Friday, October 30, 2015

3 Tips For Writing Moms To NaNoWriMo With Success:

Today I'm welcoming special guest and brainstormer extraordinaire, Michelle Lim to The Writer's Alley. Wanting to NaNoWriMo with success? Check out her latest tips (AND) enter the giveaway at the bottom of the post!


National Novel Writing Month is almost here and with it comes the challenge to write a novel in a month. That’s a big enough challenge all by itself, but as a Mom, it is even more difficult.

It’s hard to write 2,000-3,000 words a day while you’re chasing toddlers across the playground, shuttling kids to ball games, and attending band concerts. Then there is the whole hour after everyone goes to bed for you to reconnect with your brain cells.

How can I possibly know what it’s like to be at your house? Because I’ve been at my own with three boys and one girl. No matter how great my kids are it is still difficult to get to everything.

My first year doing NaNoWriMoI chased my own schedule at least two hours behind and a load of guilt on my back. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Show your children that you chase your dreams and let them be part of the adventure.

3 Tips For Writing Moms To NaNoWriMo With Success:

This first tip is age universal:

*Enlist the help of family and friends to schedule a writing session for Saturday and possibly Sunday. Make these fun outings to celebrate a month we chase dreams.

Moms realize that the age of children vastly changes what strategies will work, so the following ideas will be age specific.

Ages Birth - 4 years

*Schedule your writing around naptime. Have everything ready to go before you lay your little one down. Do your brain warm-ups and think about what you will write during that last play time before you put your child to bed.

*Plan sensory activities that are highly stimulating for your child while you bullet point some of the basics for your next scenes. Some sensory activities like whipped cream from their high chair, rice and trucks in a bin, or even pudding and wax paper can be fun.

Age: 5 - 11 years

*Card Making or Postcard Creation to send encouraging mail. Either use the postcards for purchase on Amazon (You can even get them in watercolor painting paper). They can do this activity while you write with soft music playing. When the music is finished they can talk to you again.

*Discovery bin with favorites inside. Either get some new things that your child might delight in playing with, or gather toys plenty before so they feel like new. They can only play in this toy bin during your writing time.

Ages: 12-18

*Quiet activity- reading, writing, or other nonelectronic idea that is quiet. Make it 30min-1 hour a day. On the weekend reward its success with a fun activity with Dad (movies, laser tag, etc.).

*Enlist their friends. Rotate an activity to your house another weekend and then enlist your teenagers friends’ parents to take a rotation during NaNoWriMo.

What NaNoWriMo tips do you have?

Looking for More Idea Sparking Tips? My New Release is just $0.99 on Amazon.

Idea Sparking: 30 Idea Sparks to Write a Novel in a Month accompanies an author on a thirty-day novel journey. Daily idea prompts assist authors in finding the inspiration to write. With personal experience insights and goal setting reflections, this book is the perfect resource for the writer who wants to write a novel in a month, or the author looking for a resource for their everyday writing journey. What you will find in this incredible resource:

*A weekly inspirational focus to get you ready to write
*Daily Idea Sparks to spark your creativity and get you writing
*Mini writing craft tips that enhance your writing
*Daily Mid-day Milestones with thought-provoking questions to improve writing habits
*Weekly Check-Ups to retune your process to set you up for success

BIO:

Author Michelle Lim is the Brainstorming/Huddle Coach with My Book Therapy Press and the American Christian Fiction Writers. Michelle’s Genesis winning romantic suspense is represented with Books & Such Literary Agency. Michelle’s New Release - Idea Sparking: 30 Idea Sparks to Write a Novel in a Month releases October 27th. Since her nonfiction book release, Idea Sparking: How To Brainstorm Conflict In Your Novel, through public speaking and online chats Michelle helps writers discover the revolutionary power of brainstorming to bring new life to their stories. Connect with Michelle as www.thoughtsonplot.wordpress.com , @MichelleLim24 on Twitter, and Facebook.
Midwest Zone Director for



Join the Idea Sparking Adventure:
   a Rafflecopter giveaway

No comments: