Pro Tips from a NaNo Coach: How to Write a Clean(ish) Fast Draft
NaNoWriMo can seem like a daunting task sometimes, for NaNo newbies and veterans alike. Fortunately, our NaNo Coaches are here to help guide you through November! Today, author Jesse Q. Sutanto is here to share her advice on how to set yourself up for noveling success:
Dear Nano-ers,
My first book took me three years to cobble together. During that time, I joined Absolute Write—a free writers forum which I completely love and recommend to all aspiring writers—and I made a friend who convinced me to try doing NaNoWriMo. I was completely unconvinced, but I am a people-pleaser and I can never say no, so I agreed to try it for my second novel.
My second novel took me less than a month to write. It was a complete mess, but it was also a revelation. Often, I felt myself falling into that writing Holy Grail—the hole which consumes you, makes you forget the rest of the world, and absorbs you completely in the world you are creating on paper. I loved the process deeply, and never looked back since. All of my subsequent books have since been written in a matter of months.
And you know what? They were all a horrific mess. I did not learn how to do a clean and fast draft until my NINTH book, and I don’t think I would’ve ever learnt without the help of NaNoWriMo. So here are my tips on how to best tackle a sprint-a-thon like NaNo.
1. Try to come up with a loose outline.
When I first started writing, I was a pure pantser. I had no idea what was going to happen before I sat down to write. This is a completely legit way of writing, but I have since learned that it is massively helpful to have an idea, even a vague one, of what you are trying to say with your book. What was really helpful for me was to sit down for just five minutes before writing each scene and try to envision what I wanted the scene to achieve. Once I had that in mind, the scene became much easier to write.
2. Break down your writing time.
Ever heard of the Pomodoro technique? In order to hit 50,000 words a month, you need to write around 1,600 words a day. That is a heck of a lot of words to write! Break it down. Set 10 or 15-minute timers and use that to your advantage. Trust me, if you told me to sit down and write 1,600 words, I would be like, “Omg that’s too much!” But if you told me to just write for 15 minutes, that feels a lot more doable.
3. Give yourself permission to write trash.
Before each writing session, I actually say out loud: “I am going to write trash.” And this gives me permission to write whatever comes to my mind without judgment. You can always edit later, but for now, focus on letting the words out on paper.
4. Lean on others for support.
I made the mistake of thinking that writing is a lonely vocation. In fact, it is one of the most social things I could do. Social media, while a double-edged sword, has done so much for the writing community. I have found all of my close writer friends through social media, and I chat with them every day and consider them my close, lifelong friends. Don’t be afraid to reach out and make connections within the community. You are not alone.
Jesse Q. Sutanto is the award-winning, bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, Well, That Was Unexpected, The Obsession, and Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit. The film rights to her women’s fiction, Dial A for Aunties, was bought by Netflix in a competitive bidding war, and the TV rights to Vera Wong was bought by Warner Bros, with Oprah and Mindy Kaling attached to produce. She has a master’s degree in creative writing from Oxford University, though she hasn’t found a way of saying that without sounding obnoxious.
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books read in 2023
hi, hello! inspired by a few mutuals, i decided to do a reading thread of 2023! you can find my goodreads here, and my bookstagram here! as always, askbox + dms are open if have any questions or would like to chat about books!
