NaNoWriMo: 25 Tips To Help You Write A Book In 1 Month + Free NaNoWriMo Printables
This blog post was written by a human.Hi readers and writerly friends!
We didn’t just come here to win NaNoWriMo—no, we came to slay it. Okay, maybe that line is for the horror writers, but I’m serious when I say I am slaying NaNo this year. 2022 is not only a new year, but it’s a new beginning. In 2022, we start and finish our novels, we reach our goals, and we don’t stop for anyone!
I’ve prepared this guide months in advance so you can get prepared too! You should be prepping all of October—er, prep-tober for the biggest, baddest, bestest NaNoWriMo ever! And okay, maybe some of those aren’t real words, but we can pretend, and we can still get psyched! Hooray for reaching our goals and stuff!
This blog post covers everything from background information on NaNoWriMo, to how to prepare for the writing challenge, to emergency solutions for that nasty writer’s block, to FREE printables and more!
I discovered this concept from Shayla Raquel from Shaylaraquel.com I took inspiration from her guide which you can check out here!
The NaNoWriMo Crest. Image by NaNoWriMo.
What is NaNoWriMo?
In my opinion, there’s only two valid reasons for asking this question: 1) you’re a writer and you’ve been living under a rock or 2) you’re a non-writer. Either way, I am here to serve and inform. *Bows graciously* NaNoWriMo is an acronym that stands for National Novel Writing Month. It begins every year on November 1. Participants have 30 days to write a 50,000-word novel. It comes out to 1,667 words a day.
How do I participate?
To get started, simply head to NaNoWriMo.org, click the Sign Up button, and fill out your profile. Once you’ve set up your profile, you can announce your novel, add buddies, and start prepping your book.
Is it free?
It’s free. In fact, NaNoWriMo is a nonprofit. However, if you’d like to support them, you can always donate to their organization.
Are there any local events for NaNoWriMo?
Although people all over the world participate in NaNoWriMo, you can go to their Regions page, find your specific region, and see if there are any Come Write-Ins available.
NaNoWriMo’s Come Write In program connects libraries, bookstores, and other neighborhood spaces with their local NaNoWriMo participants to build vibrant writing communities.
For example, the Yukon Writers’ Society in Oklahoma has four official Come Write-Ins. NaNoWriMo sends out official swag and signs so people know where to go.
How do I win NaNoWriMo?
You must reach your goal of 50,000 words by November 30. To receive your official certificate and get the winner badge on your profile, you must update your word count daily and make sure the word count reaches 50,000 words by November 30, 2020. Here’s their how-to guide.
Download Free Novel Binder Printables
Got a binder handy? Fill it with these beautiful printables and add the necessary information.
Here's what you'll get when you download the free PDF:
Binder title page with name plate
At a Glance — overview of your novel
Character List
The Protagonist — three pages for character details
The Antagonist — three pages for character details
To-Do List—you can fill the list with my NaNoWriMo To-Do List (scroll down!) or make your own!
Story Outline — three pages detailing the parts of a novel as per the three-act story structure
Word Count Tracker—with NaNoWriMo daily word count goal and space for your daily word count reached
I suggest tossing these fantastic freebies into a lovely, matching blue binder! Scroll down to download!
NaNoWriMo To-Do List:
1. Grab some coffee—this is going to be so fun!
2. Set up your NaNoWriMo account
3. Fill out your author bio and add a profile photo.
4. Announce your novel.
5. Add your buddies. (Add me too!)
6. Find your region and see if there are any local Come Write-Ins.
7. Print my free novel binder templates and prepare your binder. (Scroll back up!)
8. Tell your social media friends about NaNoWriMo. Tag NaNoWriMo and use hashtags.
9. Tidy up your writing space and add some inspirational NaNo swag. Or make your own! You can also add a candle, some motivational quotes and pep talk books! (Scroll down!)
10. Put together a NaNo board. This is the fun part! Grab a corkboard or dry erase board and display your outline, character photos, book cover sketches, inspirational quotes—anything that has to do with your book. If you prefer digital vision boards, start a Pinterest board.
11. Download my emergency writer’s block kit for when the dreaded writer’s block inevitably strikes! Don’t let lack of motivation or inspiration slow you down or keep you from reaching your NaNoWriMo goals! (Scroll down!)
