How to Crush NaNoWriMo: The Ultimate Prep Guide

50,000 words in 30 days. It sounds impossible, but thousands of writers do it every November. The secret isn't magic—it's preparation.

The Math of Winning

To hit 50k in 30 days, you need to write 1,667 words per day. If you miss a day, that number jumps. Consistency is the only way to survive.

Hearth's streak tracking is designed exactly for this. Seeing that streak number go up every day gives you the dopamine hit you need to keep going when the writing gets tough.

October Prep Checklist (Preptober)

1. Create Your Project

Set up a new Project in Hearth. Don't wait until November 1st to figure out your folder structure.

2. Character Interviews

Spend October getting to know your cast. Create a "Characters" folder and write free-form journal entries from their perspectives.

3. The Outline (Pantser vs Plotter)

Even if you're a "pantser" (flying by the seat of your pants), having a rough list of scenes will save you when you hit writer's block on Day 15.

Survival Tips for November

• Turn off the Internal Editor: NaNoWriMo is about quantity, not quality. Hearth's minimal interface helps you focus on moving forward, not looking back.
• Use Sprints: Set a timer for 20 minutes. Write as fast as you can.
• Use Placeholders: Don't know a character's name? Write [NAME] and keep going. Fix it in December.
• Lean on AI: Stuck? Use Hearth's AI tab-complete to give you a nudge. "The door opened and..." [TAB].

The Post-NaNoWriMo Hangover

Come December 1st, you'll have a messy 50k word draft. That's when the real work begins. But for now, focus on the word count.