january
book lovers by emily henry (reread; ★★★★★)
convenience store woman by sayaka murata + translated by ginny tapley takemori (★★★☆☆)
a wish in the dark by christina soontornvat (★★★★★)
so you want to talk about race by ijeoma oluo (audiobook; ★★★★★)
highly suspicious and unfairly cute by talia hibbert (★★★★☆)
the seven husbands of evelyn hugo by taylor jenkins reid (reread; (★★★★☆)
if not, winter by sappho + translated by anne carson (★★★★★)
when you wish upon a lantern by gloria chao (ARC; ★★★☆☆)
this time it's real by ann liang (ARC; ★★★★★)
love, theoretically by ali hazelwood (ARC; ★★☆☆☆)
hell bent by leigh bardugo (★★★★☆)
everything i know about love by dolly alderton (reread; ★★★★★)
the fraud squad by kyla zhao (★★★☆☆)
masters of death by olivie blake (★★★★☆)
enter the body by joy mccullough (★★★★☆)
the stranger by albert camus (reread; ★★★★★)
you'd be mine by erin hahn (★☆☆☆☆)
a hundred other girls by iman hariri-kia (★☆☆☆☆)
bloodmarked by tracy deonn (audiobook; ★★★☆☆)
fearless by mandy gonazales (★★★★☆)
february
the roommate by rosie danan (★★☆☆☆)
wuthering heights by emily brontë (book club pick; ★★★★☆)
the nanny by lana ferguson (ARC; ★★☆☆☆)
the writing retreat by julia bartz (ARC; ★★☆☆☆)
exes and o's by amy lea (★★★☆☆)
not here to stay friends by kaitlyn hill (ARC; ★★★★☆)
chloe and the kaishao boys by mae coyiuto (ARC; ★★★★☆)
isha, unscripted by sajni patel (gifted; ★★☆☆☆)
conversations on love by natasha lunn (★★★★★)
meet me at the lake by carley fortune (ARC; ★★★★☆)
emily wilde's encyclopedia of faeries by heather fawcett (★★★☆☆)
where echoes die by courtney gould (ARC; ★★★☆☆)
vintage contemporaries by dan kois (gifted; ★★☆☆☆)
how to be perfect: the correct answer to every moral question by michael schur (audiobook; ★★★★★)
half a soul by olivia atwater (★★★★★)
ten thousand stitches by olivia atwater (★★★★☆)
longshadow by olivia atwater (★★★★★)
between the world and me by ta-nehisi coates (audiobook; ★★★★★)
infamous by lex croucher (ARC; ★★☆☆☆)
the lord sorcier by olivia atwater (★★★★☆)
the latch key by olivia atwater (★★★★★)
made of stars by jenna voris (ARC; ★★★★☆)
march
when broadway was black: the triumphant story of the all-black musical that changed the world by caseen gaines (audiobook; ★★★★★)
leave it to the march sisters by annie sereno (ARC; ★★★☆☆)
once more with feeling by elissa sussman (ARC; ★☆☆☆☆)
moorewood family rules by helenkay dimon (ARC; ★★☆☆☆)
fleabag: the scriptures by phoebe waller-bridge (★★★★★)
fake dates and mooncakes by sher lee (ARC; ★☆☆☆☆)
vera wong's unsolicited advice for murderers by jesse q. sutanto (gifted; ★★★★☆)
emma of 83rd street by audrey bellezza and emily harding (ARC; ★★☆☆☆)
how to read now by elaine castillo (★★★★★)
constellations by nick payne (reread; ★★★★☆)
ching chong chinaman by lauren yee
devil in winter by lisa kleypas (★★★★☆)
the passing playbook by isaac fitzsimons ( ★★★★★)
infinite jest by david foster wallace
our wives under the sea by julia armfield (★★★★☆)
mrs. nash's ashes by sarah adler (ARC; ★★★★☆)
study break: 11 college tales from orientation to graduation edited by aashna avachat (★★★☆☆)
the love match by priyanka taslim (★★★★☆)
a lady for a duke by alexis hall (★★★★☆)
love and other consolation prizes by jamie ford (★★★☆☆)
april
spoiler alert by olivia dade (★★☆☆☆)
all the feels by olivia dade (★★☆☆☆)
ship wrecked by olivia dade (★★☆☆☆)
float plan by trish doller (★★★★☆)
yellowface by r.f. kuang
the ex hex by erin sterling (★★☆☆☆)
the kiss curse by erin sterling (★★★☆☆)