12. Create a reward sheet. When you hit 10,000 words, you should get a reward—like a weekly coffee stop for reaching your goals each week or bigger rewards for bigger milestones such as every ten thousand words! Write a list of rewards that go with each big milestone you hit. If all of this motivation fails you, your rewards will keep you on track, believe me.
13. Print the Word Count Calendar (scroll down!) and pin it to your NaNo board!
14. Add official Come Write-Ins to your schedule if you found any (#5).
15. Looks like your cup is empty…coffee break?
16. Create a NaNo playlist. Don’t forget game soundtracks and Ambient Mixer!
17. Set a certain time to write then tell your family/friends/neighbors/pets you are writing for X amount of minutes/hours each day. Be proactive in stopping distractions. Consider postponing plans with friends and family until you’ve met your goal each day.
18. Draw pictures of your characters or Google pictures of what you think they’d look like. I like to have a few photos for every character, including headshots, full-body shots, and photos that accentuate their style. You can add them to your NaNo board!
19. Look at book covers. Obviously don’t steal someone else’s book cover but find a few that you think would represent your book well. Keep them to refer to when NaNo hits. Add to your NaNo board!
20. You think we’re busy now, but wait ‘til we’re really in the trenches. Speaking of being busy, I think it’s time for more coffee—gotta keep the productivity levels up, right?
21. Prepare the manuscript. This is actually really fun and can make you feel like a bona fide novelist. Write your title, table of contents (if you have one), acknowledgments, prologue, and so on. Get the novel looking fancy!
22. Find your accountability buddy now. Get together with them and discuss both of your books! When NaNoWriMo is in full swing and you’re feeling stuck, you can hit up your NaNo buddy for instant support—or a kick in the pants, whichever.
23. At the end of NaNoWriMo grab a celebratory coffee—for winning or for simply participating!
24. Consider donating to NaNoWriMo.
25. If you finish your novel, then great! It’s now time to edit. If you still have some writing to do, stay on the writing train with 1,666 words a day until it’s finished. By participating in NaNoWriMo, you’re building the habit of writing every day and it’s much easier to maintain the habit than to pick it back up if you let it go. Keep writing and you’ll reach the ending before you know it!
Keeping Up With Word Counts
Download my free NaNoWriMo word count calendar so you can keep track of your writing goals and work count all month long!
Cackling Over Calendars
Don’t like my calendar? That’s okay! Try this one on for size! Humor helps pass the time! @hermiejr157 on DeviantArt designed this hilarious, quirky, and painfully true calendar that accurately describes NaNoWriMo for most writers!
“NaNoWriMo Desktop.” by @hermiejr157.
Worried About Writer’s Block?
Download my free NaNoWriMo writer’s block emergency kit!
NaNoWriMo Articles For Extra Inspiration & Motivation
Books To Read In Preparation Of NaNoWriMo!
The books shown above are:
Ready, Set, Novel!: A Workbook by Lindsey Grant and Chris Baty
You can find all of these and more on my Payton’s Picks Page
Build Or Join A Writing Community To Keep Each Other Accountable Throughout NaNoWriMo!
Social Media
Facebook Groups
Use NaNo Hashtags To Find NaNoWriMo-Related Content
Most social media out there allows you to post hashtags, and often up to at least 30 per post! You can comment even more hashtags on the post to increase visibility! Here are 50 different NaNoWriMo hashtags for you to use with your content!
