This November, You’ve Got 30 Days to Write Your Novel - Short on Time? Tiger Time Is the Answer!
NaNoWriMo is just around the corner. Let me guide you through making this November your golden opportunity to finally write that novel.
“A lousy novel is better than no novel at all.”
I love this statement from accidental NaNoWriMo founder Chris Baty in a 1999 email.
He’s right.
Last year, for the first time I put pen to paper and wrote 38,456 words of my love novel that plays on the Italian islands Ischia and Capri.
Unfortunately, I failed to write 50,000 words. Why? I got pregnant, felt really sick and my productivity level dropped.
This year (with a newborn and toddler in the house) I want to finalize my novel.
Fingers crossed.🤞🏻
11,544 words left. 😅
But what is NaNoWriMo all about?
The National Novel Writing Month invites you to write a novel.
It’s all about having fun and enjoying writing in a community of like-minded people.
In his kick-off interview about the 25th anniversary of NaNoWriMo Baty explains that there are no “shoulds” - except that you need to dedicate some time to make your dream of writing a novel a reality.
And you don’t have to do this alone.
This November, you can write with hundreds of thousands of other people (including me) 50,000 words of a brand new novel in 30 days.
Here’s the good news: The words don’t have to be good. They just have to be on the page.
So how about making November YOUR time?
And I don’t mean like, “Oh, I’ll have some ‘me time’ for 10 minutes before bed.”
Nah, that won’t cut it.
Dedicate chunks of real-time to yourself.
Seriously, schedule it like you would an important meeting.
I call it “tiger time”.
Like a tiger with her cub, “tiger time” is the part of your day that you fiercely protect.
Because you want to give yourself dedicated space to laser-focus on the areas that matter most for your side hustle right now.
Warning: The following tips will inspire you to dust off your creative dreams. So if you’d rather keep your book idea tucked away in a drawer, don’t read this!
Strict rules and huge rewards
To create your own “tiger time” decide…
WHEN and for HOW LONG you are going to work on your novel.
Choose which days of the week you’ll schedule tiger time and the length of time you’ll commit to each session.
If you don’t have a day job, you can create during your highest-energy, most focused times of the day.
If you’re a part-time creator, pick the best time before or after your day job that works for you.
My tips to implement a “tiger time ritual” for NaNoWriMo 2023 (and writing part-time in general)
1 — Develop a “create-first habit” before consuming
The biggest mistake I see writers make is that they consume more than they create.
They check their emails, read newsletters, scroll through their feed, or read several stories… then they’re running out of time and feel frustrated.
To break the habit of turning on the computer and opening your emails, scrolling through your feed, and so on, make creating first a habit.
The first thing you need to do in your “tiger time” is to create!
Bonus tip: The app Cold Turkey is the best distraction-free app. I use this tool to stay laser-focused.
2 — Co-create with others is the secret
Did you know that YouTube legend Mr. Beast started creating YouTube videos when he was eleven?
His secret sauce?
He co-created his content together with some other YouTube friends who also had around 20,000 followers back then.
They analyzed their best-performing videos and created new ones while on a joint Skype call.
NaNoWriMo lets you tap into a community of like-minded people. You can participate in joined calls, yoga sessions, or (silent) writing sessions.
Thus you feel connected. You feel like you have to make progress because you’re in this together!
Writing can be a lonely endeavor. Not this November.
The NaNoWriMo community does the trick. Take advantage of it and join the calls and trainings.
3 —Morning person or night owl? Doesn’t matter!
Are you a morning person or a night owl?
NaNoWriMo founder Bayle uses the metaphor of a greenhouse of your creativity 🪴:
“I call it our Greenhouse where things really flourish but even if you can get 20 minutes in that time you will get so much more done than you would if you were to give yourself an hour outside of that”
What he means is that you can build and keep momentum in the greenhouse of creativity with just 20 minutes!
It’s great if you know when you’re most productive.
Before I had kids I used to wake up before my day job to create on the side. As a morning person, I enjoyed the golden morning hours.
Fast forward, with a toddler and baby in the house, I create during lunch breaks, in the evenings, and on the weekends. Now I have to be a night owl.
I certainly don't have my best ideas in the evening hours, but I just have to take advantage of those 1-2 hours in the evening.
Whether you're a morning person or a night owl, just try to find 20 to 120 minutes to spend on your novel.
4 —Pre-planning is key
There are still some days until November (that’s why I’m sending this newsletter today).
Especially if you’re a part-time writer it’s crucial to plan your November.
Tell your partner/spouse about your plans so you’re in this together. Say that you need some extra time in November.
Meal prep can do the trick. You can save a lot of time by prepping your meals.
Tell your boss/supervisor that you’re participating in this challenge and want to leave the office earlier or wake up earlier to leave your home office earlier (if your job allows this).
If you have kids, ask the grandparents or friends to take care of them for a few hours.
If you’re a retired grandparent and always have to take care of your grandkids, explain to your child that you need some time for yourself this November.
If you’re a single parent Bayle recommends allowing your kids screen time. Paw Patrol isn’t that bad. They will “not rot their brains. Think of it as them immersing themselves in the power of stories, right? Paw Patrol is a story that kind of has story mechanics and elements just like anything else…”
Final Takeaways
Creating a “tiger time ritual” is a smart move when you want to finally write that novel you’ve been talking about and dreaming about for years!
Make sure you add your “tiger time” to your calendar and make it a non-negotiable for you (and your partner, family, and kids.
As recommended, join the NaNoWriMo community today to get a feeling for the challenge.
Once committed to your tiger time, you know what’s the most important thing to do .. WRITE…— even when the rest of your responsibilities are screaming for your attention.
Will you join me in my crazy idea to give yourself the gift of time in November?
I mean, you gift everyone else your time, why not you?
Join NaNoWriMo today and have fun writing your (lousy) novel in 30 days!
P.S. The other day, I talked with Zulie Rane and Sinem Guenel for my video interview that will come out next week, so here’s a tip for Medium writers: Becoming a self-published author really helps you be seen on Medium. There’s no verified checkmark as on X but you can become a verified author and get a blue book badge. This is a stamp of credibility and definitely helps you get Boosted, seen, and read.
If you want to learn more about the verified author badge on Medium, click here:
🙏 Feel free to click the ❤️ or 🔄 button on this post so more people can discover it on Substack 😍
P.S. “I love Kristina’s Newsletter” <– If that sounds like you, please consider referring my newsletter to your writer friends, colleagues, and family. This helps me support more people who want to write their first novel in 30 days. Oh, and you get awesome rewards for doing so!
Happy writing!
Kristina ❤️
Anytime beautiful💕
💕💕💕💕