NaNoWriMo Alternative: Sprint Your Way to Creative Success in 6 Weeks

Break free from the constraints of traditional writing challenges and embrace a revolutionary way to achieve your writing dreams. What if you could boost your creativity and productivity without the burnout of daily word counts? Join me, Carissa Andrews, as I introduce an alternative to NaNoWriMo that respects your personal pace—a six-week writing sprint designed to fit seamlessly into your busy life. Through my own experiences and insights, discover how this approach can nurture healthier writing habits and maintain your creative flow, even during hectic times like November.

In this exciting episode of the Author Revolution Podcast, explore the benefits of structured flexibility found in six-week writing sprints. Learn how this method can transform your workload into a manageable and fulfilling process, avoiding the pressure and stress that often accompany traditional writing challenges. Plus, get the latest updates on the Revolutionary Authors membership—a community dedicated to empowering your writer's journey. Whether you're just starting out or looking to expand your existing literary empire, redefine your path to success and unlock a new level of writing achievement. Join our revolution and reshape what it means to be an author today!

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Are you an author at a crossroads, feeling stuck & unfulfilled in your author career? Do you know deep down it's time for a change, but you’re unsure of the next step?

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 1:01

Welcome to the Author Revolution podcast, where change is not just embraced, it's celebrated. I'm Carissa Andrews, international bestselling author, indie author coach and your navigator through the ever-evolving landscape of authorship. Are you ready to harness the power of your mind and the latest innovations in technology for your writing journey? If you're passionate about manifesting your dreams and pioneering new writing frontiers, then you're in the perfect place. Here we merge the mystical woo of writing with the exciting advancements of the modern world. We dive into the realms of mindset, manifestation and the transformative magic that occurs when you believe in the impossible. We also venture into the world of futuristic technologies and strategies, preparing you for the next chapter in your author career. Every week, we explore new ways to revolutionize your writing and publishing experience, from AI to breakthrough thinking. This podcast is your gateway to a world where creativity meets innovation. Whether you're penning your first novel or expanding your literary empire, whether you're a devotee of the pen or a digital storyteller, this podcast is where your author revolution gains momentum. So join me in this journey to continue growth and transformation. It's time to redefine what it means to be an author in today's dynamic world.

Speaker 1: 2:22

This is the Author Revolution Podcast, and your author revolution starts now. Hey there, revolutionary authors, welcome back to another episode of the Author Revolution Podcast. I am so excited about today's episode because we're going to dive into something that could completely transform the way you approach your writing goals. Now, I know some of you out there are looking for an alternative to NaNoWriMo this year, and if that's you listen up what if I told you there's a better way to challenge yourself, one that's less overwhelming, more flexible and still wildly productive? I'm talking about creating your own six-week writing sprint, and today I'm going to show you how to do just that. Now stick with me, because not only will I walk you through exactly how a six-week sprint can boost your productivity, establish better habits and help you make meaningful progress on your current project, but I've also got some exciting news about the Revolutionary Authors membership that I can't wait to share. Trust me, you're not going to want to miss this.

Speaker 1: 3:28

So let's start by talking about writing sprints. If you've been following the Author Revolution podcast for a while, you've probably heard me talk about the benefits of sprints before, and, in specific, the fact that I love six-week writing sprints. I teach it inside of Rapid Release Roadmap. It's my favorite way to be able to get words onto the page quickly and without as much crazy stress as NaNoWriMo. You see, here's the thing that I've noticed too, not just with myself but with others. Nanowrimo which is fantastic if you thrive on a challenge helps you to get 50,000 words in 30 days.

Speaker 1: 4:01

But not everyone works well under that kind of pressure, and especially in November when we've got things like Thanksgiving right. So I know that for some of us that type of pace can actually be counterproductive. I've seen many of my students that it's a struggle that puts them either into burnout or stress and it pulls them straight out of their creative flow. And over the years, what I've learned about that is that we actually end up in a state of nervous system dysregulation. And when we do that to ourselves, when we put ourselves into a fight or flight, nervous system dysregulation, we are no longer tapped in to the creative flow that brings us the best ideas, that helps us move in the best, most methodical way that is in the creative flow right. It puts us in the state of how do I get out of this and how do I do it quickly so that I can save myself? Oh God, oh God, where's the bear? That's what it does to us, and I'm going to have a podcast episode coming up that's going to be all about the concepts that are happening with this. I mean, it's not going to be all about it. We're going to be talking about three reasons why the indie author industry is not really doing us any favors right now, and I'll touch on it a little bit more.