#1667wordsaday
#amediting
#amwriting
#authorlife
#book
#bookish
#bookishthings
#booklove
#booklover
#booklovers
#bookstagram
#bookwormforlife
#bookworms
#characters
#creativewriting
#fantasy
#fiction
#fictionbooks
#iamawriter
#igbooks
#ilovewriting
#inktober
#inspiration
#instawrimo
#nanoprep
#nanowrimo
#nonfiction
#poetry
#preptober
#procrastination
#scrivener
#stylewriting
#wip
#write
#writer
#writerscommunity
#writerscorner
#writerslife
#writersofig
#writersofinsta
#writersofinstagram
#writing
#writingchallenge
#writingcommunity
#writingeveryday
#writinglife
#writingofig
#writingprompt
#yabooks
#yacontemporary
#yalit
Bibliography
Baty, Chris. No Plot? No Problem! Revised and Expanded Edition: A Low-stress, High-velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days. California: Chronicle Books LLC, 2014. Amazon (Image and link).Faulkner , Grand. Pep Talks for Writers: 52 Insights and Actions to Boost Your Creative Mojo (Novel and Creative Writing Book, National Novel Writing Month NaNoWriMo Guide). California: Chronicle Books, 2017. Amazon (Image and link).Grant. Lindsey, and Chris Baty. Ready, Set, Novel!: A Workbook. California: Chronicle Books, 2011. Amazon (Image and link).hermiejr157. “NaNoWriMo Desktop” Deviantart post, November 4, 2008.McNulty, Bridget. “Writing a Novel in a Month: 10 Tips for Plotters and Pantsers.” Now Novel blog post, accessed October 18, 2022.NaNoWriMo. “NaNo Prep 101.” NaNoWriMo website, accessed October 18, 2022.NaNoWriMo. "NaNoWriMo Logo.” Image. Accessed October 18, 2022.NY Book Editors. “A First-Timer’s Guide to Prepping for NaNoWriMo.” Blog post, accessed October 18, 2022.Puglisi, Becca, and Angela Ackerman. The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression (Second Edition) (Writers Helping Writers Series Book 1). JADD Publishing, 2019. Amazon (Image and link).Raquel, Shayla. “100 Plot Ideas. “ Shaylaraquel.com blog post, October 16, 2022.Raquel, Shayla. “NaNoWriMo 2018 Novel Binder Printables.” Shaylaraquel.com blog post, September 30, 2022.Reedsy. “What is NaNoWriMo? And How to Win in 2022.” Reedsy blog post, October 5, 2020.Rittenberg, Ann, Laura Whitcomb, and Camille Goldin. Your First Novel Revised and Expanded Edition: A Top Agent and a Published Author Show You How to Write Your Book and Get It Published. Ohio: Writer's Digest Books, 2018. Amazon (Image and link).Scott Bell, James. Write Your Novel From The Middle: A New Approach for Plotters, Pantsers and Everyone in Between. London: Compendium Press, 1707. Amazon (Image and link).Steve. “Getting Ready for NaNoWriMo.” Storyist blog post, accessed October 18, 2022.Strawser, Jessica. “NaNoWriMo Advice: 30 Tips for Writing a Book in 30 Days.“ Writer’s Digest article, October 6, 2015.The Write Life Team. “How to Prepare for NaNoWriMo: Your 4-Week Success Plan.” The Write Life blog post, October 3, 2022.
Related Topics
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Recent Blog Posts
This blog post was researched, written, and published by a human author without the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI). Gen-AI models are trained on text written by humans, therefore, the presence of specific punctuation, verbiage, tone, or predictable, marketing-style phrases alone are not sufficient indicators of gen-AI usage. I implore readers to use context clues, critical thinking, pattern recognition, research, and employ their best judgement when determining the validity of human authorship of print and digital media today. If you want to learn more about my stance on gen-AI and it’s role in media and the publishing industry, I plan to release a blog post on this topic very soon, so stay tuned for that. This disclaimer will be updated once that post goes live.
4 of the Most Useful FREE Apps for Writers
Though it may seem counterintuitive from a notification/distraction standpoint, there are many great tools for both readers and writers readily accessible from multiple devices. If you want to knock out your book challenge or level up your writing game for 2022, keep reading to find out what apps might help you reach your bookish goals this year!
This blog post was written by a human.Hello readers and writerly friends!
Though it may seem counterintuitive from a notification/distraction standpoint, there are many great tools for both readers and writers readily accessible from multiple devices. If you want to knock out your book challenge or level up your writing game for 2022, keep reading to find out what apps might help you reach your bookish goals this year!
Payton Hayes is not affiliated with any of these apps mentioned below. These are my genuine recommendations. All of these apps listed below are free-to-use or have free versions available.
Google Docs
Notion is widely versatile and is very user friendly. Photo by Filip Baotić.
Although its an obvious one to start, most writers and editors will suggest MS Word before Google Docs. However, for someone who values accessibility and security over an abundance of professional editorial features, the cloud-based word-processing app might be the way to go. You can access Google Docs from your desktop, laptop, phone, or tablet and autosave is always one. Writer’s can rest easy knowing their precious drafts are safe in the cloud.
