I've tried NanoWrimo before but I can never actually get to writing. I love writing and creating stories and plot, but sitting down to write makes me anxious and antsy so I rarely get stuff done. Does anyone have any tips to keeping motivated and on track?
Find something you're super interested in, blast your best motivation tunes, and just block out the rest of the world. How else do you think I wrote a College Application Essay in a few hours?
I start, I cant ever last more than a few days. It happens during the month I have finals, every time. I had no chance.
But as for actual advice, I like to think of it as writing a story instead of writing a novel. A novel is big and ambiguous and scary. just say you are going to sit down and write down the story you have in your head. Bring food and drinks nearby so you have less of a reason to get up from your writing. Set aside a time block and specifically dedicate it to writing, and like @Yamatsu said, BLAST that music. Blast it soloud the only thing you can hear is the characters in your head. but most of all, don't stress yourself if it doesn't happen immediately, or even if it doesn't happen in a while. I just finished my first draft on my, hopefully someday, novel, three or four-ish years since I started. It'll happen if you just keep working on it.
Thank you <3 That's some pretty solid advice
A lot of the time what happens to me is I get stuck, I know where I want my novel to go and I know what needs done in order to get there but when it comes to putting it into words I just cant do it, Help?
sometimes it really takes a sassy "i dont care i do what i want" attitude for me to get things done. and that goes for just about everything. my method of achieving that is blast music home alone or some place to yourself. maybe even sing a little to get the good vibes flowing. Then when it's time to write i turn off the music (helps greatly with focus) then just ramble on in your writing like a spastic happily before worrying about detail and what it might look like to someone else. Remember that everything for your eyes only until you say otherwise. :)
I've done so many last minute essays this way and i tend to feel very good about it only because the rambling is more relaxed and helps keep me from getting attached to its detail because the main goal is to get the big idea out first.