Speaker 1: 5:11

But right now I just want you to understand that the six week writing sprint really is a structured but flexible approach when it comes to making significant progress without the extreme pressure of daily word counts, and here's why that's even better. When you approach writing this way, you can actually set achievable goals that fit your life, your schedule and your personal writing style. There's many times where I teach you know, you could write five days and have two days off. Or if you have different scenarios where that sort of situation doesn't work but you'd like to write 5,000 words a day, for instance, you could do 5,000 words one day, 5,000 words another day and have the rest of the week off, like this gets to be how it works for you, but then you're going to just choose the time frame, okay.

Speaker 1: 5:58

So, speaking of that, why do I say six weeks? Why not a month or a longer stretch of time? Well, after years of working with authors and experimenting with the different timelines myself, I found that six weeks is a really good sweet spot. It's long enough to give you time to see real progress, but short enough to keep you focused and motivated, and that's really key. Right, we want to keep the momentum going. We want to remember what the hell we just wrote. We want to keep everything moving, but we don't want to be so burnt out that we feel like we don't have time for anything else.

Speaker 1: 6:31

And in a six week sprint, you can break down your goals in a way that it doesn't feel overwhelming. Let's just say, you're working on a new draft for your novel. Right, we're coming up on November. It's kind of in our DNA at this point. But instead of trying to pump out an entire book in a single month, you're aiming for manageable chunks of progress, like finishing a quarter or a half of your manuscript. That can be a part of this too. Right, it makes it easier to stay consistent without sacrificing your quality.

Speaker 1: 6:59

And speaking of consistency, one of the biggest benefits of a six-week sprint is that it helps you establish better habits by focusing on your writing over a slightly longer period of time. You create a routine that's sustainable, which is key to building a long-term writing practice, and, if you're going to be writing multiple books in a year, it keeps you focused enough so that when you move on to the next book, you're still in the flow of writing. You're not like, oh my God, do I even remember how to do this? So how can you set yourself up for success in a six week sprint? So here's a few tactics that I teach inside Rapid Release Roadmap, which is, by the way, exclusively available to members inside the Revolutionary Authors membership, just FYI.

Speaker 1: 7:41

Okay, number one, I want you to set clear, achievable goals At the start of your six week sprint. Take some time to set specific goals right, instead of vague aspirations like I'm going to write more. Get really clear about what you want to accomplish. Are you aiming to finish a certain number of chapters? Are you going to try to hit 60,000 words, like I teach? Are you going to maybe revisit a draft and you want to get through a number of scenes? Whatever it is, make sure that your goal is measurable so that you can track your progress along the way. And that's so key because, number one it keeps us in the energy of the thing that we're trying to create Manifestation 101, right, right, we gotta stay in the vibe, lock it in. But it also helps you to keep everything in your head. It helps you to keep it in a way that it's gonna really settle in and you're not having to go back and reread 50 billion times, because that's no fun.

Speaker 1: 8:36

Number two I want you to break it down into weekly milestones. Now, once you have your overarching goal, like the 60,000 words, for instance, break it down into the weekly milestones. So if it's a six week writing sprint and it's 60,000 words, that means 10,000 words right each week and this keeps you on track and it prevents you from feeling overwhelmed. And remember, the confused mind does nothing. When we get overwhelmed, we tend to freeze. Right, we go into fight, flight or freeze, and typically freeze is the big one when it comes to things like this.

Speaker 1: 9:05

So each week, if you have that goal, you know exactly what you need to accomplish and the clarity makes it easier to sit down and write without getting stuck. It also helps you to know like, okay, I've written, you know, 500 words Monday, 500 words Tuesday and zero for the rest of the week, and now it's Sunday. Now you know what you have to write if you're sticking to your goal. So it just helps you to know. You know what you're trying to hit, what is the thing that you're trying to make happen. You know when we're in that manifestational flow too. That's you taking those inspired action steps to get you there, but they are accountable. You know what you're trying to accomplish.