2. Notion
Regardless of whether you’re a creative individual or not, Notion is a fantastic multi-functional app with accessibility across multiple devices much like Google Docs. Notion is described as a project management and note-taking app, but to some, it’s the ultimate productivity station. Notion is truly an all-in-one platform for tracking, project management, note-taking, planning, lists, databases, and so much more. It can be as minimal or maximal as needed and its adaptive to the user’s needs. This means users can complete a wide variety of tasks within a single platform, thus decreasing distraction and increasing workflow.
3. Evernote
Readers and writers alike can benefit from using Evernote because it is designed for note taking, organizing, task management, and archiving. Readers who enjoy taking notes over the books they’ve been reading and writers trying to keep track of their project notes can all make use of the features Evernote has to offer, which include but are not limited to:
Sync and Organize. Keep your notes handy.
Web Clipper. A save button for the web.
Tasks. Bring notes & to-dos together.
Calendar. Connect schedules and notes.
Templates. Create better notes, faster.
Document Scanning. Go paperless with Evernote.
Search. Find exactly what you need.
Plagiarism Checker by Grammarly. Screenshot by Payton Hayes.
4. Grammarly
While Grammarly is more of a writer tool, non-writers from students to teachers to business professionals can all benefit from checking their work for plagiarism. When it comes to written content, it’s immensely important to ensure your work is unique and that you’re not taking someone else’s words. Double check that your words are fresh by running them through Grammarly’s plagiarism checker. It’s as simple as uploading a file or copying and pasting.
Honorable Mentions
These apps and software didn’t make the cut above because a) they either weren’t free or didn’t have free versions available or b) weren’t available across iOS, Android, and Windows. However, these apps are incredibly useful and are definitely worth checking out!
Living Writer
Scrivener
Final Draft
Storyist
MS Word (MS Office 365 Subscription)
That’s it for my top four most useful apps for writers in 2022, and they’re all free! Do you use these apps for your writing? What did you think of this list? Let me know in the comments below! Thanks for reading and make sure to check out my recent blog posts!
Bibliography
Baotić, Filip. “black laptop computer turned on displaying facebook photo.” Unsplash photo, January 20, 2021.Cagle, Brooke. “woman using laptop while sitting on a chair photo.” Unsplash photo, (Thumbnail) November 26, 2018.Google. “About.” Google.com, accessed March 18, 2022.Notion. “Home".” Notion.so, accessed March 18, 2022.Evernote. “Home.” Evernote.com, accessed March 18, 2022.Grammarly. “Home.” Grammarly.com, accessed March 18, 2022.
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Get Your FREE Story Binder Printables e-Book!8 Ways To Level Up Your Workspace And Elevate Your ProductivityGet Things Done With The Pomodoro TechniqueHow To Organize Your Digital Life: 5 Tips For Staying Organized as a Writer or Freelancer5 MORE Ways To Stay Organized As A Writer Or FreelancerFor Content Creators and CEOs with ADHD: Strategies to Succeed Despite Overwhelm and DistractionsNaNoWriMo: 25 Tips To Help You Write A Book In 1 Month! + Free NaNoWriMo Printables25 Strangely Useful Websites To Use For Research and Novel Ideas“Twenty Little Poetry Projects” Writing Exercise by Jim SimmermanWriting Exercises from Jeff Tweedy's Book, How To Write One SongHow To Write Poems With Artificial Intelligence (Using Google's Verse by Verse)Payton's Picks: The Best Books On Writing BooksManuscript Format BasicsSelf-Care Tips for Bookworms5 Healthy Habits For Every WriterFor Content Creators and CEOs with ADHD: Strategies to Succeed Despite Overwhelm and DistractionsYoga For Writers: A 30-Minute Routine To Do Between Writing SessionsHow To Overcome Writer’s BlockCheck out my other Writing Advice, Freelancing, Resources, and Productivity & Organization blog posts!
