How to Win NaNoWriMo as a Busy Mom

Each week , I'm bringing you interviews with accomplished and talented moms who have made their creative dreams a reality . I talk to writers , artists , musicians and entrepreneurs who have successfully found a way to do what they love while raising the ones they love .

Some of the writers I talk to are New York Times bestselling authors , while some are self-published first-time authors . I also share my own insights and resources to help you navigate the unique challenges of being a mom who creates .

So , whether you're an early bird or a night owl , a seasoned pro or just starting out , I want you to know that you can pursue your creative passions and be an amazing mom at the same time . Grab a cup of coffee , a notebook and get ready to join our community of like-minded moms who are on a mission to live intentionally and create with purpose .

This is the Moms who Create podcast , and I can't wait to share this journey with you . Hi everyone , and welcome back to this week's episode of the Moms who Create podcast . I am very excited about today's episode . We are talking about Nano-Rymo . Now , before I dive in , if you've never heard of Nano-Rymo , it stands for National Novel Writing Month .

Now it's technically like a US-based nonprofit I think they're out of Berkeley , california , I believe but every November they host an event and we just call it Nano-Rymo , and it is the month where we try to write a 50,000-word novel in 30 days .

So do you wonder how you could possibly write 50,000 words in just 30 days while juggling the responsibilities of adulthood , motherhood , a full-time job or just all of our normal daily commitments ? Well , you're not alone . You're definitely not alone , but you're also in the right place .

In this episode , I'm going to dive into a wide range of strategies and tips to help moms like you with children of all ages successfully conquer Nano-Rymo , and I'm going to give you some tips on how to become just a writer in general and perhaps write your very first book . So let's go . Let's first talk about time management .

Time management it's probably the biggest hurdle in our mom life at the moment . Right Bombs with little ones at home know that finding quiet writing time can be a real challenge . So let's think of some approaches to how you can fit in writing a book . I laugh when I say fit in writing a book , because that just shows how determined we are , and I love it .

Naptimes , the brief moments during your child's nap time , are your oasis of writing opportunity , even if it's just 30 minutes , treasure every word that flows during that sacred window . I should probably add that November is not a normal month . Okay , jumping back to the premise of this episode , you're writing an entire , or almost an entire , book this month .

Have grace on yourself , your house and have grace on the laundry . That's giving you the side eye . If you usually use nap time as dishes time and you still want to , okay , cool , either allocate it as writing time now or just let's find another time that works for you . I hope that the early morning or late hours can be so peaceful .

Determine whether you're more productive in the early morning or late at night and make these hours your sacred writing times . You're gonna have to give a little for a little , like you're gonna have to give a little more or give a little here in there . Do you think you'd be more productive in the morning or night ?

Honestly , be honest with yourself and think about it . I tend to save a lot of things until the night , when my daughters go to bed , but realistically , when they go to bed , my brain is just completely zapped and also my creativity is completely zapped .

This can really be dependent on what season of life you're in Work , volunteering , a crying newborn , whatever it is . For example , I used to be a night owl . Sometimes I still am depending , but life has me so busy lately that if I want to actually get any extra podcast , book , creative stuff done , it has to be in the morning .

Morning tired for me is different from night tired . Can anyone else relate ? Does that make sense ? I wrote this episode at 6.17 am . That's when I sat down to write it . So choose your tired and lean into that .

For childcare assistance , if it's feasible , consider enlisting the help of a family member , friend , a trusted babysitter , just for a few hours this week . This precious gift of undeserved writing time is invaluable . Now Kelly six years ago would say nope , no way .

I would rather stay up all night and pound 14 coffees in the morning than let someone else watch my kids . I get it , and if you're like younger me , I'm not going to try to convince you otherwise , because I know how it is . But just try it . Trust me , give yourself a break , man .

Speaking of breaks , kids have moments of independent play , independent reading . Notice these breaks and use them to jot down a few sentences or ideas . Every little contribution builds your word count over time . You can go to the NANL website and track your word count , and even seeing it go up like five words is such motivation for me .

Find those little pockets of time . Those add up , use them . Moving on to busy schedules Once your kids are in school and have a billion activities and sports , you really have to find time to write right . Here's some thoughts on how to arrange this . Synchronize your schedules .

So sync up your writing time with your child's activities while they're at soccer practice , music lessons , gymnastics , any other extracurriculars . Utilize the time in the car or at a nearby cafe or just the sidelines to write . This creative multitasking can be super effective . I've referenced Parkinson's Law before .

Basically , it states that the work you have to get done will fill whatever time you have . So , for example , if you have a task that could probably take you 20 minutes but you have an hour to do it , it'll most likely take you an hour If you have 15 minutes to do it . You'll most likely get it done in 15 minutes .

When your kids are doing their sports for 45 minutes , tell yourself okay , this 45 minutes is the most important time to finish X amount of words and see what you get done . Set a goal and try to reach it . What about family writing time ? Create a designated family writing time . During this period , every family member focuses on their own creative projects .

It's not only a positive example , but also an opportunity for family bonding around the art of storytelling or whatever you do together . I'm not at this stage with my kids , as they're still pretty young , but it seems like a brilliant idea , right ? Let me know if you have family writing time and tell me how it operates .

This next piece might take some early planning , but what about like a weekend retreat ? Ask a friend or family member to watch over your kids during this time , or your husband or partner , of course . With a retreat , you can enjoy uninterrupted writing sessions and just recharge your creativity .

I'm doing something super fun like this in November and I can't wait to see what I get out of it . More to come on this subject . Okay , full-time working moms .

