It’s day 21 of NaNoWriMo, and I’ve got to admit, I’m feeling the strain. Nano burnout is creeping up on me fast so I’ve had to devise a few sneaky methods of coaxing the words out.
- Do tens. By this I mean write in ten minute bursts with a timer set so you don’t go over. Burnout happens when you’re just getting too much, even of a good thing, so by limiting the amount you get you can trick your mind into wanting more. It does work. Don’t be sceptical and just dismiss it. Try it first. You’ll be surprised how many words you can write in ten minutes when ten minutes is all you’ve got.
- Jump around in the story. For linear writers this is hard because we want to write methodically and logically through the story. But when you feel a nano burnout coming on and you really just cannot bear to pick it up, make yourself jump ahead a few chapters and write a scene from much further on. Maybe there’s one that’s been beckoning to you ever since you started writing and you’re looking forward to writing it. Write it now. Give yourself a treat.
- Give the pov to someone else. When you’ve been living in the constant company of someone it can get wearing. And that applies to those fictional ‘someones’ too. A change of conversation, a new topic, a fresh perspective and revitalise the muse and hold the burnout at bay. So try handing the POV to a minor character and find out what they think about the situation.
- Write scene summaries. Okay, we’re scratching now, but when your eyes are tired and you just don’t want to do it anymore, give the actual story writing a rest. Ask yourself what’s going to happen next? What if…? Get a couple of ideas along the lines of ‘suppose George sold Anne’s car without her knowing, what would she do?’ and write what would happen in the scene if that event took place. Your novel might take off again in a totally new direction, or you might think, nah, the original way was best. Either way you’ve given the muse something else to consider and burnout is pushed back a bit. At least for another day or two.
Nano is a hard slog, I’m finding. I can’t wait to slow the pace and give myself some thinking room again. I’m holding back the burnout that’s threatening me, but only just, and I’m using the tricks above to do it.
How about you? Got any special methods for combating nano burnout?
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