Preparing for NaNoWriMo on a Soggy Halloween Night

First, it does not feel like Halloween at all because it’s been raining all day which means the ghouls and goblins have opted to stay inside…where it’s dry.

But at least this weather is good for something: Inspiration. The deep grey clouds and silver fog lining the ground are eerie and melancholic and absolutely my kind of mood.

Too bad I’m not supposed to start writing until tomorrow. It’s just as well. I should probably use what little time I have left to prepare, especially considering I have no idea which story I want to tell or how I intend to tell it.

The plan right now is to create my NaNoWriMo care package which will consist of three main items: the perfect notebook, the perfect pen, and caffeine. The bonus items will be a book of prompts and some visual aids (think storyboard-type stuff).

I’ve learned a few things from previous NaNoWriMos. Although I completed the last two, last year’s was a bear because I let myself get so far behind that I stayed awake for three solid says straight just to meet the word-count threshold. It wasn’t pretty. And I was so sick of my novel that I never wanted to see (or think about) it again. To this day it remains unfinished.

This year’s going to be different though, because…I have a plan.

• Keep Writerly Hours: I’ve scheduled a specific time each day where I will write for an hour and a half. (The half hour is for the warm-up.) Even if I don’t feel like writing, I will still write because I can always go back and edit later…it’s all about getting the words out.
• Cut Back on Extracurriculars: Although I’m not a big TV watcher, I do have a Netflix and Hulu account, plus I do a fair bit of reading. This month needs to be about writing. I’ve decided to severely limit my Netflix/Hulu/Reading time. (I can, however, listen to as much music as I want–it helps with the story inspiration.)
• Have Fun with It: A big problem for me the past couple of years was how seriously I began to take myself toward the end. That can’t happen this year. I want it to be a fun and enjoyable experience so I won’t loathe my novel afterward.

With that, I’m ready to take on this year’s NaNoWriMo.

Almost.

(Is it normal to still be scared? Gosh, I thought I’d be over that by now.)