NaNoWriMo Prep- Week 4

This week, I framed out the notes for the three acts of my story for NaNoWriMo.  I followed the exercises from chapter two of Fast Fiction, and was able to flush out more of the unknowns.  One of the things I love to do when I’m planning to write a story, is ask questions. It’s something I do when I’m in the planning stages or when I don’t know what’s going to happen next. It’s also VERY helpful when I feel like I’ve written myself into a corner. I start with one question, and follow it along, pulling it like a thread until the answer unravels itself.   In doing that, I was able to figure out who most of the characters are in the group my main character is with.  I also figured out the name of the novel. I’ve got a plan for the way the novel will go, I think. Of course, there are a lot of things that I don’t know are going to happen until they start happening. My characters need to start moving through the world and making decisions for me to see how they’ll interact with each other as the story goes along. That’s one of my very FAVORITE parts of the writing process. Those moments where the story pulls outside of you and starts to fly, pulling you like a kite behind. You rise and fall in the updrafts and downdrafts and the characters tell you what will happen when. It’s the moment when the story lets you know that you are not the one crafting it. You are simply there to do the physical work of getting it onto the page.

My hope for this week, is to flush out more scene ideas for the three acts in the story. They will be my insurance policy on days in November when brain fatigue inevitably takes over. 😬 I am in love with my story and my characters, and so ready to start writing this story down. But, I know there will be hard days, as there always are. There will be days where I’m running from home to preschool to dance and back again, grabbing a quick dinner before homework and bedtime, finishing my tutoring shift after my girls are in bed, and only then able to start working toward that 1,700 word goal. Those notes will be there for me then. They will serve to remind me on those very hard days, days when I might not reach my goal, that I can do this. That my shortcomings do not define me. My intention and my passion do.

This is the last full week before NaNoWriMo begins! I’m going to continue the physical work of preparing notes for the writing and the mental work of the challenge ahead. I’m going to keep listening to my characters, following wherever they want to lead me. When November first rolls around, I’ll be ready.  If you’re joining the NaNoWriMo challenge this year, please look me up after you create your writing profile and we can become writing buddies.

How is everyone doing getting ready? Do you find the physical or mental work more difficult in getting ready? Or are you a total pants-er and getting ready in a completely different way?

Happy Writing!

Look for this badge to appear on each of my NaNoWriMo posts during November to see my progress!