Today I’ve played the harmonica.

I’ve annoyed the cat.

I’ve drunk copious amounts of coffee.

I’ve cleaned the kitchen.

I’ve put the bins out.

I’ve even watched an episode of the Apprentice.

And now I can’t ignore the fact that Nanowrimo starts tomorrow. Or at midnight tonight if we’re being precise.

And this year I’m going to attempt to join in.

Which means, all being well, that November is going to be taken up with a WHOLE LOT OF WORD SPLURGING. And by WHOLE LOT OF WORDS I’m talking about 50,000 in one month. And not just any month, a month that starts with Halloween and runs past bonfire night and generally should involve blankets and horror films and kicking up leaves.

And at the end of it, I’m not expecting to have a perfect, sparkly novel. I’ll be quite impressed if any of the words actually make any sense. It’s more than possible that the famous monkey-at-the-typewriter could do better than me on this crazy pace train.

But I am hoping to kick start a routine, to kick out the procrastination, and to kick my inner editor in the goddamn balls and just write.

So, in the aid of writing ALL OF THE WORDS and not passing out before the first week is through, I’ve nano-prepped myself. I can’t call it advice, having never done Nanowrimo before. But in the spirit of sharing, here’s the pre-plan:

1. Read Chuck Wendig’s advice. In fact, read Chuck Wendig’s everything.
2. Stock up on coffee.
3. Purchase, and live in where appropriate, new pyjamas.
4. Spend a day playing on the computer. The urge to game-binge might be out of my system now. Or I might have just encouraged it.
5. Actually write down some ideas. Couldn’t go so far as calling myself a plotter now, but I have given my pantsing tendencies a little bit of a talking to.
6. Partake in wine the night before kick-off. This might be inadvisable, but I’ll let you know how I get on.
7. Get a profile picture on the Nanowrimo site – because it’s all about the social, right? Not that there’s gonna be much time for that. Find me here.

So I think I’m prepared in a hellishly unprepared way.

But that’s ok.

Any more tips before the writing month eats my brain?

I’ll see you on the other side. Now I’m off to watch horror films.

Good luck to all you Nanowrimers, and to all you writers. Any words are good words, just get them down.