Recent Blog Posts
This blog post was researched, written, and published by a human author without the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI). Gen-AI models are trained on text written by humans, therefore, the presence of specific punctuation, verbiage, tone, or predictable, marketing-style phrases alone are not sufficient indicators of gen-AI usage. I implore readers to use context clues, critical thinking, pattern recognition, research, and employ their best judgement when determining the validity of human authorship of print and digital media today. If you want to learn more about my stance on gen-AI and it’s role in media and the publishing industry, I plan to release a blog post on this topic very soon, so stay tuned for that. This disclaimer will be updated once that post goes live. In the meantime, I will continue to be transparent about which tools and resources I use in my work.
Christmas Wishlist For Writers: 5 Must-Have, Useful Items For The Writer In Your Life
While we can’t all be with our loved ones during this crazy time, you can still show the writers in your life love by gifting them something useful they’ll actually use! Ditch the boring old notebook and go for one of these ideas! If you’re the writer in your life, gift yourself something nice or add your faves from this list to your own personal wishlist!
This blog was written by a humanHi readers and writerly friends!
Its December 2020! Can you believe it? It somehow simultaneously feels like this year flew by and just dragged on forever. Well, against the background of 2020’s chaos, its holiday season once again, hooray! While we can’t all be with our loved ones during this crazy time, you can still show the writers in your life love by gifting them something useful they’ll actually use! Ditch the boring old notebook and go for one of these ideas! If you’re the writer in your life, gift yourself something nice or add your faves from this list to your own personal wishlist!
Books about writing
Chicago Manual of Style (Contains everything a writer needs to know about grammar, formatting, style, and industry standard practices!)
The Novel Planner: A Daily Planner for Authors by Kristen Kieffer
No Plot? No Problem! A Low Stress, High-Velocity Guide to Writing A Novel In 30 Days by Chris Baty
Want more amazing books to choose from? Here’s a list of my favorites —40+ of the best books on writing.
Annual subscription to something useful
Sometimes writers just need the right tools to write. Pick up an annual subscription you your writer’s favorite word processors, apps, writing tools, design software, and marketing services!
Writing Tools
Word Processors
Design and Website Tools
Canva (Lightweight but powerful photo editor and design app)
Marketing and Exposure
MasterWriter claims to be the “leading songwriting, lyric writing and creative writing software.” If the writer in your life is a creative writer or songwriters, consider picking up a monthly, yearly, or two-year license for $9.95, $99.95 or $149.95.
With this software they can access a suite of useful writing tools that will not only encourage them to express themselves in “a unique and meaningful way,” but will also give them the means to do so digitally, whether their a songwriter, poet, novelist, or blog writer.
Author photoshoot with a professional photographer
Regardless of whether the writer in your life has been published or not, its always a great idea to have professional photos taken. Writers can use these in their resumes, writer websites, media kits, social media profiles, and more. This is likely something they’d never think to get themselves but will ultimately end up paying for themselves since the value of professionally shot photos far exceeds the cost of the service fees. Many photographers will even lightly edit the photos for you. Consider hiring photographer for 1-2 hours and heading out to a library or public park with all of your favorite writerly tools in hand.
Pro Tip: Search Instagram, Facebook Marketplace, or Groupon to start looking for affordable photographers near you.
If you’re in the Oklahoma City area, I would recommend Jae McBride of @Jaeashtenphotos and Jalea Alexandria of @j.alexandriaphotography on Instagram.
Writer’s Associations and Editing Masterclasses
Writers never stop learning and growing. Help the writer in your life become a better writer by taking professional masterclasses or by making valuable connections with other writers and literary freelancers by getting them an annual subscription to a writer’s association.
The Christian PEN (Proofreaders and Editors Network) has tons of affordable masterclasses and lesson packs to chose from.
Writersrelief.com has a great list of writer’s associations to chose from.
Check out these amazing editorial associations!
The Christian PEN offers masterclasses, lesson pack bundles, and even group rates.
Comfy writing room additions
Complete your writing set up with these comfy, warm, adjustable, and ergonomic office-space must-haves!
Writing isn’t a sprint —it’s a marathon. Writing takes time and that means your writer will be parked at their desk for hours on end, typing and staring at a screen. Outfit the writer in your life with a comfortable set up from seating to warmth to blue-light glasses. Get more writing done with a comfy desk chair, adjustable footrest, or even fingerless handwarmers (so you can still type!) Consider tossing in a candle warmer to keep your tea/coffee warm while you write!
