How I’m Prepping for NaNoWriMo

Posted on Posted onBy Elissa

I have been preparing for 2019 NaNoWriMo for months. I am so focused this year. I am actually pretty impressed with myself, since I have been all over the place the last few NaNos.

One thing that has really helped me get focused and organized this year has been watching other writers’ and planners’ YouTube channels. I have had some downtime at work lately and have been able to noodle around on YouTube. I have found several amazingly talented and inspirational YouTubers that have helped me immensely. Many of them offer free tips, tricks, and downloads for certain areas in writing, including NaNoWriMo. So, I thought I would share with you some of my favorites that have really helped me get super organized for 2019 NaNoWriMo.

One thing I will say is that not everything in these videos is going to work for everybody. So take a few minutes and watch the videos, and then piece together the things that work best for you. WARNING: Some of the videos may contain some salty language in them.

Prepping For NaNoWriMo, aka Preptober

As a total planner/prepper (not pantser), I can not partake in a NaNoWriMo if I am not somewhat prepared. It was several years ago that I skipped my first NaNo, because I was just not prepared. So for me, I know prepping is key. This is where Preptober comes in. Preoptober is the term used for the month before NaNoWriMo (October) where many planners and maybe even a few pantsers prep for their NaNo novel. I feel so fortunate to have come across so many wonderful NaNo prepping videos that have really helped me this year. Here are some of my favorites:

Characters/Plot/Scenes

Several years ago, when I first started thinking about A Deadly Melody, I came up with my main character, Elle. And while everything else in this book has changed, she has remained the one constant. I did need a bit of help with re-plotting my book, so I was happy when I found these how to’s, tips, and free downloads:

Organizing

For the past several years, my organizational skills have been a hot mess. I think my mind was just all over the place after losing my job of 13 years, losing my kitty of 13 years, and progressing into my 40’s. A lot of that has now died down, and I have been able to regain my focus and become better organized. For me, it is all about baby steps:

Planning

Getting a planner, or two or three, has really helped me get my thoughts better organized. As you will see next week, I am using The Happy Planner system this year. Putting together a writing/novel binder/ notebook has changed my organization completely. Here are some videos of how different authors and writers set up their own writing notebooks & series Bibles:

Writing Notebooks

Series Bible

I hope these videos help you this NaNoWriMo season!