October Checklist - Prepping for NoQu

Hey QuTs!

We are so so close to November now, so we all better make sure we're ready! For your convenience, we have here a checklist of things we suggest you do before the NoQu challenge arrives.

Writing Prep

Establish a daily writing time

Establishing a certain time that you'll write at every day is a good thing for any time of year, but especially November. When you have a specific time to write, your family, friends, or roommates will be able to help protect that time for you and hold you accountable to it.

That consistency is also good for your writing process, for quite a few reasons! For the sake of time I'll just go over two.

Firstly, your mind will adjust to writing at that specific time, so when you sit down to write after having done this for a week or so, it'll know the drill and get you into the mode with a bit more ease.

Secondly, people will know not to bother you during that time. That means you'll be writing wholly uninterrupted for whatever your chosen amount of time is.

I advise paying close attention to your creative process this month to pin down what time of day you're most creative or mentally active in (if you don't know it already) so that you have an idea for what time to choose for your daily writing sessions.

Of course, if you have kids, a job, school, etc., that may make it so you have slim options and can't select the ideal time. That's alright! Any time should do - consistency is what matters most.

Know the basics of your novel

Even discovery writers should have a loose idea of what it is they're writing, because everyone hits a slump at some point and knowing said basics can pull you through it. The classic "who, what, why" questions are a good place to start.

I also believe it's good to know what your three main points in the story will be used for. Loosely knowing your beginning, center, and end points gives you something to work towards no matter where you're at in the story.

Of course, if you are a discovery writer, those things may change along the way. If they do, you can always readjust those three points to match it.

The idea isn't to give you an outline or a set path to follow so much as it is to give you basic points or goals to work towards.

Research

Regardless of what genre or story you're writing, chances are you'll need to do some sort of research. While you can always edit your story later to make things more realistic, it's good to start off with some of those elements in your first draft.

That being said, it's a good idea to do some research now regarding topics that you'll be writing about, that way during November you'll have fewer distractions.

If there's anything you know you'll need to know, but you don't know now, I encourage you to take some time to research it (and remember to save your notes!).

(P.S. If you need more information on a topic but can't find it, or if you want advise from someone with first-hand experience with the situation you're writing, feel free to make a thread in our References & Resources category on the forums! Explain what information you're looking for in your opening post and members of the Qummunity will try to help you out.)

Announce your project

Once you know what story you're going to write, you should announce your project on the thread for that in the Qummunity forums! This is a great way to get excited for and encouraged about your project. And during November you and your fellow quties will more easily be able to chat, help, and encourage one another regarding your stories.

The Fun Stuff

Stock up on snacks

Snacks are a staple of writing in November. After all, if you have a bunch of snacks handy you don't need to stop writing for meals quite as often.

It's best if these snacks seal up pretty easy, are on the healthier end of things, can stay at your writing station, and aren't messy. Tins of nuts, trail mix, M&Ms, jerky, granola and protein bars, apple chips, and veggie chips are all good options!

Also make sure you have plenty of your favorite tea, coffee, or other caffeinated drink. Make sure you balance it out with something hydrating, though! We don't want you getting sick or dehydrated from caffein - that'll interfere with your ability to focus and create.

Get a candle

Or a room spray, incense, basically anything scented. Having a specific scent that you use every time you write, and only when you write, will build association which can then increase your productivity. (Here's an interesting article on how scent can be utilized for such things. The end of the article recommends lemon and rosemary scents for enhancing focus - other sources support this suggestion!)

Make sure you have plenty of writing supplies

Whether you write on a device, by hand, or by typewriter, you should make sure you have plenty of scrap paper, pencils, and pens.

For scrap paper, I recommend using a plain spiral-bound notebook for your writing notes (not notes on your story itself, but notes on the writing process). These are great because you can tear the pages out easily and you can also turn the covers back so you see just the page you want to (this is great when you don't have enough space to leave the notebook laying open. It's also great because you can prop the notebook up and read your notes at a glance while typing!).

Develop a reward system

Reward systems never worked for me, personally, but for some writers they are very encouraging and help them to reach their goals. So why not try it out?

Plenty of reward systems use food as the reward. However, that's not exactly the healthiest option, and there are longer-lasting rewards you can give yourself (which may prove more motivating). Here's an article full of suggestions for reward systems. Some of the suggestions are pretty pricey and out of the way, but some of them are very reasonable (like buying yourself a new notebook, spending a day at a bookstore, redecorate your writing space, or taking yourself out for coffee or tea (which does not count as a food reward system as it is, indeed, a liquid)).

Plan days to write in different locations

A change of pace can be invigorating for your mind. Plus, it's fun! So why not set aside a few days out of the month to write in different locations (a coffee shop, a park, a library)?

Read an on-theme book

Finding books that match the theme, setting, or plot of your story is always good fun, and reading said books can be inspiring and encouraging for your own story!

If you're not sure where to find such books, why not ask the Qummunity? We have a thread devoted to this very thing.

Clean your writing space

I don't know about you, but my writing space tends to get very messy very quickly. If you have that issue too, take some time to clean it up and make sure you have a little trashcan or trash bag handy so that when you crumple up pages of notes in despair they're not littering your station.

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Will you be doing any of the above things to prepare for NoQu? Is there anything we missed? How do you like to prepare for November?

Feel free to leave a comment detailing such things and more below. We'd love to hear from you!

And that's all for now, QuTs. Have a great day, happy prepping, and take care!