Last year, I spent so much time in October finishing up His Good Opinion that I did not prepare for NaNo as I should have done. The result has been a sorry mess of a year spent reworking a novel that I should have figured out before I began writing it. While I have finally found the story in Loving Miss Darcy and have confidence readers will love it, there was a lot of wasted time there.
This year, I’m on vacation for the first bit of NaNo prep time, which means I have no excuse. I read HGO again on the plane/train to get my characters fresh in my head, and I’ve got my trusty copy of Book in a Month with all its wonderful worksheets beside me. My goal is to have at least the first week’s worth of outlining done before I get home. I know I’ll be hit with editing demands again at that point, and I want to have a head start.
If the thought of outlining makes you vaguely ill, fret not! As I said last October, there’s no wrong way to prep for NaNo. However, if you’re like me and need the support of a solid outline before you begin writing, this is the time to start.
Two questions today:
- The classic–are you a plotter or a pantser?
- Planning a novel on vacation: Crazy or Dedicated?
Hi Nancy,
Congrats on getting started with NaNoWriMo planning early. After reading about all the ‘fun’ you had last year, I’ve decided to give it a try. I signed up today!!! I’m definitely a plotter, so I expect to have a complete outline in hand on Nov 1st. (With three WIPs and an upcoming October release, I have no idea where I’ll find the time.)
I like your idea of working on your outline during vacation. That’s dedication. Good Luck this month & next!
Huzzah! Welcome to the madness. Good luck to you
You know me, plotter all the way, though when it comes to NaNo I don’t outline since my outlines are…detailed. A lot. Even if I wasn’t a plotter by nature, it’s hard to pants a book when you’ve written the one before and the one after it…
As for the second questions, we already know you’re crazy so…crazy-dedicated? Your dedication to be crazy is admirable or you’re absolutely crazy to be that dedicated. One or the other xD
…
I resemble that remark.