If you want to go above and beyond and splurge on yourself or the writer in your life, consider picking up a new writing computer for them. This is a vital tool for the writing and editing process and can last them years. Bundle it with writing software and/or a masterclass to really go the extra mile this holiday season!
Story Binder Printables
Bonus Item!
Story Binder Printables (Includes Character Sheets, Timelines, World-Building Worksheets and More!)
For only $10 you can help yourself or the writer in your life keep their writing notes organized in a beautiful and easy-to-navigate Story Binder! Choose from 10 beautiful covers, take advantage of quick reference pages, easy prepping and developing kits for your story, and make use of 52 pages of actionable content that will help you stay on track while writing your story! The best part is, you get access to my Story Binder Printables FOREVER! Reprint and reuse this system for all of your novels!
These are just a few of the faves on my personal wishlist. I might even end up gifting myself a couple of these! Show the writer in your life that you care and want them to succeed in their craft by gifting them something they can actually use in their writing practice! If you’re shopping for yourself, remember you’re investing in your passion and career, so no shame in the occasional writing book or masterclass and in fact, it’s highly recommended! Happy Holidays readers and writerly friends! Have a merry and safe holiday season this year!
Thumbnail photo by Element5 Digital.
This blog post was researched, written, and published by a human author without the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI). Gen-AI models are trained on text written by humans, therefore, the presence of specific punctuation, verbiage, tone, or predictable, marketing-style phrases alone are not sufficient indicators of gen-AI usage. I implore readers to use context clues, critical thinking, pattern recognition, research, and employ their best judgement when determining the validity of human authorship of print and digital media today. If you want to learn more about my stance on gen-AI and it’s role in media and the publishing industry, I plan to release a blog post on this topic very soon, so stay tuned for that. This disclaimer will be updated once that post goes live. In the meantime, I will continue to be transparent about which tools and resources I use in my work.
25 Strangely Useful Websites To Use For Research and Novel Ideas
Here’s a screenie of what it would be like if a nuclear blast went off in my area. Pretty crazy right?
Time Lapse
Time travel, virtually and geologically. Watch the world change over the course of nearly three decades of satellite photography.
And here’s a screenie of the Time Lapse website panned in to the Oil Sands. I peeked through the years to see how much the Sahara Desert changed over time. It’s pretty wild.
Please Note: As of February 6, 2025, some of the links in this blog post are broken. For archival purposes, I will not be updating this post but I will release an updated post this spring. Hopefully the owners of the broken links are able to provide updated links for us soon!
Exit Mundi
Exit Mundi is a fantastic collection of end-of-the-world scenarios. Spoiler Alert: For example, remember in Marvels Infinity War, after the snap, when people just started to crumble into thin air? Yeah, that was great. 😢 Exit Mundi goes in-depth into what the big crumble would really be like for people on Earth. Yikes. For us writers, it can be incredible useful! But R.I.P. Subway guy.
History and humanity
Ancient History Encyclopedia
From mind-blowing ancient architecture, to prehistoric artwork, this website is a goldmine of historical information. This website even has historical event timeline!
On This Day In History
At the time of writing this blog post, the Spanish explorer Hernan Cortes is driven from Tenochtitlan and retreats to Tlaxcala, The statue of King George III is pulled down in New York City, Wyoming becomes the 44th state, Germany begins the bombing of England, and Kenyan runner Yobes Ondieki becomes the first man to run 10,000 meters in less than 27 minutes—I had no clue all of these events happened on the same day, over different years. It’s so fascinating and can be really useful for writing books spiced with a little history.
Historical Pics
Historical Pics is stashed in a little corner of the internet, called Facebook. But I like to call it time-waster-extraordinaire, because I always get caught scrolling through this page for hours on end. There’s so many incredible photos from Dovima posing with elephants in a Paris circus, 1955 to a giant human chess game played 100 years ago in Leningrad, Soviet Union.
Inspiration
Looking for inspiration to get the creative juices flowing? Have no fear! These two websites are known for their ability to light a spark in even the driest of writers.
Pintrest
Infact, Pintrest users coined the term/hashtag #inspo due to the ability to inspire almost anything in anyone who happens to find themselves down the rabbit hole of aesthetic pins and boards.
