What You Should Be Doing During Prep-Tober to Get Ready for NaNoWriMo

If you haven't heard of such things as NaNoWriMo or Prp-Tober then you are missing out on one of the most challenging and rewarding events that hundreds of thousands of writers take place in each year. 

Starting November first participants begin the challenge of completing a 50,000-word novel in only 30 days. This event for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) forces writers to write an average of 1,667 words each day of the challenge to be able to claim their victory at the end of the month.

In order to prepare for this event many writers take place in a pre-event event called Prep-Tober so that they do not go into the first of the month without any plan for what or when they are going to write to set them up for success during the crazed typing days of November. 

If this is your first time participating in Prep-Tober or NaNoWriMo here is a list of things you should be completing this month before the clock starts counting down the days in November. 

Brainstorm Your Story 

Going into the month without a single idea about what story you are going to write is going to make the challenge almost impossible to complete. Spend a day or two brainstorming out the basic points of your story such as plot, characters, and setting. The more time you spend on this the easier writing your novel will go. 

Create an Outline

Yes, I know there is a great divide between Pantsers and Plotters, but for NaNoWriMo, plotting, even in its most basic form can be the difference between meeting the deadline for the challenge or falling behind. 

Your outline can be as detailed or flexible as you'd like, but having a roadmap to follow will erase the days of writer's block that may be lying in wait along the challenge. 

I'm always in favor of a simple chapter-by-chapter outline, bullet-pointing the major parts to include in each chapter and then I fill in the rest as I write. This method works best for me, but it's important that you find one that works best with your writing style. 

Set Your Daily or Weekly Goals and Figure Out Your Writing Schedule

Just because the challenge suggests you write a minimum of 1,667 words a day doesn't mean that this is realistic for each participant. If you are a student or a caregiver or have a full-time job you may not be able to dedicate the time to write each day.

Set realistic goals for yourself that don't overwork you. If you have more time on the weekends than during the week try to get through as many words as you can and a few writing sprints during the week to help keep you on track. 

Organize or Set Up A Designated Writing Space 

Our writing spaces can get cluttered easily if left unchecked. A good way to set yourself up for success is to have a clean area where you will be able to complete your word count for the day without having to shovel around piles of paper and other things that can lead to distractions. 

Join A NaNoWriMo Group

https://nanowrimo.org/ is the perfect place to find writing groups in your local area, but there are many online groups as well that will help you throughout the month with tips, tricks, and motivation to keep you going or to help you with your brainstorming and outlining sessions. 

If you're looking for writing sprints to write along with during the month of NaNoWriMo I will be holding writing sprints over on Twitch almost daily. https://www.twitch.tv/authorbarbaraking

Get Excited 

The countdown is on until the first of the month so use these last fleeting days of October to set yourself up for success whether this is your first time taking part in NaNoWriMo or you are a seasoned participant, being prepared can make a difference between winning NaNoWriMo (and earning all the awesome discounts available only to winners) and waiting around to try again next year. 

It's important to remember though whether you are able to complete your novel by the end of the fast drafting 30 days all progress made on your novel is something you should celebrate as you'll have a headstart on your novel that you wouldn't have had if you hadn't even tried. 

Best of luck! 

Now get to prepping! 

With love, 

B. King xo xo

Want to write with me live? I'm now on Twitch! Come join me in some writing sprints every Wed-Thurs-Fri-Sat at 10:30 pm EST

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