Simcoe NaNoWriMo Tip # 2

How to use TK to write faster (no, I don't mean TikTok).

There is an old trick journalists use when writing on a deadline, one that was a game changer in my own fiction writing, and all it takes is two strokes on the keyboard.

TK.

It’s a placeholder, an abbreviation for “to come”. Yes, yes, I know--it’s misspelled. That’s intentional, to make it clear that it’s not the final copy.

Still with me? Great--let’s talk about how this applies to your NaNoWriMo project.

Hannah Orenstein, who has made a career in magazine editorial and moonlights as a fiction author, often shares this piece of advice with her social media followers when asked for writing tips. It’s fast, effective, and will eliminate one of the biggest roadblocks of the writing process when it comes to first drafting.

Don’t let yourself get hung up on finding the exact right word for that elusive--but very specific--facial expression you’re trying to describe, or the particular shade of purple that would have been accurate in 1542 Tudor England. Write “purple (TK)” and Move. On.

Seriously. Just keep writing!

Instead of agonizing over that perfect word or turn of phrase you think you need to remember, plug in the placeholder and keep going. Instead of wasting 15 minutes on Google, you’ll have gotten another hundred words in. Or two hundred.

When you’re ready to go back and add those missing details, all you have to do is use the handy “find” feature (ctrl+f) to locate every spot you wanted to add to later.

Remember - November is a marathon. Chugging along steadily is very likely going to be your best chance of “winning” NaNoWriMo by hitting that 50K word goal. Which means that your focus has to be on consistently moving forward. Leave the revision (and there will be revisions) for December.

Emily Nakeff

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This writing tip is part of a series of writing tips, tricks, and advice during the month of November as we celebrate National Novel Writing Month. Join Essa Public Library and five other libraries across Simcoe County as we offer a variety of programs and events to help writers complete their novel. Participating libraries are also offering space for writers to work, free wifi, writing resources and more.

Attend an online or in-person event or drop by a Simcoe NaNoWriMo location and enter for your chance to win a Writer's Basket full of writing goodies. Participating libraries include: Barrie, Essa, Innisfil IdeaLAB and Library, New Tecumseth, Tay, and Clearview.

For a full listing of programs and events during National Novel Writing Month, visit the Essa Public Library's online event calendar.