Good morning! It’s less than eight days to November. I don’t know about you, but I am chomping at the bit to get started on my NaNoWriMo novel.
A few days ago I posted my NaNo prep food list, and today I’m going to post about the other items I find essential.
My essentials for NaNoWriMo:
Laptop–Not everyone uses a laptop to write, but this is a must for me.
Scrivener–This is the best writing program. You can download a free trial, and then if you win NaNo you can purchase the program for 50% off!
Outline and Character Sketches–There is no way I could start a novel without a completed outline. Now is the time to work on one!
Novels–This might not seem productive, but I read a ton during NaNo–but only after I have my word count finished for the day. It’s the perfect way to let your brain recharge.
Fingerless Gloves–Sometimes my hands get chilly. These are fabulous, even if my husband makes fun of them.
Box of Goodies For the Kids–You must keep the munchkins happy if you want to get any writing done. A few things you could include in the box are new markers/crayons/colored pencils, sketch paper, drawing books, blank cards so they can make their own Christmas cards to send out, a couple new videos, Christmas ornament kits (Dollar Tree and Oriental Trading are great places to look), Hot Wheels, little individual bagged Littlest Petshop or My Little Pony figures, small Lego sets, and notebooks & pen sets for aspiring writers.
As a note, these are some things to avoid in the goodie box–play dough (trust me), noise makers, anything that will be fought over, paint, scissors (if your children are young and likely to snip their hair), and anything requiring adult assistance.
Hope this list helps you prepare for November! What are your NaNo essentials? Let me know in the comments!
Shari L. Tapscott 