Anybody else getting anxious for November? I know I am. I’m so excited I have to DO something, so I’m brainstorming scenes for my book:
In addition to the #Plot101 Twitter event (still going strong!)(explanation here), I’m also lurking around the forums of the NaNoWriMo site. Feel free to add me as a writing buddy. You might be able to find me under the enigmatic name of JordanMcCollum. That 0 word count is bugging me…..
As I’ve worked on all these things, I’ve had to review all my favorite plotting methods and character posts—on others’ blogs, and on my own. So if you’re getting ready for NaNoWriMo, here are some writing resources on my site that I’ve been thinking about and studying, and I hope they might help you prepare, too.
The plot thickens, my series on plotting, highlights plot structures and methods including the three act structure, Larry Brooks’s story structure, the Snowflake method, the Hero’s Journey, and now Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat (also available as a PDF, but it hasn’t been updated to include the Save the Cat posts).
Creating sympathetic characters—while you can edit a great deal of sympathy into your characters, keeping these things in mind as you write can help you get it right the first time.
Tension, Suspense and Surprise—vital elements (I mean, these things often keep me going through a first draft!), though they can be a bit tougher to get right on the first try.
And, depending on how you write, you might be able to try out some new techniques with Deep POV or dialogue—or save those for editing.
It’s no coincidence NaNoWriMo is associated with utter insanity. For most of us, we have to let something go to get in those hundreds of words per day. And most of us don’t live alone. For NaNo to be a success, it’s best to get your family on board. My friend Danyelle Ferguson has some great tips on preparing your family for NaNoWriMo.
If you haven’t sat down with your significant other, or someone else who might be expecting more from you than you’ll be able to give this next month, do it today! Reasonable expectations really help in relationships, even when we’re doing something that might seem just a little unreasonable—like writing a novel in a month.
My favorite ideas are to plan meals in advance (have I mentioned that once or twice?) and (I’m sure my kids’ favorite!) set up rewards for word count goals—and while we all love incentive chocolate, even better in a month of insane writing is a reward that gets you away from the keyboard and spending time with your family, as Danyelle suggests. Go read her post for more great tips on arranging your schedule and getting your family’s support for you NaNo push!
I’ve been friends with Jami Gold since we met years ago in the Edittorrent comment community. Now I love to read her thought-provoking writing advice on her blog. I can’t say enough good things about it!
So, naturally, I was flattered enough to accept her tag in the “Next Big Thing” meme. Plus, since we’re all prepping for Nano, I’m also really excited about my next big thing!
Ten Interview Questions for the Next Big Thing:
What is your working title of your book?
It took me a little while to come up with one, but right now I’m leaning toward either Scorched Earth or Slash and Burn.
Hm. There should probably be a fire in the book then, huh?
Where did the idea come from for the book?
I had a dream last week. I was totally planning on writing a different book—had the characters picked out, using an idea I’ve had for a while, plotting was fun, but I wasn’t in love with the idea yet. (Sometimes it comes later, you know?)
What genre does your book fall under?
It’s really really different from anything else I’ve written: YA post-apocalyptic.
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Normally I’m better about this. Lately, I’ve used Hollow Art to look for my characters. The user-submitted site features small pictures intended for LiveJournals and the like, usually from TV & movies. You can search by a physical attribute (hair color, age, etc.) or name, and possibly find hundreds of pictures of different shots and expressions. I browse through the pictures until I find someone who inspires me to be my character—often someone I’ve never heard of.
And I almost got out of answering the question with that, didn’t I? Okay, so the actress who most seemed like my main character was someone I haven’t heard of, but you might have: Nina Dobrev, who plays the lead (and her doppelganger) in The Vampire Diaries.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
LOL, right now I’m trying to fill in all the blanks, not condense it! But let’s give it a shot:
In a depopulated post-apocalyptic world, 17-year-old Adrienne Lucas must protect her farm and avenge her father’s execution—even if it means destroying the man she loves.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
We’ll see. Right now, I’m querying another book. (It’s going okay, but slowly, of course.) We’ll see where that one goes.
I guess the only thing I’m ready to rule out at this stage is the publisher who has an offer in on my book (yay, our one year anniversary is next week). This book has some elements that I don’t think they’d find so “savory.”
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
Let me check my crystal ball….
Probably two to four weeks.
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Hm. It’s similar to other YA post-apocalyptic novels, but the main plot of the book isn’t the struggle to survive. My friend compared the plot to The Eleventh Plague, though I’m waiting for my library’s copy so I can confirm or deny this.
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
Uhhhh . . . okay, let’s be honest: DH and I love the TV show Falling Skies. Although my set up is somewhat different, that’s where the dream came from.
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Hm. I was going to wait to share, but how about this?
We’ll talk more about how to make one of these soon!
Sharing the love: Tag! You’re it!
To pass along the fun, you’re supposed to tag five other writers/bloggers. So here we go!
Rachelle J. Christensen has two novels and a nonfiction book out, and she’s got a few more with her agent—but I think this Nano is her first! Come cheer her on!
Julie Coulter Bellon is a traditionally published author who’s recently moved to self-publishing. Her latest novel, All Fall Down, came out earlier this month and it’s awesome! (It doesn’t hurt that I’m her critique partner.) She’s got so many projects on tap that I can’t wait to see which she picks.
Our other critique partner, Emily Gray Clawson, is also premiering a self-published novel soon! Her faith-based YA novel Things Hoped For is coming out next month. She unveiled the cover recently.
Deana Barnhart is the amazing woman behind the Gearing Up to Get an Agent blogfest. She’s been a little blog quiet for a bit, trying to get back into the swing of things after GUTGAA, but I always like to hear what she’s working on. Once upon a time, I gave her voluminous feedback on an early manuscript, and rather than getting discouraged, she got excited and dove in to revisions! That’s a definite predictor of success right there 😉 .
Krista Lynne Jensen makes me smile every time she tweets (even if the tweets are from a Caribbean vacation. Sigh). She’s got a bunch of books coming out soon, and it seems like she’s always working on more!
Remember, you can write about a recently finished WIP or a planned one, whether you’re participating in Nano or not!
Rules for The Next Big Thing Blog Hop:
***Use this format for your post
***Answer the ten questions about your current WIP (work in progress)
***Tag five other writers/bloggers and add their links so we can hop over and meet them.
Ten Interview Questions for the Next Big Thing:
What is your working title of your book?
Where did the idea come from for the book?
What genre does your book fall under?
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Include the link of who tagged you and this explanation for the people you have tagged.
Didn’t get tagged? I still want to hear about your next big thing! Join in the comments or just steal the meme!
It’s no coincidence NaNoWriMo is associated with utter insanity. For most of us, we have to let something go to get in those hundreds of words per day. And most of us don’t live alone. For NaNo to be a success, it’s best to get your family on board. My friend Danyelle Ferguson has some great tips on prepping your family for NaNoWriMo.
If you haven’t sat down with your significant other, or someone else who might be expecting more from you than you’ll be able to give this month, do it today! Reasonable expectations really help in relationships, even when we’re doing something that might seem just a little unreasonable—like writing a novel in a month.
My favorite ideas are to plan meals in advance and (I’m sure my kids’ favorite!) set up rewards for word count goals—and while we all love incentive chocolate, even better in a month of insane writing is a reward that gets you away from the keyboard and spending time with your family, as Danyelle suggests. Go read her post for more great tips on arranging your schedule and getting your family’s support for you NaNo push!
enigmatic name of JordanMcCollum. That 0 word count is bugging me…..
So, naturally, I was flattered enough to accept her 