October Novel Prep Challenge

Hi everyone! How’s the planning going? We are up to the halfway point. Some people may be on track. Some may be done and some, like me, may be floundering around, but still getting things done on my own time and schedule.

For the last contest entry, I almost forgot to do it because I was so wrapped up in the writing of this instalment for the Prep itself.

Remember you can do your Assignment Calendar in any order. Just make sure you don’t go over 72 hours before you log another entry.

Also remember that although this is a contest entry, it does not need to be posted in the contest if you don’t feel it is complete. All you really need to do is spend 15 minutes working on this and then Log it to the Entry Log.

It is a chance to write a little prose and get to know your Antagonist. That is the main idea.

Oct. 15: - "Character: CONTEST ROUND: Antagonist Background Story" ▼
Write a story about your antagonist that takes place outside of your novel. The object of the contest is to make your judges understand and empathize with the antagonist's motivations.

If your antagonist is a situation rather than a person, write a background story about that. The Tom Hanks movie ""Cast Away"" famously features only one character (unless you count Wilson), and his antagonist is loneliness. Could you personify loneliness? Why does loneliness exist? What motivates it? How would a lack of loneliness affect survival of the human race? How did it drive main character Nolan to survive for years alone on a deserted island? Loneliness has a job to do. Make us believe it's a valid one.

*Contest Round entries may be any rating. Submit your ITEM or ENTRY number by 1200 noon WDC time on Sunday to compete. WDC time is New York City time and can be found at the top of the IM Console. If you miss this deadline or choose not to compete, you must still log the assignment complete (without linking your work) for the grand prize, per the standard Prep guidelines.


You may have already spent some time creating an antagonist profile. That will help you with this…. If your antagonist is not a person, but a situation that may prove interesting. I love personifying that situation. Have fun with it.

Here is a wee video about How to Create Conflict in Stories: Types of Antagonists.


Happy Prepping! Good Luck in the contest if you choose to enter it.

Also remember to know the {entry:XXXXXX} or {item:XXXXXX} before you go into the October NOvel Prep Contest Rounds link at the bottom of the forum page. This will help the judges find your piece. It is also the second contest round.
Hope this helps. Any questions, please ask. That's what we're here for.