Why Preptober is Still a Good Idea, Even if You Haven’t Started Yet
Don’t worry, you’re in good company
Most anyone on this platform would agree with me when I say that writing can be hard.
Know what’s even harder for writers still working on their skills? Writing 50,000 words in one month.
Not just any month either. Nanowrimo stands for ‘National Novel Writing Month’ and is held every year in November. The usual goal? Write 50,000 words in that month. Yes, the one that starts as you’re getting over your candy hangover and has a day filled with turkey near it’s end.
So, what is Preptober?
Preptober is when writers take the month of October to prepare for the ruthlessness of Nano. Sounds like a stellar idea right? You can search for the word Preptober and several resources will show up, helping to lead you to the glorious light at the end of winning Nano.
Of course, if Nano sounds enticing to you but this is the first time you are hearing about it, that light probably looks much dimmer. You may be thinking to yourself, “I’d love to take part in Nano, but October is almost over. There’s no way I’ll be ready by November first.”
I’ll be honest with you, you might not be ready to finish Nano. However, winning, no matter what goal you set for yourself, isn’t the only driving factor that has people trying to write so many words in a month.
Nanowrimo isn’t all about winning. It’s about learning to start and not stopping there.
If the concept of Preptober and Nano has you interested but you’re not sure what you can do today to help you prepare, I encourage you to keep reading. I have participated in Nano twelve years now but have only won once. There’s a reason I keep coming back for more.
It’s because I have come to love the community and sense of motivation this month can inject into your writing life.
Nano is like an extra shot of expresso that everyone takes at the same time. Then the month is filled with people encouraging one another to just keep going. Even if it’s just one more word. Even if you only have 10 minutes in your day to write.
Nano taught me that words are words, no matter how much they suck. If you can churn out a first draft, you have something to fix. If you never get those words down, well, you’ll always be where you are now.
Get a Calendar. Seriously.
One of the greatest tools for many people is nothing more than a little check mark. A great way to do this is to use a calendar.
If you already have a calendar you want to use, that’s great. If you want to get one for the sole purpose of planning your writing, more power to you. It does not have to be a physical calendar, though I encourage the textile version over the digital in this case. There’s just something about checking off a day where you crushed the word count goal that can give you such a boost of satisfaction.
The Nano website will recommend a default number of words for every day in November. 1,667 words a day. While this might work for some, take the time to review your calendar before making this commitment.
Thanksgiving is a day that many people travel for or will be busy cooking all day. Adding on the stress of writing over a thousand words is not conducive to the holiday spirit. Trust me, I’ve tried so many times but have yet to meet that goal on Thanksgiving.
If that day isn’t an issue for you, I still encourage you to look over your calendar. You might want to try and have weekends free of writing. Or, maybe you have a typical day job and want to get most of your writing done on the weekends.
Doing the math now and figuring out how many words you need to write on specific days is akin to coming up with your war plan. So many things will try and get in the way of your writing, don’t let poor scheduling be one of them.
Figure out your supplies before November
Nothing can break your writing flow like realizing you can’t find the pen you’ve been using or have to wait for your word processor to update. While there will be things that grab your attention away from writing, having supplies on hand can help shorten the list of interruptions.
If you are like me, you love to take notes in an actual notebook. You also probably have some favorite pens you use while writing your notes or use sticky notes by the dozen. Whatever you need, make sure you have it before November. I’ve fallen into the trap of thinking, “Oh, I’ll just grab some [insert item here, probably pens] while I’m at the store next time. It’s no big deal.” Overall, it might not be. But if you wait until the last minute before you have everything you need, you will already be behind.
Make sure you have everything you need to help stop precious writing time from getting sucked away.
If you have to make do with something until you can get what you need, that’s understandable. You shouldn’t feel ashamed if all you have to write with is a beat-up old notepad with a half-chewed up pen. The most important thing is that the words get on the page and however you need to do that is the right way.
Have a backup for your work. Have a backup of that too (just in case)
There is no such thing as having too many backups of your work.
Nano even dedicates a full day of their social media to the importance of backing up your work. I mean, if you’re going to spend a whole month tapping away on your novel (or whatever you want to work on), you don’t want to lose all that work.
There are several options for backing up your work. Saving it to another folder on your computer everyday is one option. Another is by saving it to a usb flash drive. You could even save a copy in a different word processor. Emailing yourself your words at the end of the day is also a great option.
The fun part: Figure out your milestone rewards!
Some would say that the work is its own reward, and to a degree I can agree with that. Nothing is more satisfying than looking at your word count at the end of the month. No matter how many words you have, you know you wouldn’t have made this progress if you hadn’t gone for it.
However, there will be times when you’re tired and the last thing on your mind is writing. That word count will loom over you, making your mouse head for anything other than your document. If you happen to have a reward waiting for you at the end of those words though, some days it might be enough to get those fingers tapping away on the keyboard.
The rewards will need to be specific to you. You are the only one who knows what you can afford and what will help motivate you all through the month. Perhaps if you hit a writing streak by writing five days in a row, you can get yourself a new candle or make your favorite meal for dinner.
Other examples of rewards can include:
- Getting yourself a tasty treat after so many words without getting up from your chair.
- Only allowing yourself time to go for a walk after your writing is done for the day.
- Even something as simple as putting a cute sticker on the calendar every day you met your goal can be a great reward.
These can be as elaborate or simple as you want. You know what you like. Also, making this list can be almost as fun as achieving them. If you’re not excited as you put together the list of your rewards, you might want to take more time on it.
These rewards are supposed to signify milestones in your writing, so make sure it feels like a celebration every time you hit one.
Plan out your meals! Or, at least some of them.
This is something I still struggle with but have heard it can work wonders for others.
I’m a bit of a mood chef, meaning I’ll cook with what we have, but sometimes I don’t know what I want until right before dinner time. If you can plan out a few crockpot meals or freeze some of your favorite soups beforehand, this bit of planning can easily free up time for writing.
If you run out of time and this is something you don’t have time to do, don’t fret. Time in the kitchen can be time you spend with your book too.
If you’re stuck on a plot point or are trying to figure out why your character has started to deviate from the path before them, taking some time to think these things through away from the computer can be very helpful.
Your hands might be stirring a pot or washing some veggies, but your mind can be subconsciously working on your writing problems. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve had a eureka moment while in the kitchen or out on a walk. Of course, focus on the task at hand when knives and heat are involved, but just know your mind might be working behind the scenes during these times.
By the way, it’s not a bad idea to have a pen and paper in the kitchen. Just in case the answer you’ve been pulling your hair out over happens to come to you while dicing onions.
If this is your first Preptober and Nano, I’d love to hear what plans you are concocting. I myself have only a little bit of prep done and will be taking my own advice above to (hopefully) make this year’s Nano a winner.
Whether or not you are participating in Nano, I hope you have an excellent word filled life!
