Hey preppers, it’s contest time again. This is the 4th and last contest of OctoPrep: the Plot Background Story.

Remember you do not have to enter the contest, but you must spend at least 15 minutes writing about your plot’s background story. How did your story come to be… what happened before what is going to happen?

If you do enter the contest, please remember to copy your story’s ID so you can enter it as a {entry:XXXXXX} or {item:XXXXXX}

Whether you enter the contest or not, please remember to log your assignment in the Entry Form.

Now is also the time to check that 2022 Log to make sure you have completed everything you need to complete to win OctoPrep. You don’t want to forget anything. I still have 5 more assignments to complete, and I believe I will accomplish them. I can see the finish line.

We are so close to the end. Only one more assignment to do and many of our Preppers are finished or finishing up. Don’t be left behind. You can do this.

NaNoWriMo is so close. Are you excited or nervous? Do you feel ready to tackle the next month?

As I said, this contest is focusing on what came before and the hope is that it will help propel you into the now of your story with more clarity.

Oct. 29: - "Plot: CONTEST ROUND: Plot Background Story" ▼
Write a story that sets up your plot. EXAMPLE: The Lord of the Rings story revolves around the One Ring, its significance, and how it's destroyed. But how did Frodo get the One Ring in the first place? We learn that in The Hobbit. You obviously can't write a full-scale novel in 15 minutes, but you could write the scene where Bilbo encounters Gollum and stumbles across the ring. That would be a background story that sets up the plot in Lord of the Rings.

*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.

Good luck everyone and happy prepping.