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Tools to boost your NaNoWriMo motivation

Amber Sass

Amber Sass

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November 15 marks the halfway point of National Novel Writing Month. In theory,  writers should have hit or exceeded 25,000 words by the day’s end. And in an ideal world, we’d all be completely on track.

I don’t know about anyone else, but I happen to be a few words behind (give or take three thousand). It’s at this point in the process when throwing in your hat and moving on to greener pastures begins to look pretty tantalizing. Nonsense, though! With these motivational tools, you’ll be back on track.

 

If you’re anything like me, you linger over sentence structure, agonize over adjective options. That’s not really the point when it comes to NaNo. This is why I’ve found the web-based Write or Die application to be an essential tool.

The concept is simple: Pick a word count goal and the time you have available. Then, while the Write or Die app clock starts ticking down, write as much as you can! Depending on the settings you choose, your browser screen will ‘encourage’ you to pick up the pace by flashing warning lights. When your time’s up, you can even choose to continue writing if the motivation’s still there. In my experience, it usually is. Once you’re done, you’ll be led to a screen that gives you your statistics, and even allows you to add code to your online journal to display how much you wrote and in how much time.

This app is a lifesaver when you’re strapped for time. For people constantly on the run, here are a few other apps for your iPhone or iPod that will also give you a motivation boost:

wrimodemon.jpgWriMoDemon: Essentially a word counter, WriMoDemon allows you to input your daily word count and will tally your new adjusted daily goal to keep you on track to hit that elusive 50,000 mark. It also reminds you how many days you have left, your completion percentage, and the words you’ve been averaging per day. This app is available for free in the iTunes app store.

writechain.jpgWriteChain: Brought to you by the creators of How Not to Write, WriteChain is a word count tracking tool that also reminds you to maintain regular, daily writing practices.  Simply type in a word count goal and meet it on a daily basis. You can also take notes on your writing sessions within the app itself. While normally $0.99 in the iTunes app store, it is being offered free for a limited time.

These tools should help keep you motivated and pushing toward your ultimate word count goal. If there are other tools you use to help keep you motivated for NaNo, comment and let me know. Good luck, and happy writing!

Amber Sass

Amber Sass

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