5 ways to keep writing when you’d rather be binging on Netflix.

It’s crunch time. Halfway through November. There are some NaNo champions who are acing this thing, and some who maybe have only 5,000 words pounded out. No matter where you find yourself on the spectrum (even if you’re not participating in this year’s national novel writing month), some days are just hard to make yourself sit in front of a blank screen and write.

But never fear…have I got a few ideas for you! Five, actually.

1. Give yourself permission to write badly.

You know all those writing rules you learned? Yeah, time to ditch ‘em. Not for good, mind you, but for now. I have a writerly friend who’s goal is to simply “slap mud up on a wall” so she can clean it up later. You can’t edit what you don’t have, so go ahead and pound out some words. You can go back and fix it next month.

2. Treat yourself.

It’s great to have a carrot dangling on a stick, urging you onward, but I say shove a carrot in your mouth as well so you can chew delightedly while writing. Personally, I love to have incense burning and soft lighting. Sounds a little hippy woo-woo, I know, but it works for me. Do what works for you to get you in the mood.

3. Set a word count.

This puts the pressure on, I know, but on the flip side is it’s also very freeing. Once you get that writing rock a’rolling and it gains momentum, seeing what you’ve accomplished is encouraging. It also spurs you on to reach a particular number so that you can call it quits for the day.

4. Write with someone else.

My most productive days are when I meet a writing buddy at a coffee shop or go to a co-worker’s house. Even if it’s just sitting on the couch with your significant other while he works on something completely different, there’s much to be said for peer pressure. You won’t check your Facebook as often or be tempted to fritter away your time on Twitter.

5. Listen to the voices in your head.

Some days when none of these tricks work, just listen to your characters talk and write dialogue. That’s it. Just dialogue. You can go back later and fill in the sensory details later.

Each one of these tips are pulled out of my bag of writerly tricks. I use them all. Frequently. Even when you’ve “arrived” and have contracts, it’s still a struggle to get words down on paper.

So get out there and write, you little NaNo monsters. I’m expecting great things out of you!