NaNoWriMo Bootcamp

Pantsers Playground

So you're a pantser, aka discovery writer, and you want to do NaNo. Is it possible and what does that mean for Preptober?

First, yes. It's totally possible. Although spending a month of planning prior to writing may be lost on us, there are some things we can do to help aid in our NaNo braindump to make the experience a little less hectic. We hope these tips help.

Set a writing schedule

If you want to write 50,000 words in 30 days, that means you must write at least 1,667 words per day. If that's what you plan to do, neat! But if you're not going to write every day, make sure you have some idea of how you'll tackle the word count to give you the best chance of hitting that 50,000 mark by November 30th.

Find a beginning and an end

Every pantser is different, but having an idea of where your story may start and where it may end will at least give you a bare bones road map to writing your story during NaNo. It will feel less aimless and more like working toward a tangible goal.

And we're not talking about an outline here. Not even close! It can be as simple as the story starts in a bar in New York City and ends with the main character becoming a monk. Then just go from there. Having those two basic markers can relieve writing stress.

If you don't know either of those two markers, maybe you have a plot point in mind. Start there, be an agent of chaos, write in reverse chronological order, or in non-chronological scenes. No one said it had to be a linear 50,000 words, right?

Do your research

Preptober is a great time to do your non-writing research. Are you writing a historical fiction story? Do you have to work out a sword fighting scene? Is your character a math whiz and you are not? Do that stuff in October so you already have a foundation when you're writing your story. That doesn't mean you can't research as you write, but if you already know you have to, Preptober provides the perfect opportunity.

Get visual

What better time to create face claims or aesthetics or chapter banners or a story cover. How about a Pinterest board for inspiration? These creative tools can be super helpful, but it can be counterproductive to spend time on them when we should be writing, especially during NaNo. Having these visuals already available to glance at while you're writing can keep you on track or trigger your brain to get back to the words.

Listen

Another great tool is creating a soundtrack for your story. Like the visuals, having this at the ready when you need to jog your brain can be really helpful.

If you don't currently make soundtracks for your stories, why not try it? Spotify is a great resource for mood playlists. Spend a little time determining the mood of your story, then sift through the corresponding playlist and choose a song. Spotify will curate a playlist based on that single song and you will end up with a soundtrack in no time.

You don't listen to music while you write, you say? No one says you have to. During your breaks from writing, play the soundtrack to keep your head in the game. Certain songs may trigger a scene or inspire a character.

Read

What books do you want your story to be like? The publishing world calls these comparable titles or comps. Are you writing the next Outlander? Or maybe Twilight. Spend Preptober reading the stories that inspire you. If nothing else, they may put you in the mood to write.

Watch

The same goes for visual mediums. Publishers use these as comps as well. Dive into your favorite movies and shows in October and see what inspiration strikes you. Like we need an excuse to binge watch Netflix, right?

Be flexible

At the end of the day, if you get the urge to participate in some kind of planning during Preptober, do it! You are allowed. You are also allowed to just wing it if winging it works for you. Find your style and what will get you to that 50,000 word finish line. And have at it!

Feel free to post about your NaNo process and/or progress in the comment section here or in the #pansters-playground channel of our Discord server (link in bio). We want to know what frustrates you as well as what inspires you.