web stuff 4 writers

There’s only two weeks left till November 1: the start of NaNoWriMo.  Before the frantic days and nights of writing begin, you might want to check out a few of these online resources which may help you meet your goal.

1.  A report card

Don’t worry – you’re not going to be marked on your novel.  A NaNoWriMo report card is a nifty Excel spreadsheet where, each day, you record your total word count.  The spreadsheet then does its calculations and tells you whether or not you’re on track to meet your goal. 

I’m a fan of the ‘writing report card’ which can be found on the Zokutou website (scroll down until you see the link).  It’s based on an original NaNoWriMo report card by Eric Benson, but it’s been adapted so it can be used for any writing challenge – you enter your own starting date, challenge length and desired word count.

2.  A progress meter

A progress meter is a graphical way to display your writing progress on your blog or website.  The Writertopia website will provide you with the html code needed to display the plain or cartoon “anthropomorphic raisin in a variety of moods”* versions.  

* Quote from novelist, Faye L. Booth, in last week’s interview.

During November, you can also update your word count on your official NaNoWriMo profile after you’ve registered and logged in.

3.  Planning sheets

Any actual novel writing done before November 1 doesn’t count, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make plans between now and then.  Halfway down the resources page on the National Novel Finishing Month website, you’ll find a set of downloadable worksheets that you can use to plan your plot and characters.

4.  A Google Mail account

There are other online back-up services.  There are even other free online email accounts.  Google Mail (gmail) works for me. With the 3562 megabytes of free space I have on my gmail account, I can email myself copies of my drafts each day and rest safe in the knowledge that they’re backed up there as well as on my hard-drive and the occasional CD-Rom.

5.  The NaNoWriMo website

While it can be a major source of distraction, the NaNoWriMo website can also be a very useful resource.  Is your novel going to be set in a place you’ve never visited?  Does your main character have a job that you’ve never done?  I’ve found that, when I’ve asked questions on the NaNoWriMo forums, NaNoWriMo participants have been very willing to provide me with their answers and experiences.  This year there’s also a NaNoWriMo podcast which officially begins on November 1.

While it’s not technically an online resource, I’ve also got to add a recommendation for Chris Baty’s No Plot? No Problem!: A Low-Stress, High-Velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days.  Chris was the founder of NaNoWriMo, and this book provided inspiration, motivation and lots of laughs during my first NaNoWriMo attempt in 2004 and again when I was writing the draft of Lessons to Learn.

Your thoughts

Do you know of any NaNoWriMo resources that should be added to the list?  If you do, please leave a comment below.

Tags: Planning //