We’re into the final week of Preptober. Even if you’re not planning on committing to a writing challenge this November, I want to get you into a place where you can start writing that novel whenever you’re ready to start writing it and at whatever pace you’re ready to write at.

To do that there’s not a challenge this week. This week is intentionally slowed down, to give you and your story a chance to ready yourselves for the next stage of writing: drafting the dang thing.

You’ve spent the last couple of weeks in a frenzy of figuring out characters, building history, maybe even committing to some flash fictions. All of which is incredibly important.

None of it is writing the tens or even hundreds of thousands of words that go into writing a novel. Novels are big and for a lot of writers they’re daunting. Sometimes the desire to work out just one more detail about the world, or explore a new character idea is just a way for us to avoid committing to a massive act of creativity.

It’s normal to be nervous. A lot of people try to write a book and don’t finish it.

I don’t want you to be one of those people. I want to eventually be adding your book to my TBR. But before I can do that, you need to write it.

This week I want you to stop, slow down, and review. At this point you have at least two weeks worth of notes, flash fiction pieces and ideas. You have everything you need to start telling this story.

I want you to sit down with plain old pen and paper. Read through your notes or flashes. Make note of what about them excites you. Write down ten reasons you’re excited to write this story. It might be because you love one of the characters, or you’re excited to see how a plot point works out. Maybe you’re just excited to prove you can write a novel. Whatever they are, write them down. All of them.

Put them somewhere you can see them when you’re writing. Let me be very clear: I don’t want this typed and left on some digital file somewhere you’ll never open again. I want you to write them down, or print them out in the biggest boldest words you have: Why are you excited to write this story? Pin them where you will see them again and again and again while you’re writing.

I want you to be able to look at them when you’re struggling through Chapter 3, or rewriting the last paragraph of Chapter 16 for the ninth time. I want you to look at those reasons before you say ‘it’s too hard’ and stop writing. These are the reasons you are excited to start, right now. Let them be there when you need a pep talk or a reason to keep going.

You’re going to write your novel, but you can’t do it if you’re constantly adding to a character’s backstory or family history. You already have a reason to be writing. Sometimes all you need is a reminder. That’s what this is.

No matter how long it takes you to write your novel, whether or not you’re doing a writing challenge to get it done, you’ve got reasons to keep going. Be your own cheerleader and support your writing! And if and when you need someone else to help you keep going, I’ll be here as well.

Remember how I said I can’t wait to add your book to my TBR? I’m not kidding. In fact, give me a hint now: What’s the one thing you’re most excited to write? What note or short scene are you hyped up for? Give me a hint! I’ll be eagerly waiting to find out more about your story as you write.