How to Prep for #1000wordsofsummer

Time to get ready, people.

Hi friends.

We’re only ten days away from this year’s #1000wordsofsummer! I have been checking out everyone’s posts in the slacks and everyone’s looking real good out there. For some of the newcomers, I wanted to share a few tips on how to prep for this thing. And even if you’re an old pro, sometimes it helps to get a little refresh.

But first, a few reminders:

Here is the FAQ. If it doesn’t answer your questions, I’ve left the comments open for everyone.

There is also a companion book to this project, 1000 WORDS, which is available for purchase. But it is also probably available at your local library (you may be able to request they purchase it), or maybe you can borrow it from a friend. I believe it will help and inspire you!

And finally this a fundraiser for a number of wonderful charities, including sponsoring a Scholastic Book Fair for an entire New Orleans school. So if you can spare a few bucks, you can either subscribe to this newsletter or donate a few bucks via venmo. (We are now at a little more than 10% of the goal, so don’t be shy.)

But now let’s talk about how to prep for writing 1000 words a day (or your genre’s equivalent) for two weeks straight. There are some physical things you can do, there are some internal things you can do.

But first I need you to take a deep breath, and then say to yourself that you are committing to this moment in your writing life, that your voice is important, and that you want to write these words.

OK, did we all do that? Good.

So here are some very basic things you can do:

Make sure you have your supplies. A functioning pen, the perfect new notebook, a working laptop charger, light bulbs, a little reward snack for every day. Books you might need for research or inspiration, from your local library or bookshop or maybe even ask a friend if there’s something they loved recently that you can borrow. Whatever it is that you need so you can work without distraction. All the supplies that make you feel prepared and comfortable and set up for a good day’s work. Give yourself those simple gifts.

Find the right space. Have you determined your workspace yet? Are you working at the kitchen table, your local library, a quiet cafe, a park bench, a borrowed studio, your backyard, in bed? Decide where you want to be—where you need to be—in order to feel stable and steady and ready to make your art. This year I made a list of cafes I wanted to visit in the city so I’m always having a little adventure each day. I also did a little clean-up work on my office so I’ll feel more comfortable there.

Pick a time. Late at night, early in the morning, before work, after work, during your lunch break. Maybe it’s a happy hour every day with just you and your words. Determine what part of the day works best for you and then show up for it. Choosing a consistent time of day to write really sets you up for success! And if this means making requests of the people in your life to have alone, dedicated writing time, now is the time to ask. Don’t be shy. This is your moment.

And then there are some more nuanced things we can do to prep:

Strategize how to best serve your project. In advance, create a list of possible scenes or chapters to write, so that if you hit a wall one day, you have something at the ready to jump into. This can be about writing into the future of your book but also it can be going back into whatever you’ve already written and looking for holes that need to be filled. A simple exercise: are there any minor characters in your novel you’d like to get to know a little better? You could just spend a few days writing about them. Sparks might fly.

Brainstorm entry points. But maybe you’re just starting from scratch? It might feel daunting, but can you see it as absolute freedom to create whatever you want? Make a list of topics you are interested in about the world or yourself, or kinds of characters or people you might find interesting to write about. You could do a little advance re-reading of books you’ve loved in the past for a little inspiration. You never know what might help you get started.

Find a friend. Identify a writing buddy if you think you might have one in your life. (Or maybe find one in the slack!) It doesn’t matter if it’s in person or online, although in-person can be fun to get you out in the world, to maybe try a new cafe where you can write together. The point is to find someone to check in with, because every little bit of accountability helps.

Now if you want even more ideas, I recently just did a practice run-through of #1000wordsofsummer and wrote some more thoughts here.

And remember: None of what you write has to be perfect! I’m just trying to help you think about creating easier paths toward generating new work. This is all meant to trigger some thinking in advance. Showing up feeling ready to do the work is the real goal here. Entering the project with confidence and enthusiasm can change your writing day if not your week.

In conclusion: It’s your daydream, baby—do what you want with it. But do yourself a favor: get ready.

Sending you lots of inspiration,

Jami

You are reading Craft Talk, the home of #1000wordsofsummer and also a weekly newsletter about writing from Jami Attenberg. I’m also on bluesky and instagram.