UPDATED 12/9/2016:

So, you’ve had nine days to recover—how’d it go? Are you going to treat us with the next great American novel?

Just because November has come and gone, that doesn’t mean you should neglect your well-being. As you furiously rush to edit the draft you created last month, revisit some of these tips to keep your mind, body and time in working condition.

Then, get out there and knock’em dead with a great manuscript! Self-publishing and need some help making it all look neat and pretty? Check out how to format your ebook with beautiful results for a quick guide to formatting with Word.

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It’s that time of the year again: NaNoWriMo.

So, what exactly does “NaNoWriMo” stand for? Acronym translation: National Novel Writing Month. At midnight on Halloween, this event kicks off each year. Writers scribble as many words as they can each day to reach the 50,000-word mark by the end of November.

That 50,000-word mark is daunting, no lie. To reach it in the course of a month, you need to write 1,667 words per day. It may seem like a tall order, but it is entirely doable. After all, just check out the NaNoWriMo official site to see entries—completed entries—from previous years.

Say you haven’t been endowed with unlimited funds to designate the entire month of November to a purely creative pursuit. Don’t worry—the majority of us are in the same boat. Is it possible to have your cake and eat it too?

Taking on a project of this scope while maintaining your usual duties can be a difficult dance to master. However, with some tips and foresight, you’ll be able to tango ‘till you’re sore.

Manage Your Time

One of the biggest challenges of juggling a large passion project and a day-job is finding the time for both!

Sectioning out blocks of your day and sticking to a schedule will keep you on track. In addition to this, plan for interruptions. The Pomodoro Technique lets you schedule your work and break time to maximize productivity. The technique uses a timer to map out 25-minute work stints followed by five-minute breaks. After every four sessions, a thirty-minute break occurs.

Breaking your time into manageable chunks will minimize burnout. Before you know it, you’ll reach a thirty-minute break and think to yourself, “Dang. Time flies when you’re KILLING it!”

Manage Your Stress

Even when we aren’t adding an extra project to the mix, we all tend to overlook basic stress management. Maybe it’s just because our culture admires those who are overworked. It’s common for people to humblebrag about how little sleep they get because they’re just too busy accomplishing tasks in the middle of the night.

There are general relaxation techniques such as meditation and deep-breathing, but there’s one thing that everyone could probably overhaul: sleep hygiene. Try going to sleep at the same time every night in a dark room. Ditch the electronics in bed—don’t let your bedroom double as an office.

Manage Your Mind

Organization is a necessity for keeping your project focused. When you have a plan, it’s easier to stay organized. Plus, people with written goals are 50% more likely to achieve than those without goals—the benefits of a written plan are two-fold.

Big picture planning is great, but you’re writing a novel. The devil is in the details. Adopting the four arc story structure or the snowflake method will give you a roadmap to follow during your month-long haul.

During the first week of November, decide you’re going to write 1,667 words every day. Write it down and make it a steadfast goal. Then, section off the hours you’re going to devote to that 1,667 word daily chunk. Implement some sleep hygiene to stay well-rested. Practice some relaxation techniques for those moments when you feel overwhelmed.

Unsure of what to do with your finished NaNoWriMo draft? Time to edit! If you find the editing process even more daunting than writing, hit me up!