Could you write 50,000 words of a novel in thirty days? That’s the goal of NaNoWriMo or National Novel Writing Month. Even if you don’t want to, you can learn something from this challenge that applies to your business. 

I’ve done NaNoWriMo more than once, and each time I d do get my word count done. Here are some of the keys that help me succeed that I apply to my business. 

5 Keys to NaNoWriMo to Apply to Your Business 

It’s about getting something done in a short time frame — that takes focus.

🗝️ Set metrics

One of the satisfying things about NaNoWriMo is you know what “done” looks like. Your novel may not be done, but if you write 50,000 words in the given timeframe, you win. 

Beyond the end benchmark, there are metrics to measure your success along the way. If you write 1667 words every day, you’ll hit that 50,000 word goal. 

You can do this with business projects too. Here’s how:

• Define what “done” looks like. If you want to “finish your new course,” does that mean every piece of content is written and designed? Does it mean the whole thing out outlined and the first module is ready to deliver? 

• Identify checkpoints along the way. Break your project into steps. Track your progress. You can use a progress bar (like those money raising thermometers) or write each step on a sticky note and move it to a “Done” space when you finish. 

🗝️ Block out time 

You need time to get a project done, whether it’s writing a novel or writing your new sales page. Unless you block out the time ahead of time, your novel is likely to get squeezed out of your day — same with your business project. 

You should block out time to work on your business every week, but when you have a specific project you are pressing forward on, you need to set aside some extra time. To do that, you might have to give some things up — for a short time. For example, maybe you’ll skip your yoga class for a week while you write the web copy to get to your designer to stay on schedule for your new site. Or maybe you’ll close some extra slots on your booking calendar to allow for more focused work time for a 2-week sprint. 

🗝️ Accept a shitty first draft / version 1.0

NaNoWriMo has produced some acclaimed novels — but they weren’t perfect and polished at the end of November. The challenge is about getting your shitty first draft done (or well on it’s way). 

I like to talk about version 1.0 when it comes to business projects. Get it done and get it out there! You can add more or change things for the next version. In addition to keeping you moving forward, you may learn a lot from feedback on version 1.0 that helps you decide what the next version looks like. 

🗝️ Plan for obstacles

NaNoWriMo happens in November, when U.S. Thanksgiving is celebrated. If you’re traveling or hosting family, you need to decide how to deal with getting your word count done that day. Will you wake up early to get it done? Bump your word count slightly for the rest of the week to take the day off? 

There are ways around obstacles, but figuring out a plan for ones you can foresee gives you a leg up. You can do this when you do quarterly or weekly planning — and especially when you are working on project. 

🗝️ Know it’s a sprint

We can’t go 100% all the time. If I tried to write 1667 words every day all year, I’d burnout, but doing that every day for 30 days is doable. 

Having a shorter amount of time can actually help us get things done. Have you ever noticed how you make more time and get more focused with a deadline looming? A short timeframe can create that urgency. 

This isn’t about hustling, but about choosing to prioritize a project for a shorter period of time to get it done. It’s a great way to boost productivity and make progress. 

I’ve been working on a romance novel and some business upgrades. Using these 5 tips has helped me move forward on both. What project will you apply these 5 keys to success to?