The Elephant Technique or How Not To Break Your Momentum During NaNoWriMo And Beyond

Have you heard of NaNoWriMo?

It’s where people in November pledge to write 50,000 words - a novel - in 30 days. It’s great! If you’ve ever wanted to write a novel, consider this as the sign you were waiting for. Seriously, check it out.

There’s lots of good advice to be had when attempting NaNo. But the one thing people tend to get hung up on is this: it’s hard. Really hard. Really, REALLY hard.

This can be for a variety of reasons, but for me it’s research. I try to research all the things and stuff I need to  before I write, but sometimes I’ll be going on my merry way and BOOM, I forgot what I named that hospital. Or BOOM I don’t know what the parts to a horse’s saddle is. So I go to Google and Google tells me. But it never stops there. I always go, “While I’m here, I might as well check tumblr.” And then, BOOM - an hour has passed and I haven’t touched what I was writing.

This is no good. I need to focus and not break my momentum while I’m writing. Stopping to open a browser and searching on Google breaks my momentum. So what do I do? Research even more? As much as I’d like to think I can predict everything that happens in my plot, I just can’t.

Instead of extensive, mind-numbing research, I do this. Whenever I find myself stalling to think of a name or an adjective or literally anything else, I write ELEPHANT instead. Elephant. And then go on my merry way.

It felt really stupid when I started. The worse is when I read what I’ve written and forgot that I slapped on an elephant in the middle of an intense scene.

But it works! I promise, I wouldn’t do it if it didn’t.

And when I edit, all I do is find each “elephant” with the search option of whatever word-processor I’m using and insert it’s rightful word - the well-researched-after-I’ve-written-the-book word. I’ve told a few people about my Elephant Technique, and I knew a few people who use different words: cantaloupe, poodle, Febreze. It all works. 

Now. Please go forth and write all the things.

What’s your word this year? It’s 2018, I want to see some creative ones.

The very best writing tip you will ever hear is this:  

              Analyze stories.

Don’t just listen to what other storytellers say you should do, figure out what you like about the stories you enjoy and learn to replicate that.

Want to learn about pacing? Examine stories you think flow fantastically. Want to learn about description? Study your favorite author’s descriptions. Want to learn about characterization? Critique your favorite characters.  Want to learn about foreshadowing? Explore how it’s done in stories where the plot twist blew your mind.

Storytellers giving advice to other storytellers is fantastic and useful, but you will never know something as thoroughly as you know the things you figure out for yourself. 

And by analyzing the stories you love instead of listening blindly to advice, you’ll never be swayed by the bias of other writers and you’ll never take in advice that’s suited for a story you wouldn’t enjoy writing.

So put on some thinking caps and go analyze those stories.

Daniel José Older (NaNoWriMo Pep Talks)

I took the day off work to study but ended up just making coffee and running inside from the rain #deadbeat

October 1st!

This is basically what a first draft is.

pick-me-ups for writers

for the self-conscious beginner: No one makes great things until the world intimately knows their mediocrity. Don’t think of your writing as terrible; think of it as preparing to contribute something great.

for the self-conscious late bloomer: Look at old writing as how far you’ve come. You can’t get to where you are today without covering all that past ground. For that, be proud.

for the perfectionist: Think about how much you complain about things you love—the mistakes and retcons in all your favorite series—and how you still love them anyway. Give yourself that same space.

for the realist: There will be people who hate your story even if it’s considered a classic. But there will be people who love your story, even if it strange and unpopular.

for the fanfic writer: Your work is not lesser for not following canon. When you write, you’ve created a new work on its own. It can be, but does not have to be, limited by the source material. Canon is not the end-all, be-all. 

for the writer’s blocked: It doesn’t need to be perfect. Sometimes you have to move on and commit a few writing sins if it means you can create better things out of it.

for the lost: You started writing for a reason; remember that reason. It’s ok to move on. You are more than your writing. It will be here if you want to come back.

‘Pride & Prejudice’ (2005)