Ah, NaNoWriMo. Every year since 1999, author hopefuls joined forces around the world, busting out their books with fervor during National Novel Writing Month, which took place in November. The goal: write a 50,000-word novel between November 1 and 30. Most writers would write seven days a week, or close to it, to achieve this goal.
They wrote fast as heck, editing slowly—later on. Because, dear writer, you’d need a break after an intense November.
The nonfiction sister to NaNoWriMo was NaNonFiWriMo, or National Nonfiction Writing Month. Many authors leaned into this nonfiction equivalent of NaNoWriMo, aiming to complete a nonfiction draft in November.
Alas, the nonprofit is now gone, according to reporting, due to mismanagement and ethical concerns, including supporting the use of AI in creative writing. While there were efforts to save the nonprofit and movement, nothing worked.
But the writing world is nothing if not scrappy, and there are still thousands of writers around the world who want to lean in and make November the month they achieve the big goal of writing a book.
I love the concept of leaning in hard, showing up every day, and getting the draft done. However, a lot of authors go into this month ill prepared, and while they may accomplish a first draft of their nonfiction books, a question I often ask is: To what end?
If your goal is to write a book, but you write something you can’t use later, or you have to redo, is it really worth such a massive effort?
Alternatively, if you write a crappy first draft (essentially, the goal of leaning in hard for a month) that is well-planned, well-structured, and something you can revise into something great, isn’t that a better way to approach the month?
As a seasoned author and book coach, I want to set you up for success. Here are five things I recommend to help you knock NaNoWriMo, NaNonFiWriMo, or any variation of the monthlong writing effort, out of the park.
Tip #1: Set your own goal.
NaNoWriMo had a clear goal of writing 50,000 words in the month of November. But nonfiction isn’t always so simple, and your schedule may not allow you to lean in and get an entire nonfiction book planned and written in one month. And 99 percent of the time, I wouldn’t advise it.
Instead, set your own goal. Some examples:
- Complete a detailed nonfiction book outline; create a clear, time-bound writing plan; establish a daily writing habit; and write one chapter.
- Finish an in-progress book draft and organize the next steps to get the book out into the world.
- Complete self-revision or post-editor revision on your book draft.
- Complete a fast first draft of a book that is well-outlined prior to November.
- Write, revise, and publish one purposeful thought leadership piece per week.
- Write thirty thoughtful pitches to publications, podcasts, and events (with a follow-up plan after the month is over).
You get the drift: Set your own goal that is yours, and then lean in hard to get it done. But first: Plan.
Tip #2: Plan, plan, and plan some more.
My dad used to say, “Proper prior planning presents pretty powerful performance.” This was a spin on the better known “Proper prior planning prevents poor performance.” Both are equally true.
A foundation of the work I do with authors is planning. We start with vision, then craft a clear book concept, and then create a detailed book outline, normally fifteen to thirty-ish pages long, to guide the book-writing process.
If you’re planning to write a fast draft of your nonfiction book, please, for the love of Patty, spend ample time refining your outline before the challenge begins.
Now, I recognize that you may be just days away from starting the challenge when you read this. In which case, I suggest revisiting tip #1 and considering shifting your goal from completing the draft to completing the plan and starting the writing process. Your future self will thank you, because you’ll be able to craft a much better book and have a more meaningful author journey than if you hop in and just “pants it,” as they say in fiction writing.
If you’re looking for a step-by-step system to help you create the book outline and plan, check out my Nonfiction Book School self-study course.
Tip #3: Don’t blindly follow fiction-writing advice.
Memoir aside, nonfiction is inherently different than fiction. If you’re writing a big idea or how-to book, for example, you’re likely bringing in other people’s stories, research, and even creating tools along the way to accompany your book. That is a big effort, so just consider that your nonfiction process may require more research and a heavier lift than if you’re writing fiction.
To learn more about how to integrate data and other research into your book, listen to my podcast episode on how to do book research.
Tip #4: Develop habits before the month begins.
The brain needs training to be able to write consistently. As a nonfiction book coach, I often tell my authors to start low and slow. Set a low bar for success—say, fifty words—and ease into the process slowly, starting with a short amount of focus time and building up as you go.
If you spend even a week starting to build habits to support your success in November, you’ll be much more successful because you’ll be able to step right into writing, rather than needing a creative on-ramp.
To support your creative habit-building success, check out my five-day Best-Selling Writing Habits course. If you complete this program toward the end of October, you’ll be in great shape leading into your own version of NaNoWriMo or NaNonFiWriMo.
Tip #5: Enjoy the process, connect with others—and know there is more to come!
One of my goals as a nonfiction book coach is to show everyone that book writing is a skill you can learn, and that it can be meaningful, transformative, and joyful.
What is the point of doing anything in life if there is not at least a thread of fun attached? Writing can be life-giving. It can also make you want to pull your hair out at times, which is why I suggest writing in community. Your local library may have writing communities, or there is likely a local writer’s group in your city. The authors I work with learn, connect, and grow together in the Author Influence Circle.
Joy and community—isn’t everything better with these two things?
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If you’re leaning in hard to write your book this November, or anytime during the year, I hope these tips help! Please share your goal in the comments, and I’d also love to hear your thoughts on the loss of NaNoWriMo. I read and reply to every comment and love hearing from you!
P.S. This is a genuinely human article. No AI was used to write this piece.
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