Every October, as the leaves blaze with color and a mug of hot chocolate becomes a permanent fixture at my writing space, it can only mean one thing: Preptober is here again. It’s that magical time of year when writers everywhere gear up for November’s writing marathon.

For me, it’s less “organized plotting” and more “organized chaos.” After all, I’ve been doing this for nearly two decades now (nineteen years and eighteen wins!). But Preptober 2025 feels extra exciting because I’m diving into so...