Speaker 1: 9:43

Number three build in accountability, and I think this is where NaNoWriMo does a really good job, right, because they've built this community where you can be held accountable for getting your words done. You can put things up on there, you can put your daily word counts, and that's really a huge factor in whether or not we stay motivated during a sprint, I think, especially as authors who are very solitary. So that's why, inside Revolutionary Authors Membership, I've created a special section inside of our community itself. So this is in Kajabi, where it's called the First Draft Fellowship. So this is where you can connect with other authors who are also working on their projects, whether they're writing a first draft, revising or brainstorming. It's just a space for you to share your progress. Do writing sprints together and keep each other accountable. Plus, it's perfect for anyone looking for an alternative to NaNoWriMo but still wants the sense of community, and for me, that's a big one. I think that's the reason why I decided that all of these things need to come together in memberships, because I need to be able to see people having fun, I need to be part of that community myself, and I can't wait for you to be able to experience it.

Speaker 1: 10:52

Okay, so, number four, I want you to remember to adjust as you go. One thing I love about the six week sprints is the flexibility. If life gets in the way as it often does, you can adjust. Maybe one week is more hectic than you expected and you don't hit your word count. Okay, that's fine, you have five more weeks to make up for it. You just, you know, shift things around a little bit. Let's say, you got 8,000 words in week one, so then you add a little bit more in week two, or you just spread it across the whole thing, using Scrivener to be able to adjust how quickly. Right, the point is to really just keep moving forward, even if it's not perfect, and remember progress is progress, no matter the pace, and done is better than perfect.

Speaker 1: 11:39

Now here's where things get really exciting. If you're ready to dive into this six-week sprint approach and really start making meaningful progress in your writing, I do invite you to join the Revolutionary Authors. Membership Doors are currently open and if you join now, you're not only getting access to the incredible resources inside which, by the way, there is a lot but you'll also be a part of this live cohort of Rapid Release Roadmap, which starts on October 21st. This is a lot, but you'll also be a part of this live cohort of rapid release roadmap, which starts on october 21st. This is a six-week writing sprint. This is huge, because rapid release roadmap is where I teach this exact process in even more detail how to sprint, how to strategize and how to build momentum with your writing and publishing, plus how to juggle it all, too, because we need to learn how to live our lives and have a sustainable author career right. So, plus, with this live cohort, you get the real-time support. We have four calls that are going to be happening through the six weeks that we're together, and then monthly calls. After that, there's feedback, accountability from me and your fellow authors. And don't forget about that first draft fellowship right.

Speaker 1: 12:40

This special section inside the membership is designed specifically for authors who are working on something other than NaNoWriMo. It's a space to talk about your current work in progress, to join in on group sprints and get the community support that you really need to stay motivated over the next six weeks. You don't have to do it alone, and it's way more fun when you don't. So, as you can see, a six-week sprint can be the perfect alternative to NaNoWriMo. It gives you the structure you need to make real progress, but with enough flexibility to adapt it to your own life and creative process. By the end of the six weeks, you'll not only have made serious headway on your project, but you also have built the habits and consistency you need to help keep the momentum going. So if this sounds like something you need in your life right now, don't wait.

Speaker 1: 13:28

Join the Revolutionary Authors membership today. Get in on the live cohort of Rapid Release Roadmap and let's sprint our way to success together. All you have to do is head over to authorrevolutionorg forward slash 257. We'll have the transcript, the links, all the things there. But because you're an awesome podcast listener, make sure you use the coupon code ARP for Author Revolution Podcast, ram for Revolutionary Authors Membership. So A-R-P-R-A-M and you'll save $35 every single month on your membership. It's going to be an amazing experience and I can't wait to see you inside together. So, guys, thank you so much for tuning in today to this episode of the Author Revolution Podcast. I hope you're feeling inspired to create your own writing challenge and embrace the six-week sprint. Don't forget, if you want to join us inside the Revolutionary Authors membership, the doors are open and I'd love to see you there. So, until next time, keep writing, keep creating and go forth and start your author revolution evolution. You.