Planning for NaNoWriMo: The Experiences of a Newbie

Hello folks!

*waves*

*cue dramatic music and lights* I’ve set off for a journey to the unknown land of NaNoWriMo for the first time.

PRE NANOWRIMO THOUGHTS: Eeek! I’m actually doing this! I’m so excited and so nervous. That word count looms over my head! I’ll be relying on advice from Charis from Charis Rae and other bloggers. Here’s what I did to prepare in the midst of writing.

⭐Early 2018

I had a great plot idea. It started to hatch and form in my mind…

⭐May 2018

I actually did something about this great plot idea. I started to outline my plot and began to write things down. I got a full, visible picture of my characters.

⭐Summer 2018

Forgot about it while focusing on living summer to the fullest extent, like all a sane person or not…

⭐September 2018

I’ve read about other bloggers doing NaNoWriMo and I thought it would be great to actually realize my novel. I thought about it. I also thought about how crazy the whole process would be.

⭐October 2018

Actually did something about NaNoWriMo and signed up. I polished my plot outline, named and delved deeper into my characters, and did some world building.

I made mood boards for each of my main characters and my world. Lots and lots of thinking, writing, and erasing, and pacing, and whatnot. Also made a NaNoWriMo playlist because that’s important.

When I described my characters, I almost conducted an interview with them. I wrote their dislikes and likes, preferences, hobbies, personalities, outlooks, and names (duh!). I even drew two character concepts.

⭐November 2018

I’ve been writing almost every day. As Thanksgiving week arrived, I decided to make a shortened goal of 30k.

⭐Conclusion (December 2018)

Well, that 30k goal never happened either. However, I did achieve my main goal: actually starting my novel. I’ll be working on it in small chunks this school year and hope to finish before the next Nano.

⭐January Update

I decided to take a long, long break from writing my novel and turned to poetry. I’ll be working to restart the writing process this February.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Hopefully, this has shed some light on how to plan for NaNoWriMo from a complete newbie. As in the other aspects of my life, I’m a devout planner and write-everything-down person.

That’s all!

Let’s chat! Have you ever done NaNoWriMo? Did you do it this year? How did you prepare for it? Are you a planner, pantser, or planter?