The Moth
The Moth is an incredible website that will surely inspire you to hone your craft of storytelling and deep dive into humanity’s stories. The Moth is dedicated to sharing engaging, well-crafted stories that honor the diversity and commonality of human experience. (And their stories come in text and audio formats!)
Location and worldbuilding
Google Earth
“The Sieka of Sahn’Jatar” is set in my fictional world of Aviiyen, but the desert is inspired by the Sahara over in the middle east and Google Earth was so useful in bringing that story to life. I’ve never been to the Sahara Desert but I would love to go there in person someday. For now, I’ll just visit from my computer screen.
Zillow
If you’ve done some house hunting lately, then you know how useful Zillow can be for finding the next perfect place to live. But you might not know how great it is for house inspiration for your novel characters! Much like Google Earth, Zillow is great for visualizing locations and helping to bring your story’s fictional setting to life.
Here’s a screenie from Zillow! While one day, I hope to move to Seattle, for now I can happily write about my dream city from the comfort of my Oklahoma home.
100,000 Stars
Earlier in this list, I mentioned people wanting to yeet themselves into space by hitching a ride on SpaceX’s rideshare cargo but now you don’t have to do that! Just check out 100,000 Stars for a stellar interactive visualization experience with the stars! As per their website: “From their website: “100,000 Stars hows the location of 119,617 nearby stars derived from multiple sources, including the 1989 Hipparcos mission. Zooming in reveals 87 individually identified stars and our solar system. The galaxy view is an artist's rendition based on NGC 1232, a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way.”
Here’s a screenie of the 100,000 Stars website. Pretty amazing right?
Geoguessr
So, you think you’re a worldbuilding pro? Let’s find out just how well you know your setting with Geoguessr—a website that transports you into a place with one goal in mind: to determine where you are on the map. You can play across the global map or try and identify famous locations from spectacular natural wonders to astonishing man-made structures.
And here’s a screenie from Geoguessr. Any ideas where this satellite image is from?
Murder and Horror
Okay so these websites might not be for the faint of heart, but I promise, we have some more happier/positive items to come later in this list! But these potentially disturbing websites can prove super useful for writers working on murder mystery novels and horror/thriller.
Homicide Monitor
A worldwide homicide map where you can see how many people were killed where. This might be useful if you’re writing a novel and need homicide statistics or in need of a story idea. However, you might want to avoid looking up you town… 😬
Goodbye Warden
This website has a chilling list of last words from 565 Texas death row inmates.
Murderpedia
Murderpedia is a free online encyclopedic dictionary of murderers and the largest database about serial killers and mass murderers around the world.
Names
Baby Names
Pretty self-explanatory, but if you’re trying to find the perfect name for your main protagonist, Baby Names is the site for you!
Behind The Name
Maybe you already have your names picked out but you want to do a little more research on their origins or meanings? Check out Behind the Name for in-depth etymology on almost any name you can imagine.
(A great honorable mention (because it’s not a website, but a book rather, is Llewellyn's Complete Book of Names. There are thousands of names in this book and it was a life-saver for me when trying to come up with names for my WIP fantasy series.)
Strange, but useful facts
Uber Facts
Once again, we have another time-suck of a webpage, but truthfully I love this one as much as the Historical Pics Page. This is a Facebook page that puts out some of the most interesting facts I’ve ever seen. Save facts for story ideas or go down the rabbit hole of interesting information.
Today I Found Out
Want to know why kids learn languages fast than adults? Or maybe you want to read more about why the human heart doesn’t get tired like other muscles? The Today I Found Out website is a great place for random, interesting information that might inspire your writing.
How Stuff Works
Who came up with aglets? How (and why) is the U.S. Experiencing a coin shortage? Is French press really the best coffee? How Stuff Works has all the answers you could ever want and more.
Cool Interesting Stuff
From chilling true-crime mysteries to alien autopsies and urban legends, Cool Interesting Stuff has tons of random, weird, and borderline creepy facts to inspire your next thriller. Pro Tip: Don’t read this website before bed.
Oddee
Oddee is a website that entertains million of visitors every month with stories about parrots teaching each other to swear (and then laugh about it) and brain-eating amoebas found in Texas water supplies—Yikes!