siren queen by nghi vo (audiobook; ★★★☆☆)
chloe and the kaishao boys by mae coyiuto (reread; ★★★★★)
wandering souls by cecile pin (gifted; ★★★★★)
heavy vinyl, vol. 1: riot on the radio by nina vakueva & carly usdin (★★★★☆)
heavy vinyl: y2k-o! by nina vakueva & carly usdin (★★★★☆)
never ever getting back together by sophie gonzales (★★☆☆☆)
book lovers by emily henry (reread; ★★★★★)
miss aldridge regrets by louise hare (gifted; ★★★☆☆)
if the shoe fits by julie murphy (★★★☆☆)
blackmail and bibingka by mia p. manansala (★★★★☆)
murder and mamon by mia p. manansala (ARC; ★★★☆☆)
icebreaker by hannah grace (★☆☆☆☆)
alone with you in the ether by olivie blake (reread; ★★★★★)
may
beautiful country: a memoir of an undocumented childhood by qian julie wang (★★★★★)
the other black girl by zakiya dalila harris (audiobook; ★★★★☆)
check & mate by ali hazelwood (ARC; ★★★☆☆)
if i'm being honest by emily wibberley & austin siegemund-broka (reread; ★★★★★)
always never yours by emily wibberley & austin siegemund-broka (reread; ★★★★★)
do i know you? by emily wibberley & austin siegemund-broka (reread; ★★★★★)
romeo and juliet by william shakespeare (audiobook, reread; ★★★★★)
joan is okay by weike wang (★★★★☆)
technically yours by denise williams (ARC; ★★★☆☆)
first position by melanie hamrick (ARC; ★☆☆☆☆)
the boy from kyiv: alexei ratmansky's life in ballet by marina harss (ARC; ★★★★★)
the boy you always wanted by michelle quach (ARC; ★★★★☆)
woman, eating by claire kohda (★★☆☆☆)
immortal longings by chloe gong (ARC; ★★☆☆☆)
heartburn by nora ephron (★★★☆☆)
a merry little meet cute by julie murphy & sierra simone (★★☆☆☆)
the deal by elle kennedy (★☆☆☆☆)
the mistake by elle kennedy (★☆☆☆☆)
the score by elle kennedy (★☆☆☆☆)
the goal by elle kennedy (★☆☆☆☆)
the legacy by elle kennedy (★☆☆☆☆)
open water by caleb azumah nelson (★★★★★)
painted devils by margaret owen (gifted; ★★★★★)
playing for keeps by kendall ryan (★☆☆☆☆)
june
the final revival of opal and nev by dawnie walton (★★★☆☆)
the missing of clairedelune by christelle dabos (audiobook; ★★★★★)
happy place by emily henry (reread; ★★★★★)
iris kelly doesn't date by ashley herring blake (ARC; ★★★★☆)
ghosts by dolly alderton (★★★★★)
you don't have a shot by racquel marie (gifted; ★★★★☆)
thank you for listening by julia whelan (audiobook; ★★★★★)
if you still recognize me by cynthia so (gifted; ★★☆☆☆)
imogen, obviously by becky albertalli (gifted; ★★★★☆)
for never & always by helena greer (ARC; ★☆☆☆☆)
all the dead lie down by kyrie mccauley (gifted; ★★★★☆)
one hundred days by alice pung (ARC; ★★☆☆☆)
much ado about nada by uzma jalaluddin (★★★★☆)
thieves gambit by kayvion lewis (ARC; ★★★☆☆)
deep in providence by riss m. neilson (★★★☆☆)
the burnout by sophie kinsella (ARC; ★★★★☆)
small worlds by caleb azumah nelson (ARC; ★★★★☆)
we ship it by lauren kay (★☆☆☆☆)
foul heart huntsman by chloe gong (ARC; ★★★☆☆)
the memory of babel by christelle dabos (audiobook; ★★★☆☆)
pride and prejudice and pittsburgh by rachael lippincott (ARC; ★★★☆☆)
a british girl's guide to hurricanes and heartbreak by laura taylor namey (ARC; ★★★★☆)
the reunion by kit frick (ARC; ★★★☆☆)
queer by william s. burroughs
when grumpy met sunshine by charlotte stein (ARC; ★☆☆☆☆)
july
the storm of echoes by christelle dabos (audiobook; ★★★☆☆)
will they or won't they by ava wilder (★★★☆☆)
fiona and jane by jean chen ho (audiobook; ★★☆☆☆)
business or pleasure by rachel lynn solomon (★★★☆☆)
teach the torches to burn: a romeo & juliet remix by caleb roehrig (ARC; ★★★☆☆)
