Writing Update #4: Preparing for NaNoWriMo 2020

My Prep-tober Checklist

If you missed my Instagram Live last week with my friend Amber, we started the conversation about preparing for NaNoWriMo 2020—National Novel Writing Month. If you don’t know what NaNo is, it’s a community wide push to write a novel in 30 days. It provides you with resources, word count goals, and other writers who are attempting to meet the goal of 50,000 words by November 30.

50,000 words is A LOT of words, especially during these wild and uncertain times. If you’ve been following my writing journey, you’ll know I’ve been working on my novel since last November. I went into NaNo with ZERO plan last year and while I had so much fun, I definitely want to have a more focused approach this year. So here is my NaNoWriMo Prep-Tober Checklist for 2020.

Solidify my outline—I am NOT an outline person by nature. it is something I need to make an effort to do but I know it will help me on the days I am struggling for creativity to work through it!

Finish my November/early December content—blog posts, podcast reading so I can focus on writing fiction

Reread Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody—This is a MUST read for any writer!

Make Character Profiles for my Main Characters—I need to know my characters a little better, especially because my story involves flashbacks and a lot from the past!

Make Character Profiles for my Side Characters—Amber reminded me of how important it is to flesh out our supporting characters! They MUST challenge the MC.

Writing can be a really solitary activity but I highly recommend surrounding yourself with a few fellow writers. Working with Amber has been a DREAM and one of the most motivating pieces of this process. Just like anything in life, if you have an accountability partner, you’re going to be motivated so you don’t let them down.

Once I’m in the habit of writing every day again, I know I’ll be able to plow through my goals.

Check out my previous writing updates here.