Let's seize the work-life balance For moms who are juggling a full-time job and motherhood , the quest to balance work , family and writing may just seem daunting , right , but conquering nano-riamo is entirely feasible . I've talked to a handful of moms who work full-time and also tackle nano . Two things I've taken away from our chats lunch breaks and weekend writing .

Now , depending on your job , your lunch breaks at work can be precious writing moments . If you really focus , this can be a really , really valuable , concentrated time of writing .

My illustrator for my last book said she used lunch breaks for her illustrating and I wasn't awe of how much she would draw on those shorts , the amount of time and how beautiful and perfect it was too . Hailey , you're just a beast . Weekend sprints Okay . Reserve your weekends for writing . The weekends usually offer larger chunks of free time , don't they ?

Have you guys ever done writing sprints ? I'm sure a lot of you have . Some people only write during weekends in November and then they do sprints to help them with the scheduling . Sprints okay , they're basically writing sessions where you hone in hard , turn off the world for a certain amount of time , write , you write , write , write , write , write , write , write .

You could have a timer and then you just take a small break and then you go back at it Literally sprints , but like in writing form . Does that make sense ? So , regardless of your specific circumstances , there are universal tips that apply to all busy moms embarking on the nano-riMo journey . Set realistic goals .

Understand that it is unlikely you'll write the full 50,000 words in a single setting . Instead , set achievable daily or weekend word count goals . Smaller , consistent milestones are key to achieving your overall target . Again , you're not going to write a whole book in one setting .

I'm a very encouraging , optimistic person and , yeah , you can do absolutely anything , but not that . Let's plan and let's not kill ourselves over a goal . Use writing apps . Consider using specialized writing apps or software such as like Scrivener , google Docs . I mean even a dedicated novel writing software .

These tools can help you stay organized , write more efficiently and easily . Just pick up where you left off , whether it's on your phone or your computer when you were in the bathtub , on your tablet , wherever you're writing . On the NanoRymo website , they offer discounts every year for these services and programs .

Last year I wanted to try Scrivener and they had a free 30-day trial to see how I liked it . Check on their website for a lot more on this . I'm not affiliated with NanoRymo , sadly , but go check out everything they have to offer on their website . They give you so many resources on this . They're amazing . Right first , edit later .

During NanoRymo , the focus should be on getting your ideas on paper without the weight of perfection . Editing can come later . This challenge is all about quantity , not quality , and getting your thoughts out is the primary goal . Don't edit , don't edit . Some do , some don't , but I say don't .

It's not 50,000 words of pure literary gold , it's 50,000 words of the first draft of your new book . You can even add in some filler words . Or , if you get to a spot where you're not quite sure what comes next , type I have no idea what happens next and move on , revisit it later . Let's also not forget to reward ourselves .

Celebrate small milestones with rewards . Whether it's like a piece of chocolate , like a food , an episode of your favorite show , starbucks , a binge session of reels on Instagram , these little treats can serve as motivating incentives along the whole way . Now I am determined to win this year , so I think I'm going to go ahead and pre-order a NanoRymo winner shirt .

That way I know it's coming in like a physical form and if I get it , I don't finish . I'll be like . No , kelly , you already ordered it . I am highly motivated by merchandise . You guys , it's dumb but it works right . Find what works for you and stick with it . Well , that works for me . Lean on your support system .

Share your Nano-Rymo journey with your friends or family . Their encouragement and understanding can keep you motivated during your whole journey , providing the extra push that you need to achieve your writing goals . Tell people you're writing and let them root you on .

So the key to conquering Nano-Rymo is to break your writing goal into manageable daily or weekly word counts . Aim to write approximately 1,667 words per day and you'll reach 50,000 words by the end of the month . Here's a quick breakdown 1,667 words per day . 11,669 words per week , 50,000 words in 30 days .

Stick to your schedule , stay committed and , again , remember that it's okay if your initial draft is a bit rough . It will be . Let's be honest . The focus here again is on quantity , not perfection . You'll revise and refine your work later .

If you're new to writing and or considering writing beyond Nano-Rymo and turning your passion into like a long time pursuit , here are some quick additional steps to consider . Read , and read widely . The more you read , the more you'll learn about different writing styles , genres and storytelling techniques . Write regularly .

Set aside time for writing even when you're not working on a specific project . Journaling , short stories , personal essays they're all great ways to keep your writing skills sharp . Join writing communities . Connect with other writers , both online and in person . Sharing your work and receiving feedback can be invaluable .

The writing community online is full of some of my favorite people . Dive in , connect and network . Learn from the pros . Consider taking writing classes or attending workshops to refine your craft . Learning from experienced writers can totally accelerate your growth . There are in-person workshops and a plethora of online workshops too .

Remember , every successful writer begin as a beginner . Embrace the journey , stay dedicated and keep honing your skills . Writing a book is a marathon , not a sprint . With patience and persistence , you can turn your dream into a reality .

Winning Nano-Rymo as a busy mom and just embarking on your journey to become a writer are totally ambitious goals , but they are also so totally achievable , regardless of your stage of motherhood or the demands of your daily life . With careful planning and dedication , you guys can absolutely conquer the challenges and see your creative dreams come to life .

Now it's time to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard . Dude , I'm not writing that . I'm not using a pen , you crazy . Embrace the challenge and take the first steps towards becoming a writer and completing your first book . You've got this , guys . Your dreams of storytelling are well within your reach and I am here supporting you every step of the way .

Now go win Nano-Rymo . Thank you so much for listening . I hope I help you on your path of writing art , whatever your creative process is right now . I hope I am here to help you see that through , achieve it and just give you a little boost on your way in your motherhood . Again , thank you so much for listening .

Connect with me online on Instagram and Facebook at Mom's who Create Podcast . I'll see you , guys , next week .