With Halloween here, and tomorrow starting the first day of National Novel Writing Month, I wanted to share 13 ways you can prep for your novel writing challenge AND still have time to hand out treats (or party) tonight.

1. Sign up for the challenge at NaNoWriMo.org
2. Find writing meet ups either on your own or through the NaNoWriMo regional chapter site – and put at least one on your calendar for the very near future.
3. Follow the #NaNoWriMo hashtag on Twitter and Facebook to see what other participants are saying, and join in on the conversation!
4.  Be a cheerleader! Support other NaNoWriMo-er’s in their commitment.
5. Put a reminder in your phone, on your calendar, on a sticky note next to your pillow so that tomorrow doesn’t come and go in a hangover/candy daze without getting your first words down!
6. Tell yourself you won’t sleep, eat this piece of chocolate, watch your favorite show, etc until you’ve written X amount each night.
7. Warn your friends, lover, roommates, and family that you may be in a bit of a craze this month, but not to worry because it will all be worth it when December 1st hits.
8. Do NOT edit.
9. Do not feel like this draft has to be any good, at all.
10. Don’t plan to show anyone your MS until it’s done, and then still not even after a few rewrites.
11. Outline or don’t outline – it’s your story!
12.  Remember to have FUN while writing! This is all what you make of it, and why not make it fun?
13. Lastly, NaNoWriMo doesn’t start until tomorrow – so what does that mean? Enjoy Halloween! Let loose, dress up, hand out candy, party with the dead. Tomorrow is when the reminders, stress, fun, creativity, lack of sleep begin. Start your “new chapter” tomorrow.

What are you doing to celebrate the holiday tonight? And how will you be prepping for NaNoWriMo tomorrow?