The New Preptober
It’s that time of year again. Many writers begin preparing for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo or NaNo) in October. NaNo is a writing challenge in which authors attempt to complete a novel of at least 50,000 words in thirty days during November. (Over the years, I’ve written several posts about the origins and history of NaNo; therefore, I won’t be rehashing that in this post. Anyone wishing to learn more about the organization is encouraged to visit their website.) However, the challenge’s rules are flexible; therefore, writers tweak them to meet their personal writing goals. For example, instead of focusing on one poem, a poet may focus on writing multiple. Or if a writer has completed a first draft, he/she may set a goal to complete editing in thirty days. I, for one, never focused on word count. My NaNo goals were percents of completed writing tasks. For example, I may have a goal to write four blog posts or design a marketing campaign. Basically, the NaNo challenge is what the writer needs it to be.
NaNo also brought writers together. Many writers write in isolation. What I mean is they go into rooms, shut the door, and are alone with their laptops or pen/paper for hours upon end—jotting and scribbling their thoughts. And, for the most part, they are accountable to no one but themselves. But NaNo formed a writing community where writers could share their writing journey with other writers and be supported. They could ask questions for advice. The website also monitored progress and offered rewards for meeting goals.
Writing 50,000 words in a month may not seem all that difficult if the words are random with little to no structure. Writing 50,000 words in a comprehensible and cohesive draft, on the other hand, is extremely challenging. Often, before any writing is begun, writers need to conduct research or create an outline. Or they may need to take time to mentally prepare themselves to undertake such a task. Thus, October has come to be known by many writers as “Preptober.”
As a ten-toes-to-the-ground pantser, I frequently find the need to prepare for NaNo. Although I do not outline, I do have a need to organize. My writing preparation frequently is in the form of research and note-taking. What slows me down the most is when I’m in the “zone” and realize I don’t know something to complete the thought. My not knowing something can lead to falling into rabbit craters. By the time I find my way out, I am no longer in my writing zone. Last year, one of the projects I worked on in Preptober was writing the glossary and author note for Demon Rodeo. I knew these would be nowhere close to 50,000 words, but they were important and needed to be completed. Thus, they became two of my NaNo goals.
This year Preptober is looking a little different for many writers. DISCLAIMER: This section may contain sensitive and controversial content. It is not written to incense or influence anyone’s beliefs or thoughts.
It is no secret that NaNoWriMo has been involved in multiple controversies over the last several years, and as a result, many members have elected to cut ties or step away. This post passes no judgment on those who have stayed or those who have left. The choice is personal. This post also will not go into the details of any of those controversies. However, I did question if the NaNo challenge would happen this year. It is my understanding that it will be, but don’t quote me on that. Despite whether it is held or not, I do know several writers who will not be participating. They are what prompted this post. What will they be doing in November? Now, is the time to answer that question.
On the red button known as YouTube, I’ve seen multiple videos about alternatives to NaNo. Thus, for writers wanting to participate in a writing challenge in November but deciding NaNo isn’t for them, there are options. I’ve also seen alternative challenges on X (formerly Twitter), Threads, TikTok, and BlueSky. I’m sure there are social media outlets that have posted similar content.
So, how do writers prepare if they are unsure of the challenge they will be participating in? Well, here are a couple of tips.
Set a personal goal. Many of the alternative challenges are moving away from the 50,000 word-count goal. One challenge will have word count levels (10k, 20k, 50k, 70k, and 100k… although 100,000k feels like a stretch in thirty days. However, I’m sure talent superbeing can manage it). Setting a goal will narrow down what writing challenges to search for.Research. It goes without saying that having conducted the necessary research before sitting to write is always useful. When writing Demon Rodeo, there were several items that I needed to fact-check to prevent having to rewrite during edits.Preparing a music playlist. Not everyone uses music as part of their writing process. Sometimes, I search for a specific song or type of song to write to, and other times, I allow the music to guide my mood. Whichever way I choose, I found the most important thing is to have an array of music. I have an eclectic taste in music; therefore, diversity isn’t an issue. However, variety sometimes is. If I forget to update my playlist, I don’t always have new writing experiences. What I mean is I (and I’m willing to bet others do the same) associate certain songs with specific events, activities, feelings, people, places, or situations. Thus, each time I hear the song, I’m transported to that associated mood. As a result, I might subconsciously write similar characters or setting descriptions. Updating my playlist regularly reduces that from happening. Preptober is a perfect time to find new music.Ordering supplies. Let me tell you. In the last few months, I’ve had the worst time with USB flash drives. I don’t know if it was due to brand, age, or something else. All I know is that I had two breaks and took with them all my files (some that hadn’t been backed up… forget what you heard about automatic storage on the Cloud). As if losing data wasn’t bad enough, I thought I’d pop into an office supply store to