Comments on: Get Ready for National Novel Writing Month http://procrastinatingwritersblog.com/2009/09/get-ready-for-national-novel-writing-month/ Guidance for writers who struggle to get started Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:55:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Writer’s Resources for September 27th through October 1st « Waiting For Fairies http://procrastinatingwritersblog.com/2009/09/get-ready-for-national-novel-writing-month/comment-page-1/#comment-2057 Writer’s Resources for September 27th through October 1st « Waiting For Fairies Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:50:27 +0000 http://procrastinatingwritersblog.com/?p=822#comment-2057 [...] Get Ready for National Novel Writing Month – [...] [...] Get Ready for National Novel Writing Month – [...]

]]> By: Tools to Help You Plot Your NaNoWriMo Novel http://procrastinatingwritersblog.com/2009/09/get-ready-for-national-novel-writing-month/comment-page-1/#comment-796 Tools to Help You Plot Your NaNoWriMo Novel Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:32:30 +0000 http://procrastinatingwritersblog.com/?p=822#comment-796 [...] best-selling author, Larry Brooks, said in the comment he made on this post, “If you do enough quality story planning ahead of time, you can actually write something [...] [...] best-selling author, Larry Brooks, said in the comment he made on this post, “If you do enough quality story planning ahead of time, you can actually write something [...]

]]> By: jblan http://procrastinatingwritersblog.com/2009/09/get-ready-for-national-novel-writing-month/comment-page-1/#comment-767 jblan Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:00:47 +0000 http://procrastinatingwritersblog.com/?p=822#comment-767 @Larry Thanks for posting this! I SO appreciate you taking the time to come here and share your valuable information with us. You are absolutely right--the more you know about your novel before you start writing it, the better your draft will come out. Readers: Be sure to visit Larry's blog: www.storyfix.com for lots of great advice on plot, characters and more! @Larry Thanks for posting this! I SO appreciate you taking the time to come here and share your valuable information with us. You are absolutely right–the more you know about your novel before you start writing it, the better your draft will come out.

Readers: Be sure to visit Larry’s blog: http://www.storyfix.com for lots of great advice on plot, characters and more!

]]> By: Larry http://procrastinatingwritersblog.com/2009/09/get-ready-for-national-novel-writing-month/comment-page-1/#comment-758 Larry Fri, 02 Oct 2009 01:19:32 +0000 http://procrastinatingwritersblog.com/?p=822#comment-758 Jennifer is SO right-on about this advice. The more you know about your story before November, the more effectively you can charge out of the starting gate. They say this is about quantity versus quality, and if you just look at it that way, that's what you'll get. But, if you do enough quality story planning ahead of time, you can actually write something with a future, and with darn few more days required after Nov. 30 to polish your 30-day masterpiece into something you can proudly submit. To get more specific about what you should know before you start, try this list: 1. Know your general concept, presented as a "what if?" statement that makes you wish it was Nov. 1 right now... that's how exciting your idea is. 2. Know what your first plot point is... what happens that really kicks off the story AFTER you're set it up in the first 20% of the narrative... what does the hero need or want from that point forward... what opposes her or him... and most importantly, what's at stake in that process? Give us big answers to these questions and your story will play big. 3. Know how the story will shift right in the middle, with some powerful new information being introduced. 4. Know how your hero enters the story, flaws and all, then know how she or he will change and evolve over the course of the story, and how they will apply that learning toward becoming the PRIMARY element/catalyst that causes the story to conclude. 5. Plan how you intend to ratched up the pace, the dramatic tension and the stake of the story as you go along, resulting in an explosive and emotional climax that knocks the reader back into their pillow and keeps them up all night. In other words -- the MOST important thing you should know of all -- know how the story will END. 6. Know what your story is saying to the reader on a THEMATIC level -- what is this really about in terms of life, love, God, the issues, the future... etc. The more scenes you have in your head, ready to write and in context to the above, and the more you know about where those scenes will reside in the story's sequence, the better equipped you'll be to make them sizzle on the page. Think like an engineer, plan like an anal-retentive maniac... then write it all like a poet possessed. And have fun. I considered posting this on my own site, but hey, Jennifer beat me to it. Stay glued here for her 30-tips in 30-days gift -- that's what it is -- and juxtapose it all against what I've contributed here... you'll be shocked and awed by what you'll accomplish in the month of November. Jennifer is SO right-on about this advice. The more you know about your story before November, the more effectively you can charge out of the starting gate. They say this is about quantity versus quality, and if you just look at it that way, that’s what you’ll get. But, if you do enough quality story planning ahead of time, you can actually write something with a future, and with darn few more days required after Nov. 30 to polish your 30-day masterpiece into something you can proudly submit.

To get more specific about what you should know before you start, try this list:

1. Know your general concept, presented as a “what if?” statement that makes you wish it was Nov. 1 right now… that’s how exciting your idea is.

2. Know what your first plot point is… what happens that really kicks off the story AFTER you’re set it up in the first 20% of the narrative… what does the hero need or want from that point forward… what opposes her or him… and most importantly, what’s at stake in that process? Give us big answers to these questions and your story will play big.

3. Know how the story will shift right in the middle, with some powerful new information being introduced.

4. Know how your hero enters the story, flaws and all, then know how she or he will change and evolve over the course of the story, and how they will apply that learning toward becoming the PRIMARY element/catalyst that causes the story to conclude.

