The secret secondary goal of NaNo is to learn how you write under pressure.
nanowrimo
NaNoWriMo: Keeping the Momentum Going After November
Right now, while we're still in the midst of NaNo and can observe it directly rather than in hindsight, is a great time to write down some thoughts about how it's going and what you can learn from it.
NaNoWriMo: Why “Bad” First Drafts Are Great
Looking like a finished work isn't what a first draft is for. It's a tool to help you tell the story.
NaNoWriMo: How to Counter Jealousy and Insecurity
It's very easy, in this atmosphere focused on numbers and "winning," to get jealous, and anxious, and insecure.
NaNoWriMo: Time Management Tips
You are making a commitment to yourself to get some writing done. Take it seriously and defend it fiercely.
NaNoWriMo: Reassuring Your Inner Critic
If you're feeling the urge to go back and fix (or despair over) what you've written already, and if it's getting in the way of powering on toward your goal and your deadline, this post is for you.
NaNoWriMo: Journalist Tricks for Writing on Deadline
I spent several years as a medical journalist. Here are some tricks I learned for writing long pieces on tight deadlines without keeling over from stress.
NaNoWriMo: Goals and Deadlines in a Time of Strong Emotions
In an emotionally challenging situation, you will have to look at how your big feelings interact with your writing, and decide whether that merits adjusting your approach.
NaNoWriMo: Accommodating Your Disability (and Other Limitations)
Workplaces and schools make accommodations for people with disabilities so that we can reach the same level of achievement as anyone else. When you're doing NaNo, you're the one in charge, so it's up to you to make those accommodations for yourself.
#15: How to Create Original Work
What makes an original work original isn't that it exists in a vacuum, because no work exists in a vacuum. It's that you layer originality in with the elements that respond to the canon, the genre, and the world.