replace them. The markup was crazy insane. I’m talking stupid. I knew they would be priced higher there than at Walmart or Target, but these prices were through the roof. The reason I went to the office supply store first was I didn’t want to fight parking and the crowd at the other stores. Well, now I know why their parking lot was empty. They showed their colors. This is how crazy it was. One USB flash drive was priced for members for $8.99. Now, I knew I probably could get this same product from Walmart or Target for $5.99 to $6.99, but I was willing to pay the extra. But I wasn’t sure I was a member and didn’t have time to go through becoming one. Plus, there were no signs to indicate if there was a fee for becoming a member. Well, I expected the non-member price to be maybe $10.99 ($12.99 pushing it). But no. The markup for non-members was $39.99. No freaking way! I walked out and ordered a 5-pack for $19.99 with free shipping. (And businesses question why brick-and-mortar stores are fading away. Because of dumb crap like that. Yes, I understand about making a product, but that was ridiculous.) The point of that rant is to get what you need or might need before beginning. When my first flash broke, it was the Friday before the Fourth of July in the evening. Most businesses were closed, and others didn’t carry the product. That slowed down my writing for many reasons. Having a backup flash would have been helpful. Other writers have “must-have” tools when they write. Like checking a car before leaving to drive hundreds of miles to a vacation location, writers should check to ensure they have all their writing tools.Have backup supplies handy. This goes along with the previous point. A couple of years ago, I had a laptop issue which required a visit to the computer hospital. Fortunately, the issue was resolved quickly and didn’t break the bank. However, shortly afterward, my cord malfunctioned. Here’s the thing. When went in to drop off my laptop, I didn’t take the cord because the laptop was fully charged. The worker said he needed it, and I had to retrieve it from my car. I wasn’t thinking that I needed to put my name on it. Now, I can’t put my hand on a stack of Bibles and swear this wasn’t my cord, but I do remember when it was returned to me looking at it and thinking it looked different. And of course, this all would have to happen a weekend before a holiday when most places would be closed. This could have caused a four-day delay, but I was fortunate to have another computer to use. When I replaced the cord, I purchased two. To some, this is overkill, and maybe it is. However, if a writer is serious about a writing challenge, setbacks such as not having writing supplies, can prevent a writer from reaching his/her goal.Make a schedule. This is a huge one for a lot of writers. In the big scheme of things, few writers have the luxury to support themselves with their writing. And even if they do, most have other obligations (e.g., family and friends). For this reason, many writers find themselves in the position of having to write around these other things. It is easy to become distracted or feel too fatigued to write. It also is easy for others to not respect the writer’s writing time and interrupt or make demands. Since the challenge is time-sensitive, time isn’t a friend. Making a writing schedule will help one remain on track.The writing doesn’t have to be perfect. At its core, the 50,000-word challenge is about completing a draft. It is a mistake to think that it will be a final copy unless it previously has been completed. Plenty more work will need to be done after the challenge ends. Attempting to make it perfect may hinder progress by interfering with the creative phase. This is not to say that some writers do not prefer to edit as they go.For plotters, Preptober is the time for outlining, completing character development worksheets, mapping out worldbuilding, etc. For pantsers, this may be broader (e.g., deciding on a trope, determining a point of view, etc.).Participating in a group writing challenge can be fun and does have advantages. However, a writer shouldn’t feel this is the only option. Writers can gain inspiration from online challenges but not officially join. Plenty of writers do this. Some writers dislike checking in or find they do not use many of the features of the website.That’s all a wrap. Was this post helpful? Do you think you’ll ever visit? Have you visited there? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. If you like this post, please click the like button and share. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read.
If Brokeback Mountain, 8 Seconds, Poltergeist, and Supernatural had an orgy, Demon Rodeo would be the lovechild.
Demon Rodeo is available now on Amazon. For video book trailers, visit my TikTok page. The full blurb is on my Instagram and Amazon.
Demon Rodeo is the first book in the Chasing the Buckle series but can be read as a standalone. It’s a friends-to-lovers romance set in the rodeo world. These are not your typical cowboys. It’s a widely diverse cast of characters and a mashup of genres that aren’t always seen together. If you’re looking for a palate cleanser, this may be a book for you.
Order
⇨ Amazon: https://readerlinks.com/l/4174852
⇨ All Stores: https://books2read.com/u/bP8RG7
Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.
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Out of the Penalty Box (book #1) One minute in the box or a lifetime out. Defending the Net (book #2) Crossing the line could cost the game. Ice Gladiators (book #3) When the gloves come off, the games begin. Penalty Kill (book #4) Let the pucker begin. Future Goals (book #5) The future lies between a puck and a net.About the Author:
Hi, I’m Genevive, and I am a contemporary sports romance author. My home is in South Louisiana. If you like snark and giggles with a touch of steamy Cajun and Creole on the side, I may have your poison in my stash of books. Drop by the bayou and have a look around. The pirogues are always waiting for new visitors.
