NaNoWriMo and Writer’s Block: The New Enemies to Lovers

Leanna Florez // Blog Writer

Writer’s block is the most feared enemy of any writer. NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month, offers us a chance to break out of the creative sinkhole we’ve been sucked into; but despite the appeal of the challenge, the block follows us into November and half of us will stop writing after a week. These mortal enemies – writer’s block and NaNoWriMo – may just be the key to helping you rediscover your love for writing. 

What is NaNoWriMo? 

NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month, a nonprofit organization launched in 1999 in the San Francisco Bay Area. What started out as a challenge for twenty-one participants soon turned into a group of 427,653 writers by 2021. The goal is to encourage writers to write 50,000 words of any genre of novel, starting on November 1 and ending on November 30. Those who achieve this goal are the “winners” and can send their manuscripts to the NaNoWriMo website to receive a certificate; some are even randomly selected to have their manuscripts adapted into a print copy for free. 

To enter, one visits the NaNoWriMo website (https://nanowrimo.org) and signs up for free. That’s it! So why do so many fail to meet this 50,000 word goal? 

Why do we get Writer’s Block? 

The obvious reason that the 50,000 word goal is not achieved is because some simply don’t have the time to write approximately 1,700 words daily for 30 days. Those who do have the time, however, sometimes stumble upon the inability to write, the phenomenon we call “writer’s block.”

Writer’s block can be caused by a multitude of factors such as recent rejection, competing responsibilities, lack of ideas, too many ideas, and insecurity. Writers often fear not being good enough, and this leads us to struggle when choosing an idea for a novel to write in November. While all of these can be painful and difficult to manage, there is no reason they should stop you from being able to win NaNoWriMo. 

How do I cure my Writer’s Block? 

Listed below are some of the most common causes of writer’s block, and tips on how to tackle each one separately. 

1. Recent rejection 

Whether it’s from a publisher, a literary magazine, or even a teacher, rejection of our work can be painful. Taking the time to practice self-care can be integral to remaining in a positive mindset for writing. Our field can come with a lot of rejection, so it’s important to remember that hearing “no” a few times is not the end of the world. A tip for starting NaNoWriMo after a recent rejection is to start a novel very different from whatever it was that was rejected. Maybe switch to a genre you haven’t explored, or a character that’s the opposite of your last protagonist. When you branch out of your comfort zone, there are less reminders of your past rejections to make you worry as you move forward with your writing. 

If you are the type of writer who does not want to write in any genre other than your preferred, changing the workspace you’re writing in can have a similar effect to genre-hopping. A change of scenery can spark new ideas and inspire you to keep moving forward. 

2. Lack of ideas 

You want to write, but you have no idea what to write. Don’t worry: you have plenty of places to get inspiration from right in front of you! Try writing about something you know, such as the story of a family member, friend, or yourself. Every person has their own story, and you are a medium with which that story can be written. Ask your loved ones (yourself included) what the most interesting event that occurred in their life has been, and write it! Even if you don’t end up telling this exact story, it may inspire a new character or plot that you can turn into your own writing. 

Doesn’t sound fun? Try a writing prompt! Image writing prompts are an untapped resource. A quick Google search can lead you to a plethora of images that your creative mind could weave a backstory into. 

3. Too many ideas 

This is usually my problem, especially as I learn to cross genres. Outlining is the go-to, as usually this process can be painful. Try to outline for each of the ideas, and whichever you find yourself enjoying the most, whichever is coming easiest to you, or whichever you have the most preparation done for is the one you should try writing for this NaNoWriMo. Pick the story that you have the easiest time writing, since getting into a character voice is not a luxury many have during NaNoWriMo. A story idea with a main character that you are already comfortable working with is usually the best bet for a chance at winning NaNoWriMo. 

4. Competing responsibilities 

Time is something that all writers wish they had more of—that or the ability to go without sleep. Since we are not time travelers or nocturnal, we have to be able to manage our time very well if we want to write 50,000 words in one month. A simple solution is to write out a schedule of your day. Many of those who claim we “don’t have time to write” somehow find time to scroll on BookTok for hours. In all seriousness, writing out an hourly schedule for your day may help you realize that you have more time to write than you thought you did, and some of this time can be used to write for NaNoWriMo!

All in all, NaNoWriMo does not have to be a time to fear writer’s block, but to embrace it and allow it to open your mind to new ideas. So best of luck in your novel writing and may we all be 50,000 word winners this November!