Space Facts
Did you know there’s a couple of dwarf planets named Eris and Makemake, or that Eris was once considered for the position of tenth planet? I didn’t! And that’s exactly why we need this site. I love space and talking about all things celestial, but I need more of it in my life. Since my books are sort of sci-fi and fantasy genre bending, this site is great for all kinds of stellar facts.
And that’s it for my list of 25 strangely useful websites for writers! What did you think of this list? Have you ever used any of these sites for your own writing? Do you have any ideas that are missing from this list? Let me know in the comments below!
—Payton
Get Things Done With The Pomodoro Technique
25 Minutes On, 5 Minutes Off, 4 Times—It’s That Easy. When I first learned about the Pomodoro Technique, I probably thought the same thing as you—the Pomodoro what now? But as I learned more about it, it became an incredibly useful tool in writing projects.
This blog post was written by a human.Hi readers and writerly friends!
25 Minutes On, 5 Minutes Off, 4 Times—It’s That Easy.
When I first learned about the Pomodoro Technique, I probably thought the same thing as you—the Pomodoro what now? But as I learned more about it, it became an incredibly useful tool in writing projects.
What is the Pomodoro technique?
The Pomodoro Technique is time management method first developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980’s. The technique employs a timer to break large workloads into intervals at 25 minutes in length separated by five-minute breaks. Each interval is called a pomodoro, or the Italian word for tomato. Francesco Cirillo used the word pomodoro because it was the name of the kitchen times he used as university student.
How does it work?
When you sit down to work, you set a time for 25 minutes and work as diligently as possible for that amount of time. When the timer goes off, you take a quick five minute break and then repeat the process four times. When you’ve completed your fourth pomodoro, you take a thirty minute break.
Why does it work so well?
This process has grown in popularity, especially in entrepreneurial circles, and that’s because it works. You wouldn’t expect something so simple and easy to implement to be so effective, but it really is. The reason is because by breaking your workload into smaller parts, you make bigger tasks seem less daunting. If you only have to really focus for 25 minutes, you begin to challenge yourself to see what you can complete in that time frame.
Using the Pomodoro technique for writing everyday
I don’t usually use this time management method in my editing projects because breaking my reading concentration slows me down, but I love using it when writing. Especially when combined with NaNoWriMo, the pomodoro technique is insanely useful for getting writing done. Often, sitting down to write a blog post such as this or work on my manuscript is still a daunting task for me, but by breaking it up into a measly 25 minutes of work, I know I can accomplish a lot more because by breaking it down, I am also removing the dread that comes with knowing I have to write so much.
I usually complete my blog posts in a much shorter amount of time because I work so diligently within my allotted 25 minutes, and when the times goes off before I’m finished, I take a break and I’m ready to jump back in and pick up where I left off, usually finishing up not too long after the break.
And that’s it for my how-to-guide for the Pomodoro Technique! Have you ever heard of this method of timekeeping? What do you think? Let me know in the comments below!
Bibliography
Related Topics
How To Organize Your Digital Life: 5 Tips For Staying Organized as a Writer or Freelancer5 MORE Ways to Stay Organized as a Writer or FreelancerGet Things Done With The Pomodoro Technique5 Reasons Most Writers QuitWhen Writing Becomes DifficultSelf-Care Tips for Readers and Writers5 Healthy Habits For Every Writer8 Ways To Level Up Your Workspace And Elevate Your ProductivityThe 4 Most Useful FREE Apps for Writers in 2022 (Sync Across Multiple Devices, Not Only iOS)20 Tips and Tricks for Email Newsletters That Don't SuckView my FAQ page for inspiration for your own!
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This blog post was researched, written, and published by a human author without the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI). Gen-AI models are trained on text written by humans, therefore, the presence of specific punctuation, verbiage, tone, or predictable, marketing-style phrases alone are not sufficient indicators of gen-AI usage. I implore readers to use context clues, critical thinking, pattern recognition, research, and employ their best judgement when determining the validity of human authorship of print and digital media today. If you want to learn more about my stance on gen-AI and it’s role in media and the publishing industry, I plan to release a blog post on this topic very soon, so stay tuned for that. This disclaimer will be updated once that post goes live. In the meantime, I will continue to be transparent about which tools and resources I use in my work.