If you are reading this then you’ve probably heard of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), but if you haven’t, NaNoWriMo starts tomorrow, November 1st, and participants have 30 days to write 50,000 words. Doing some quick (possibly inaccurate) math, that’s about, if not more than, 100 pages. That’s a lot of writing for one month but I’m going to make the attempt for the very first time.

When taking on a mission this size, it is always good to be prepared. So here’s how I’m going to get ready and start off NaNoWriMo strong.

1. Plan – I’m taking notes for my story, writing down a list of scenes to help on those days when I’m out of ideas or hit a wall.

2. Make Lists – I need checklists when I’m completing projects. I’m a huge procrastinator and having a checklist helps me see my progress. This keeps me motivated during my writing sessions. I will have my weekly checklist for my daily word count and story progress.

3. Stock up on Refreshments – The last thing I want when in the writing zone is to reach for a snack and have to run out to the store.

4. Set Up My Workspace – I can’t work in clutter, but that’s the way my workspace looks while I’m working. If you want some tips for your workspace, read this.

5. Get Used To Your Schedule – I plan to adjust my daily schedule to get in my writing. Sometimes you fail because your schedule suddenly changes and you stumble, fall behind, lose motivation and quit. I don’t want that to happen to me, so to avoid it, I’m going to block out my writing time now and fill it with planning and writing blog posts like this one.

Ok, I think that’s it for my NaNoWriMo prep. If you have any suggestions, put them in the comments below.