October is the month when many writers begin planning for their participation in NaNoWriMo or National Novel Writing Month. It’s the time to plan and plot before the mad, creative dash that is November.

If you’re a plotter, you write an outline or synopsis, fill out character charts, index cards, timelines, etc. If you’re a pantser, you decide you’re going to write a story about fairies and demons set in Santa Fe, maybe.

Whatever your writing style, it’s best to do some prep work before beginning NaNoWriMo. Get your creative energy flowing now so you can ride the tide into November.

To win NaNoWriMo, that is, to write 50,000 words in 30 days, you need to know what it takes. A novel is not an easy thing to write and doing it in 30 days is just plain crazy, but it can be done. If I can do it, anyone can.

So here is the gem of advice I offer all NaNoWriMo newbies: this is your crappy first draft. Part of the creative process here is throwing shit at the wall and seeing what sticks. Yes, you will have a hot mess at the end, but you will also have a first draft that you can edit.

A big part of the NaNoWriMo process is turning off your internal editor, that voice in your head that is never satisfied and wants every sentence you write to be spun with gold.

Turn. It. Off.

That is the only way to win NaNoWriMo.

Chris Baty, the man who started NaNoWriMo, best explains the process. Luckily, his book, “No Plot? No Problem!” is currently on sale for the Kindle for $1.99. If you’re planning to participate this November, I strongly suggest reading this book. It’s the best prep you can make for the coming month of madness.

  No Plot? No Problem! by Chris Baty
Chris Baty, motivator extraordinaire and instigator of a wildly successful writing revolution, spells out the secrets of writingand finishinga novel. Every fall, thousands of people sign up for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), which Baty founded, determined to (a) write that novel or (b) finish that novel in—kid you not—30 days. Now Baty puts pen to paper himself to share the secrets of success. With week-specific overviews, pep “talks,” and essential survival tips for today’s word warriors, this results-oriented, quick-fix strategy is perfect for people who want to nurture their inner artist and then hit print! Anecdotes and success stories from NaNoWriMo winners will inspire writers from the heralding you-can-do-it trumpet blasts of day one to the champagne toasts of day thirty.

Description provided by Amazon

Disclaimers and Disclosures

I found this book via Amazon’s Kindle eBooks store. Resources for free Kindle and other format eBooks are listed in my sidebar.

The quoted price is a limited time offer and there is no guarantee it will still be that price when you click on the link. Grab it sooner rather than later.