scholar–and I’ve always pushed myself to get things right the first time.

Drafts don’t work like that.

Just get something onto the page, and keep going. You can always come back later to revise. Right now, you need to establish the structure and direction your work is going to take, and then later on you can worry about making everything sparkle.

And in a way, NaNoWriMo is a perfect opportunity to hone this practice.

You’ve got thirty days to crank out 50,000 words.

So just get cranking!

The best thing to do is to find a routine that works for you.

Some people have a certain time where they are most productive. Others need to be in a certain place, or they have some sort of ritual that helps them to write.

I find that my daily walk/run helps a great deal. It relaxes me, and gets me nice and awake and ready to face whatever it is I have to do that day. Listening to music also helps. If I have my ipod and a nice notebook, I can write anywhere and at any time. I make a point to get at least some work done each day, and I find that most times I’m further along than I realized!

Lots of people have written books full of advice for writers who want to turn their craft into a discipline. These are all rather thoughtful and helpful, but the important thing is figuring out what works for you.

So:

Don’t let the blank spaces scare you. It’s your job to fill them up, so just do it.

Just keep writing.

Or, to those who are new to the experience:

Happy National Novel Writing Month!

From November 1st until November 30th at 11:59pm, writers here and around the world will be working towards their goal of producing a 50,000 word novel. Or draft. Or something vaguely resembling a story of some kind.

The point being, to write. To begin something and see it through to the end, whether or not you make that 50,000 word count.

Members can be found by region, and the Municipal Liaison for Taunton is a good friend of mine, Samantha Mattos. She has very graciously provided me with her email address to share with readers who might be interested in trying their hand at this challenge, or who are already hard at work and might have questions.

Samantha can be reached at dontpanicllama@gmail.com. She is also listed on the NaNoWriMo website as dontpanicllama for the Massachusetts/Bristol County region. She is not only an excellent writer, but a helpful cheerleader. Sam will see you through this.

To help foster creativity, and perhaps to commiserate a little, there will also be write-ins at the Taunton Public Library on November 6th, 17th, and 25th. For further information, feel free to contact Sam!

Next time: Some tips to get you through that beastly first draft!