{"id":28995,"date":"2018-10-02T11:48:26","date_gmt":"2018-10-02T10:48:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/focusme.com\/?p=28995"},"modified":"2025-02-13T07:25:38","modified_gmt":"2025-02-13T07:25:38","slug":"how-to-prepare-for-nanowrimo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/focusme.com\/blog\/how-to-prepare-for-nanowrimo\/","title":{"rendered":"How to prepare for NaNoWriMo 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Plotter or Panster?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

So come on, which are you?<\/p>\n

Plotters <\/span>(okay yes, I admit it)<\/em> like to have some idea of where we\u2019re going and the good news is that with Nanowrimo<\/a> THIS IS NOT CHEATING.<\/p>\n

The thing about being a plotter is that you don\u2019t have to work chronologically.<\/p>\n

John Irving doesn\u2019t start until he has the ending worked out.<\/em> <\/strong><\/p>\n

\"How<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He writes his last scene first. So, if you want to, write the last scene first, or write the climax. And if you get stuck during Nanowrimo, just dive in somewhere else. Nanowrimo is all about getting the words down.
Being a plotter<\/span> doesn\u2019t kill your creativity. Once you begin to write you\u2019re sure to go flying off in a different direction, and that\u2019s fine. That\u2019s the joy of Nanowrimo. Go with it! Minor characters become more interesting than you thought, major characters suddenly start acting all weird and out of character\u2026 Go with it! Your finished novel may be very different to the one planned, but, as a plotter<\/span>, I guarantee that with a bit of preparation you will not get writer\u2019s block and you\u2019ll not be stuck looking at a blank screen when you should be adding to your word count.<\/p>\n

Pansters<\/span> (I am led to understand) <\/em>start Nanowrimo on 1st of November with no planning and fly by the seat of their pants. Okay, okay, yes. There are advantages to this. Some people say it\u2019s more artistic and creative, and it does mean it\u2019s never too late to join the party. You can decide right up to the day (or even beyond) to take part, and yes, YOU CAN STILL BE A WINNER.<\/p>\n

Download this article as a PDF<\/a><\/h2>\n

I confess I like to do some planning first. It\u2019s like going on holiday, a big part of the enjoyment for me is the anticipation. Here is my own process:<\/strong><\/p>\n

I<\/span> like to get my ideas down.<\/span><\/h3>\n

I do this as a free write and I do it by hand (proper pencil and paper stuff). It\u2019s like some creative inspiration or muse sneaks in there and gets involved. I imagine I\u2019ve just seen a great movie and I\u2019m telling my best friend all about it – who is in it, where and when it\u2019s set, what happens\u2026 Here\u2019s the secret (and I don\u2019t recommend doing this for actual movies, or your friend won\u2019t be your friend for very long) – you give away the ending.<\/strong> Yes I know, spoiler alert, but remember you\u2019re the only one who is going to see this. This is really creative and fun and you can even pretend you\u2019re a movie director. Yes Ryan Gosling, I am casting you as my protagonist.<\/p>\n

Next I make a list of things that happen.<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

It\u2019s like re-watching that movie. Just jot down very short sentences – you don\u2019t even have to worry about the order.<\/p>\n

– Scene in bar. Ed (Ryan) and the girl (me of course) are arguing
– Ed on the tube ride home
– As he puts key in door to his apartment, he\u2019s jumped on
– Ed wakes up in strange room<\/p>\n

That kind of thing. Oooh that was just an example, but I wonder what happens next…
If I can get to around 30 things that happen (possible scenes) I know I\u2019ll have enough for a novel. Any less and I\u2019ll need a few more storylines. Any more and I might be writing a trilogy, so divide it up.<\/p>\n

Next I transfer my rough list to index cards or one of those virtual cork boards on a writing novel app.<\/span><\/h3>\n

Lay the cards out on the table or the floor or the corkboard and shuffle them around to create a storyline. You can add extra cards if you have gaps in the action, i.e. someone was watching Ed on the tube, flashback to their POV\u2026 Now might be the time to think about story arc and character arc, or at least to make sure you\u2019ve got a beginning, middle and end. <\/em>STILL NOT CHEATING.<\/p>\n

\"How<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/h2>\n

Characters <\/strong><\/h2>\n

I like to do some prep work on my characters. It stops me stalling once Nanowrimo is underway.<\/p>\n

Ever read a book and had a character called Joe and another called Jon? How annoying is it, flicking back to check who is who (and it\u2019s even harder on Kindle). To avoid this problem, I write down the letters of the alphabet, A to Z, each one on a separate line, then make up original character names using each letter just once.<\/p>\n

A – Ariadne<\/em><\/p>\n

B – Bathsheba<\/em><\/p>\n

C \u2013 Charlie <\/em><\/p>\n

There are loads of ways to flesh out your characters. Some people like to use a character template \u2013 name,  physical description, strange habits, likes, wants, etc. Other people like to interview their characters, ask them questions about themselves. I like to free write a little back story for each of my main characters. It probably won\u2019t make it into the novel, but it helps me get to know them better. Imagine you are waiting for a plane, a bus, gig tickets, or perhaps you\u2019re stuck in a lift together and they give you a potted history of their life\u2026.STILL NOT CHEATING<\/p>\n

All this stuff \u2013 telling your movie, list of things that happen, character names and back stories – can be done in advance. It\u2019s like packing your suitcase for that holiday. You can scribble in a notebook, use the notes pad on your phone, or write directly onto your laptop. Use FocusMe, turn off all distractions, and scribble scribble scribble.<\/p>\n

You haven\u2019t cheated as none of this is your word count. But once you get to 1st<\/sup> November you\u2019ll have a good idea of where you are going, and your holiday destination is looking fab.<\/p>\n

Use FocusMe<\/a> and you\u2019ll fly through your 50k target to become a Nanowrimo winner<\/a>. So come on you pansters<\/span>, now tell me why your way is the best?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>

Download this article as a PDF<\/a><\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Plotter or Panster? So come on, which are you? Plotters (okay yes, I admit it) like to have some idea of where we\u2019re going and the good news is that with Nanowrimo THIS IS NOT CHEATING. The thing about being a plotter is that you don\u2019t have to work chronologically. John Irving doesn\u2019t start until […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":32168,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[66,67],"class_list":["post-28995","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-writing","tag-nanowrimo","tag-writing"],"yoast_head":"\nPlotter or Panster? How to Prepare for NaNoWriMo<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Are you a plotter or panster? 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