Last year, for a few reasons, I decided not to participate in NaNoWriMo. If you’re a member of the community, you’ll understand why. And if not, you can search for the drama in the internet. And this year I deleted my account all together. To be honest, I don’t really miss it because I’ve always thought that November was a terrible month in which to write 50,000 words. As a mother, wife, sister, friend, etc. who always has a Thanksgiving dinner that serves 24 or more, as well as weeks of houseguests and preps for Christmas, I have always tried to finish my contracted work by the second week in November. That left very little time to write a whole new book in less than a month.

But this year, with so many groups doing their own thing, I’ve decided that I’m just going to write a rough draft of a gothic women’s fiction story I’ve been working on for years. With no word count pressure, or any other kind of accountability, I’m going to do the best I can between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31st and we’ll see how it goes. For me, this isn’t about “winning” or “finishing a book”. This year it’s about having fun while writing a terrible rough draft while still enjoying the holidays and my family.

But regardless of what you’re doing this November, it still pays to do a bit of prep work to keep yourself organized. So below I’ve added quick checklist of things to think about before you begin, with links to other writers who know way more than I do! Some of what you see below is the same as last year (and the year before that), but I’ve also added links to some wonderful writing YouTubers who offer great advice–for beginner and advanced writers. Many of these videos also come with links for free printables. This list, the first in a series, is a guideline to help you mentally prepare to write a rough draft in November. 

We all write different things in different ways, so change/add/delete whatever works for you! I’m also working on an annotated bibliography here on the website that is available for free to anyone who is interested. While I would never presume to tell another writer how to write a book, I am a reference librarian who is good at organizing and making lists of resources for authors at all stages of their careers.

Now let’s get started!


  • Choose the title, genre/sub-genre, and length of the story.
  • Decide on the type plot structure you want to follow and jot down the basics you already know. (Blake Snyder’s Beat Sheets, The Hero’s Journey, etc. See the annotated bibliography for more resources) Plottr, the online writing app, is also a great resource and it comes with a free 30-day trial.
  • Make a list of character names and roles they play in the story. (primary and secondary)
  • Brainstorm your characters’ traits, personalities, etc. and create character summary sheets (Enneagram? Archetypes?)
  • If you have any ideas of scenes you already know, journal about them quickly. Just get them down before you forget.
  • Decide on a setting and do some preliminary research.
  • Buy the perfect writing candle to light for inspiration while you write. (Not a necessity, but fun to do)
  • Fill out a world-building questionnaire (especially if writing sci-fi or fantasy or paranormal).
  • Create a writing music playlist or white noise.
  • Plan rewards and reward system.
  • Pre-plan easy meals for November, maybe even make some and freeze ahead.
  • Choose a new writing craft book to read this month. (some suggestions below)
  • Stock up on snacks/coffee/tea/treats for November.
  • Find other writing friends/accountability partners.
  • Clean and prepare your writing space. 
  • Buy whatever office supplies you may need (notecards, highlighters, colored markers, etc).
  • Buy a new journal and begin brainstorming your story outline.

Abbreviated Writing Craft Bibliography 

BELOW are a few books on my ONGOING LIST OF FAVORITE WRITING CRAFT BOOKS, ALPHABETICAL BY AUTHOR’S LAST NAME:

Bell, James Scott, Write Your Novel from the Middle, 2014.

Bork, Erik, The Seven Elements of a Viable Story for Screen, Stage, or Fiction, 2018.

D’Costa, H.R., Sparkling Story Drafts: How to Outline Your Way Toward Cleaner Rough Drafts, Reduce Your Revision Time, and Get a First-Rate Screenplay or Novel onto the Marketplace, 2018.

Hauge, Michael, Selling Your Story in Sixty SecondsThe Guaranteed Way to Get Your Story Read, 2006.

Hauge, Michael, Storytelling Made Easy, 2017

Hayes, Gwen, Romancing the Beat, 2016

Henley, Jodi, Practical Emotional Structure: An Easy to Understand Plain-English Guide to Emotional Theory and the Transformational Character Arc, 2013.

Weiland, K.M., Outlining Your Novel, 2013.

Weiland, K.M., Structuring Your Novel: Essential Keys for Writing an Outstanding Story, 2013.

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