The Creativity Project: Embracing Prep-tober
Changing how I get ready for NaNoWriMo
I’ve been doing NaNoWriMo for a long time. I’m fairly certain that my first couple of years were done without actually reporting on the website. I embraced the whole “write a book in the month” aesthetic of the event.
That meant that most of the time, I barely had an idea of what I was doing before the month started. The first week was full of words and excitement, but then I’d hit week two or three and it was hard to keep up with the pace.
Part of that was because I didn’t understand how stories were structured, but the other part was that I didn’t think very far ahead to plot or even brainstorm ideas for my story. The most prep I did was to buy myself rewards for hitting milestones during the month.
Now, I embrace all things Prep-tober. I go into November with a solid plan for my story. It’s usually plotted, if not drafted. I’m a longhand writer by nature. For some reason, I connect better to the story that way, but it makes it hard to count my words during an event like NaNoWriMo.
That makes me a NaNo Rebel. Because I’m usually working on a story that’s already been started, but I’m embracing it. I will be drafting another book during the month so I feel like it all evens out.
I’ve learned the process that works for me.
A few years ago, I got to the end of the month and realized that I never actually collected on the rewards I won throughout the month. I was so invested in my story that I didn’t need the bribes.
So last year, I skipped buying myself anything new besides snacks. I drafted the basics of my novel and blew through my word count goal by almost half again.
I’m doing it again this year. I’m spending October prepping by making sure that I have plenty of drinks, a few healthier snacks, a plan for in person and online meet ups, and drafting the novel I will be working on. I’m also trying to clear the decks by finishing typing up book two in my series.
I will probably still go into the NaNo forums to look at dares and challenges, but they are no longer part of how I get in words during November.
Are you doing NaNoWriMo this year? How are you preparing?