a man called ove by fredrik backman (audiobook; ★★★★☆)
exciting times by naoise dolan (audiobook; ★☆☆☆☆)
the hobbit by j.r.r. tolkien (audiobook; ★★★★★)
the year of magical thinking by joan didion (★★★★★)
such a fun age by kiley reid (audiobook; ★★★☆☆)
tis the damn season by kimi freeman (ARC; ★☆☆☆☆)
august
a very nice girl by imogen crimp (audiobook; ★★☆☆☆)
bliss montage by ling ma (audiobook; ★★★☆☆)
the raven boys by maggie stiefvater (reread; ★★★★★)
freshwater by akwaeke emezi (audiobook; ★★☆☆☆)
the dream thieves by maggie stiefvater (reread; ★★★★★)
i'm not done with you yet by jesse q. sutanto (gifted; ★★☆☆☆)
blue lily, lily blue by maggie stiefvater (reread; ★★★★★)
the raven king by maggie stiefvater (reread; ★★★★★)
bellegarde by jamie lilac (gifted; ★★★☆☆)
red, white & royal blue by casey mcquiston (reread; ★★★★★)
some mistakes were made by kristin dwyer (gifted; ★★★☆☆)
september
beta read (★★★★★)
dogs of summer by andrea abreu lópez (audiobook; ★★☆☆☆)
in these hallowed halls: a dark academia anthology edited by maria o'regan and paul kane (ARC; ★★★☆☆)
together we rot by skyla arndt (★★★★☆)
stay with my heart by tashie bhuiyan (ARC; ★★☆☆☆)
before we say goodbye by toshikazu kawaguchi & translated by geoffrey trousselot (ARC; ★★★★★)
the dead romantics by ashley poston (★★★★☆)
the seven year slip by ashley poston( ★★★★★)
you, again by kate goldbeck (★★☆☆☆)
serpent & dove by shelby mahurin (gifted; ★★★☆☆)
harlem after midnight by louise hare (gifted; ★★★☆☆)
witch of wild things by raquel vasquez gilliland (gifted; ★★★☆☆)
the luis ortega survival club by sonora reyes (gifted; ★★★★☆)
blood & honey by shelby mahurin (audiobook; ★★★☆☆)
the picture of dorian gray by oscar wilde (audiobook; ★★★★★)
for the throne by hannah whitten (audiobook; ★★★☆☆)
the wake-up call by beth o'leary (★★★★★)
the book eaters by sunyi dean (audiobook; ★★★☆☆)
october
the moth keeper by kay o'neill (★★★★☆)
a fragile enchantment by allison saft (ARC; ★★★★☆)
just kids by patti smith (audiobook)
cult classic by sloane crosley (audiobook; ★★★★☆)
the atlas paradox by olivie blake (audiobook; ★★★★☆)
the goodbye cat by hiro arikawa (gifted; ★★★★★)
the appeal by janice hallett ( ★★★★☆)
the twyford code by janice hallett ( ★★★★☆)
wildfire by hannah grace (★★☆☆☆)
the roaring by t. katarina tayler (★★☆☆☆)
curious tides by pascale lacelle (audiobook; ★★★★☆)
the tempest by william shakespeare (audiobook; ★★★★☆)
murder on the orient express by agatha christie (audiobook; ★★★★☆)
canadian boyfriend by jenny holiday (ARC; ★★☆☆☆)
november
better than fiction by alexa martin (★★★☆☆)
the christmas appeal by janice hallett(★★★★☆)
kaikeyi by vaishnavi patel (audiobook; ★★★★☆)
finale: late conversations with stephen sondheim by d.t. max (audiobook; ★★★★☆)
cleopatra and frankenstein by coco mellors (★★★★☆)
the undertaking of hart and mercy by megan bannen (audiobook; ★★★☆☆)
december
how to stop time by matt haig (audioboook; ★★★☆☆)
the wake-up call by beth o'leary (reread; ★★★★★)
the break up tour by emily wibberley & austin siegemund-broka (arc; ★★☆☆☆)
bride by ali hazelwood (arc; ★☆☆☆☆)
the getaway list by emma lord (arc; review withheld due to st. martin's press boycott)
same time next year by tessa bailey (★☆☆☆☆)
the mountains sing by nguyễn phan quế mai (★★★★★)
normal people by sally rooney (audiobook, reread; ★★★★★)
the night circus by erin morgenstern (reread;★★★★★)
funny story by emily henry (arc; ★★★★★)
les misérables by victor hugo (★★★★★)
TOTAL BOOKS READ: 202
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