National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo, is drawing near and preparation is everything. Well, I mean you don’t have to prep, but it couldn’t to do an outline.

NaNoWriMo, for those who don’t know, is a both an event and an organization. During the month of November, the challenge is put forth to write 50k words in 30 days! It’s the longest writing sprint you will ever be a part of. To put this in perspective, that is writing over 1,666 words every day. No breaks. For a month.

For some that is a daunting task. Writing almost two thousand words a day is a lot of writing. However, it is definitely possible, and you can do it!

But I would recommend to prepping beforehand.

“How can I prep? I don’t even know what I want to write?”

That’s okay. Take a deep breathe, relax, maybe sip a warm beverage. We all start at zero, every story does.

First, determine what genre you want to write? Is it science fiction? Fantasy? Romance? Choose which genre you want the story to be. If you want, feel free to mix several genres. Your story = Your rules.

Next, what kind of story do you want to tell? Are you going to take us on a thrilling adventure across time and space? Do you want to tell a story about two sword experts falling in love? Describe what story you want to tell.

At that point, and maybe before, you might have the next element in your mind. Characters.

Who is/are our protagonist(s)? Our villain’s? Loveable side characters that would make us cry if they were harmed in any way? Discover who your characters are and what they need to do. Good characters can keep a story moving and bring excitement to every page. They are the lifeblood, treat them as such.

Once you have all these needed ingredients, you can start to create the colorful cocktail you will call your story. And a great way to gather your thoughts and organize them is an outline.

Outlines may not be your favorite part, but they can be incredibly helpful in laying out your story and helping you make sense out of every twist and turn.

To recap, determine the following three for an easier time during NaNoWriMo:

• Choose your genre

• Describe your story

• Create your characters

If you can do this, you are well on your way to writing your first book.

Make sure to check out the NaNoWriMo website for information on how the organization and event works, as well as find useful tools for your story. For additional preparation resources, visit NaNo Prep.

Are you excited for NaNoWriMo? Let me know in the comments.

Until next time, write, read, repeat.

-J.J.