One Last Petal

Let's talk about scheduling. I know, I know, it sounds terrifying. But remember that massive goal of 50,000 words you set yourself? You're going to need help. If you don't have a job or school, then awesome, maybe you will have time to sit and write all day, but a lot of us don't. And are you being efficient, sitting there all day? How much time are you wasting on social media and "research"? Let's face it - having a schedule is going to help. Trust me. Set yourself a specific time to do nothing but write. No chores, no phone calls, no Facebook, no research. Just write. Every time you think of something else that needs doing, make a note of it and do those after. Make lovely big notes to yourself in your writing about things you want to edit or research later. But keep writing. Your time is precious, make it count. Why? Because we all know how easy it is to put things off. "Oh, I just need to do one more load of laundry before I write." ...

October basically serves one purpose - preparation for NaNoWriMo . There are a lot of different theories out there for what needs to be done before one delves body, mind, and soul into November. Planners, those who like to have detailed outlines at hand before they start writing, spend October working on those. Pansters, writers who fly by the seat of their pants, allowing their plot to be tossed about by every wind of virtue, spend October catching up on sleep and TV shows. Plantsers, those like myself who are a mix of both, do some pre-planning, but allow for the story to wend where it will. Whatever category you are in, it's always good to take care of a few things before November strikes and you have no time for anything else. Here are a few things I like to do: Tell family and friends that I'm doing NaNo . This has a two-fold purpose: Accountability, and they already expect it when I say "no" to the countless invites as the holidays approach. Speaking of...