We're at t - two weeks and counting down to Midnight, November 1st. So what, you say? It's the start of National Novel Writing Month! Are you signed up? I've been a participant twice now. I finished once, but was pregnant last year, and that interfered with my writing time. This, year, I want to do it or die!
I've got two weeks to prep for the onslaught. Plan out my daily schedule. Figure out where the story is going. Plot. Characters. Settings. You know. All that stuff that makes a good book.
So, here's my question for you, friends? How do you develop your stories? Do you use the character interview? The Snowflake method? Do you pants it? And do you have any suggestions for me?
6 comments:
So far my novel has been writing itself in my head while I'm in the shower. As a result, I have little teddy-bear-shaped sticky notes covering the night stand next to my bed (it's the closest pen and paper to my shower).
I know my life well enough to know that November is a TERRIBLE time for me to attempt any NaNoWriMo ninja stuff, so I'm planning my own personal NaNoWriMo for January! :-) Good luck!!
I did nanowrimo a couple of years ago (and I won :-). The book I wrote that month was so terrible that I haven't even looked at it again. But when I did nano I hadn't written in 8 years (I had gotten discouraged and quit writing for that time). What Nano did for me was to help me find my writing-smile. It reconnected me to that little voice that's always plotting and writing dialog in my head.
I'm not doing nano again (maybe ever) because for me writing that fast isn't my best way to be productive. However, to answer the question...I start a scrivener file on a new project and spend a lot of time noodling around about characters and possible plot ideas and eventually come up with a list of scenes (on the handy-dandy corkboard). Then I dive in, adding, deleting and changing things on my corkboard as I go of course...but at least i have a basic idea where I'm going.
What I need to do better next time is solidify some character names/characteristics etc...before I'm into the writing--that would save me so much difficulty later!
Hi Kayeleen!!!
It's been a while and I just wanted to drop by to say 'hi'. :P
So, you're doing NaNo this year? Good for you!!! It's always too much pressure for me but I think about it every year. Can't wait to hear how it goes.
Good luck!
I did Nanowrimo once and I think that was enough for me. It was a good exercise, though.
I don't use any "method" to plotting, necessarily. I'm pretty haphazard and I don't outline; however, I usually have a pretty good idea of the beginning, middle and end before I start to draft, and I also jot down several pages of random notes- characters, subplots, backstory, world building, etc. as the ideas come to me. Other than that, there is very little method to my madness. I jump around a lot. But that's one thing about writing process, it's so different for everyone. It's like a direct extension of your unique personality.
Have fun nano-ing!
Is November so soon?! I still have no idea if I'm doing it! I already have projects on my plate, so starting another doesn't seem like a good idea. But I do so love doing NaNo!
I'm a pantser though, so a last minute join up is feasible. Haha.
When I start a project, I get all these little snippets of ideas that just free-flow in my head as I let everything stew and simmer. Once I have enough of those that my brain has gotten stoked about the idea, I can write out a rough outline. As I do that, I can find out how many books.
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