Today is NaNoWriMo 2020 day 6 and I’ve surpassed the 15,000-word mark, which is possibly my most prolific start. I’m spending under 1.5 hours per day focused on novel-writing activity.
Of course, NaNoWriMo is all about quantity over quality to get that first draft written, so I’m not spending any time or effort on editing, spell-checking, or reading what I’ve written. Instead, I show up at the keyboard, focus, and type like mad.
One technique that I’m employing this year is to use a Pomodoro timer application on my laptop to keep me focused on writing.
I’ve used timers in the past for short freewriting activities, but not for NaNoWriMo. So far, this additional tool in my writing bag-of-tricks is really helping me to hit my word-count daily target.
If you feel stuck or like you’re unable to focus, I encourage you to turn off the alerts on your computer and phone, set a timer or try an app, and devote a manageable 25-minute block to nothing but writing. Do not worry if your sentence is well-structured or your spelling is incorrect – those are tasks for revision, not for drafting, and require allocation of a different block of time (preferably after you reach your 50,000-word goal in November). You may surprise yourself by how much you’re able to accomplish!
Fellow WriMos – what techniques do you employ to hit your daily word target?
Tickling my Fancy 
This is how I do my actual writing, lol. I guess that’s the pantser in me doing what it does best. I’ve tried outlining, but for the life of me I can’t map out an entire novel without actually being ‘in the scene’, and for that to happen, I have to write it out.
Glad to know that the pomodoro method is working for you. Keep up the great work!
Thanks – I think whatever works best for the writer is where the magic happens. If the words stay in your head and never make it to the page, it’s such a shame!