5. Plan how you intend to ratched up the pace, the dramatic tension and the stake of the story as you go along, resulting in an explosive and emotional climax that knocks the reader back into their pillow and keeps them up all night. In other words — the MOST important thing you should know of all — know how the story will END.

6. Know what your story is saying to the reader on a THEMATIC level — what is this really about in terms of life, love, God, the issues, the future… etc.

The more scenes you have in your head, ready to write and in context to the above, and the more you know about where those scenes will reside in the story’s sequence, the better equipped you’ll be to make them sizzle on the page.

Think like an engineer, plan like an anal-retentive maniac… then write it all like a poet possessed. And have fun.

I considered posting this on my own site, but hey, Jennifer beat me to it. Stay glued here for her 30-tips in 30-days gift — that’s what it is — and juxtapose it all against what I’ve contributed here… you’ll be shocked and awed by what you’ll accomplish in the month of November.

]]> By: Brittany http://procrastinatingwritersblog.com/2009/09/get-ready-for-national-novel-writing-month/comment-page-1/#comment-757 Brittany Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:17:53 +0000 http://procrastinatingwritersblog.com/?p=822#comment-757 I'm not sure if I'll win or not. I missed NaNo WriMo 08', so I wrote my first novel during JanNo WriMo and won. I know that I can do it, but I'm not sure if I'll have enough time this year. I’m not sure if I’ll win or not. I missed NaNo WriMo 08′, so I wrote my first novel during JanNo WriMo and won. I know that I can do it, but I’m not sure if I’ll have enough time this year.

]]> By: Liz http://procrastinatingwritersblog.com/2009/09/get-ready-for-national-novel-writing-month/comment-page-1/#comment-751 Liz Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:51:42 +0000 http://procrastinatingwritersblog.com/?p=822#comment-751 I'm doing my first Nano this year. I'm looking forward to the excitement of October. Mary Eagan--I'm in Des Moines! I’m doing my first Nano this year. I’m looking forward to the excitement of October.

Mary Eagan–I’m in Des Moines!

]]> By: Sandra S Richardson http://procrastinatingwritersblog.com/2009/09/get-ready-for-national-novel-writing-month/comment-page-1/#comment-749 Sandra S Richardson Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:13:35 +0000 http://procrastinatingwritersblog.com/?p=822#comment-749 This will be my first NaNoWriMo and I'm petrified. I have my idea, I even have part of the plot worked out and know my characters fairly well. I just don't want to start and not make it to the 50,000 goal. I need to succeed. In the past, I've known where my stories (long or short) were going in my head before I wrote them, not that things wouldn't change while writing, but I knew the plot flow. Lately, that hasn't been happening and I'm having to (force? create? find? dig-up?) ideas for what is going to happen. I'm not used to that and it's causing everything to feel flat and lifeless to me. Either way, I'm taking the plunge and I'm looking for all the help and encouragement I can get! Sandra This will be my first NaNoWriMo and I’m petrified. I have my idea, I even have part of the plot worked out and know my characters fairly well. I just don’t want to start and not make it to the 50,000 goal. I need to succeed.

In the past, I’ve known where my stories (long or short) were going in my head before I wrote them, not that things wouldn’t change while writing, but I knew the plot flow. Lately, that hasn’t been happening and I’m having to (force? create? find? dig-up?) ideas for what is going to happen. I’m not used to that and it’s causing everything to feel flat and lifeless to me.

Either way, I’m taking the plunge and I’m looking for all the help and encouragement I can get!

Sandra

]]> By: jblan http://procrastinatingwritersblog.com/2009/09/get-ready-for-national-novel-writing-month/comment-page-1/#comment-741 jblan Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:44:59 +0000 http://procrastinatingwritersblog.com/?p=822#comment-741 @Brittany This is my first NaNoWriMo, too! I attempted last year, for about a day and then quit, so I'm not counting that one ;-) Also, sign ups for the 30-day newsletter start tomorrow on this blog. Be sure to check back! @Brittany This is my first NaNoWriMo, too! I attempted last year, for about a day and then quit, so I’m not counting that one ;-)

Also, sign ups for the 30-day newsletter start tomorrow on this blog. Be sure to check back!

]]> By: Brittany http://procrastinatingwritersblog.com/2009/09/get-ready-for-national-novel-writing-month/comment-page-1/#comment-738 Brittany Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:06:57 +0000 http://procrastinatingwritersblog.com/?p=822#comment-738 By the way, where do I sign up for the newsletter?? By the way, where do I sign up for the newsletter??

]]> By: Brittany http://procrastinatingwritersblog.com/2009/09/get-ready-for-national-novel-writing-month/comment-page-1/#comment-737 Brittany Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:03:42 +0000 http://procrastinatingwritersblog.com/?p=822#comment-737 This will be my first NaNo WriMo, and I can't wait for all of the weekly tips! This is good advice, too. I need to figure out when I'll have time to write. I've read No Plot, No Problem, but I'll probably check it out and read it again during NaNo WriMo. I'm so excited! This will be my first NaNo WriMo, and I can’t wait for all of the weekly tips! This is good advice, too. I need to figure out when I’ll have time to write. I’ve read No Plot, No Problem, but I’ll probably check it out and read it again during NaNo WriMo.

I’m so excited!

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