National Novel Writing Month: Preptober #1

Okay, first let's clear the air: I've NEVER completed the NaNoWriMo challenge, even though I've been participating almost every year since 2016. Call it bad luck, lack of drive, or lack of time, but the 50,000 words in a month thing has never been a reachable goal for me.

HOWEVER, I have finished a draft ( 200,000 words ), and I have been able to achieve the daily word count goals for finishing on time for two weeks straight ( before life hit like a truck ) so I KNOW it is possible. With this in mind, I think I can find the confidence to offer some advice in the early days of "preptober".

For those wondering WHAT THE HECK IS NANOWRIMO? Here is a rundown: National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to creative writing where writers around the world accept the challenge to write a novel ( 50,000 words ) in the month of November! If you want to learn more about the organization and mission of NaNoWriMo you can check out their about page here!

PREPTOBER: THE EARLY DAYS

I've rarely ever waited until November 1st to start writing. I'll typically use the month of October to prepare! Whether it be flushing out characters, polishing a plot, figuring out the setting, or making a bunch of aesthetics ( we all do this, don't lie! ) I use this time to make sure November runs like a breeze ( on the writing end of things ).

So, how to start preparing? Well, I have a few tips you can try for your first few days, whether you are starting out with a blank page or - like me - using November to finish up an ongoing project.

GET A NOTEBOOK

I can't say it enough, having a place to physically write down your ideas is a LIFESAVER. From that 1 a.m. nagging quote to that shower scene interrupting your alone time, you really can't go wrong with a dedicated brainstorming journal.

Personally, for every unique project I start, I get myself a notebook or journal tied to it. ( Totally not to feed my journal-collecting addiction... )

For example, with my current draft, CASTLING, I have a red journal with all of my ramblings: research, themes, characters, scene ideas, and plot. I spent nearly a year doing this, letting myself get accustomed to the world I wanted to build and the characters I wanted to inhabit it.

But we don't have a year, we have a MONTH! ( If you already have a comfortable foothold on your setting and world-building you can skip this part! ) So try to spend a little time each day letting your mind sink into the setting that grabs your attention the most and/or fits best with your idea!

FIND YOUR SETTING & CEMENT IT

One thing that helps me a lot in this regard is having VISUALS. I'm a very visual person, so making mood or aesthetic boards for your project can help you bring it to life quicker and easier in your mind!

I wanted CASTLING to be dark and moody, so most of my mood boards follow those vibes! You can use anything from abstract images, photos from movie sets, real-life places, or quotes to help you construct a few boards to get your inspiration flowing. I recommend using Canva for projects like this, as they have lots of free templates!

If you are having trouble, try thinking of the setting like this: the setting is not just a backdrop for your characters to walk around in, it is also a character in its own right. How can you use it to push your characters through the plot, or hinder their progress? How might it affect their mood, or shine light on certain themes in your story?

In CASTLING, one of the main characters is the heir to a Kingdom that hates her family, as the previous King - her father - was an absolute tyrant of a man towards his people. The setting reflects that through the poor state of living, the crumbling infrastructure, and the mysterious and supernatural phenomena cropping up around every corner.

MAKE A PLAYLIST

This won't be for everyone, but it's something I've found myself doing for every new draft and I would be lying if it didn't significantly help me identify with my story. I usually listen to music when writing to help me focus, so when that music also fits with what I'm writing I find that focus way more fine-tuned. Plus, it also helps me get through scenes that I'm finding hard to grapple with in my mind.

My most important tip for this would be: DON'T OBSESS OVER THE LYRICS. That can come later if you really want to deep dive. But for now, just find songs that fit the FEELING and ATMOSPHERE of your novel. Sometimes you will find songs that have that but not the right lyrics and vice versa, and honestly, that's okay! This is YOUR playlist. Make it messy!

If you need inspiration, feel free to check out my playlist above!

THE MOST IMPORTANT ADVICE

This is something even I still struggle with, but one of the most important pieces of advice I can give for the early days of prep and planning is:

IT IS OKAY FOR YOUR DRAFT TO BE MESSY AND IT IS OKAY NOT TO KNOW EVERY DETAIL BEFORE GOING IN.

Shout this from where you are right now ( or whisper it to yourself if it's a bad time, I understand ). Make this your mantra, your prayer, your sacred ritual before every writing session. IT'S OKAY IF THIS IS MESSY.

You gotta let go of perfection and just focus on getting words down on the page. Struggling with a scene? Write what you want in brackets and then move on. Have a completely blank spot where you have zero idea what to put? Put in all caps "I DON'T KNOW FIGURE THIS OUT LATER" and move on to the next scene or chapter.

The beauty of a first draft is that it's not set in stone. You can edit afterward, or completely dump it into the trash ( I recommend not doing this as you'd be surprised how your trash can become GOLD later on ) it's all up to you how you polish your work.

If you are like me and tend to edit as you go...you are going to struggle to keep up the pace unless you get yourself into a focused zone where words are spilling out on the page, which is hard for a lot of us!

So just do your best, and try not to think about editing right away. If it makes you feel better, you can edit after every session, or edit your previous scene before your next as a refresher! ( I do this ALL the time! ) The point is that there is no right or wrong way to write. JUST WRITE!

THE END...?

I'm going to stop here for now, as I am seeing my word count go up and I'd rather not overwhelm you. If this has been AT ALL helpful please let me know in the comments! If enough people like this I would definitely be willing to continue this and give more advice during October from character building, plot crafting, picking out a theme and even crafting an engaging opening line!

For those curious about my "credentials", I have taken several writing courses, from small, personal classes with published authors, and college-level creative writing workshops, to the AMAZING free online BYU lectures hosted by Brandon Sanderson. I've also been writing creatively for over a decade!

I really love helping others, so hopefully this helps you get ready to prepare for National Novel Writing Month!

You can find me on nanowrimo.org here. Let's be writing buddies!

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