Where did September go, witchlings?
Seriously, though, this month flew by. It seems like there is so much going on and nothing going on all at the same time this year. But we are officially in the best season--spooky season--and Nanowrimo is around the corner.
If you've been here for a while, you probably know that Nano is what led me to starting my first story. This year will be my second time attempting the 50k words in 30 days challenge, and I have been sitting on this story idea for months. It's outside of my main story arc, in a different genre, and I get to work with all new characters and setting. Needless to say, I'm pretty freaking excited. And, as always, a little nervous.
It's going to be interesting doing Nano in a year where all of the write-ins will be, by necessity, virtual only. Without that positive energy of meeting new people, working in person, and spending way too much time loitering in coffee shops, it is more valuable than ever to be prepared ahead of time.
Most of my other writing friends are pantsers, or people who hate outlining and like to just see where the story takes them. The very thought of this nearly gives me hives. I am a plotter through and through; honestly, outlining might be my favorite part of the writing process. It's all putting ideas on page without worrying about making them sound good yet. Plus, I have an entire process at this point, and I love my outlining tools.
So... I've got some Preptober activities scheduled for myself, and I thought I'd share it with all of you. Whether you want to attempt the 50k in November, or you want to start writing some poetry or a short story, hopefully these tools can help you get some writing done in the upcoming months.
This is the calendar that I'll be using throughout the month to keep on track as November closes in on us. There are tons of great resources out there, and the Nanowrimo official Youtube channel is great for virtual write-ins, sprints, and prompt suggestions. If you haven't checked out the Nano sight yet, give it a look and see what your region has going on in terms of virtual write-ins... support systems can make all the difference when it comes to meeting your goals and having fun.
Follow along with me on Instagram, too, and tag me in all of your Preptober posts. I'd love to see what you have going on and what sort of tools you put to use in your outlining process.
I still owe you all my Latinxathon reviews. Reading has been going slowly lately, but I have read some excellent books so far. The Latinx Heritage Month readathon continues through October 15, but diversifying our bookshelves is something we could all do a better job of year round. If you still need recommendations for books by Latinx authors, check out:
Fiebre Tropical by Juli Delgado Lopera,
American Fairytale by Adriana Herrera,
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno Garcia,
Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera,
Dear Haiti Love Alaine by Maika and Maritza Moulite,
Stripped by Zoey Castile,
Luck on the Line by Zoey Castile,
Blanca & Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore,
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas,
You Had me at Hola by Alexis Daria,
Half-Resurrection Blues by Daniel Jose Older
I am also currently reading The Headmaster by the queen of dark erotic romance, Tiffany Reisz... because spooky season. I've barely started, and it's already *chef's kiss*. Check it out if you want something steamier, spicier, and spookier than your abuelita's chocolate santafereño.
Stay spooky, witchlings,
<3 Cat
Calendar and Weekly Update Download:
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