Help me out!

I am a 18 year old guy looking to hike the section of the Appalachian trail by myself. I have about 3 weeks to a month and if possible, I would like to stay close to my home state of Arkansas (the roan mountain section of the trail looks awesome). I have backpacking experience from doing 40 miles of the John Muir trail with my dad. I have good backpacking gear and camping experience. I am not afraid of a challenge. I want a challenge. I would like to start by September. What do I need to do to start this journey? How should I prepare? Any advice is greatly appreciated.