Tag: creative writing

How to Prepare for NaNoWriMo – Part 4

You’re doing it, you are going to write a novel in a month, NaNoWriMo ain’t got nothin’ on you. In Part 1, I shared how NaNoWriMo helped me grow immensely as a writer. In Part 2, I walked you through developing a character you will love. In Part 3, I shared ten story beats you can use to outline your story and prepare for a writing storm.

Today, let’s face the scariest subjects (no, I’m not talking about affect vs effect or semicolons).

I’m talking about:

  • Writer’s block
  • Failure
  • Deadlines
  • Work-life balance

If you had to just vomit after reading those words, that’s fine, we’ve all felt the same way. These are the worst nightmares of a writer, in fact, they should be Halloween costumes.

The thing about these monsters, however, is that they look a lot less scary when you take some of their power away. Yes, you can take the power away from these jerks who want to push you around, tell you what to do, or make you hand over your confidence, peace of mind, and joy.

Writer’s block

The horrific, creative constipation that blocks you up and threatens to not let go. For a writer, writer’s block is a miserable experience. We are made to release words and stories, so when we cannot do that, we feel wrong.

I honestly don’t know that there’s just one way to beat writer’s block. I’m pretty careful about stating absolutes when it comes to writing, because remember, you make your own writing rules.

But here are a few ways I have found to overcome writer’s block. These have been recommended to me by other professionals who are veterans with decades of experience, so I’d say these tips for writer’s block are legit.

  1. Stay calm. Like a creepy pod of orcas who like to play with their food, writer’s block wants to torment and play with you. “You’re never going to have any new ideas. You’re finished. You will never be a writer.” The mean comments, fears, and worries start spiraling out of control and make it even harder to concentrate or create. The antidote?

Calm down, you’re stuck for a moment, not losing your whole identity and future as a writer. You may have a good reason for being stuck, like lack of sleep, relationship challenges, stress at work, health issues, or just exhaustion. When writer’s block hits, take stock of where you are. What do you need emotionally, mentally, spiritually, or physically? Can this be solved by taking a short walk? Having a snack? Calling your mom? Watching a show that inspires you? Dancing in your bedroom with a pretty scarf while you sing and pray for a few minutes? (Yes, that was very specific, maybe I’ve done it once or twice.)

  • Keep writing. This is the advice some people give as the one-and-only cure for writer’s block, and sometimes it’s not the “write” answer. But sometimes it is.

Sometimes you need to “just keep swimming” and the block will work itself out. You can also jump ahead to a scene or part you have very clearly mapped out in your mind, and while you are working on that, your brain will be subconsciously problem-solving for you.

This is also a good reason to have your ten story beats planned out ahead of time, so when you start to panic about being blocked, you can remind yourself of where you need to go.

  • Remember your why, remember the love. My friend and expert writing teacher, John Fornof, taught me to remember the why and to remember the love behind why I am writing as a cure for writer’s block.

Why did I begin this story? Why is it important to me? What made me love it? How does God’s love for me change this moment? Love thaws not just a frozen heart, it also burns away the fears and anxieties that can often lead to writer’s block. When we write from love and with love, we write our very best. If you feel like you are missing that, then maybe you can go back to where you lost it and that’s where you will find your answer.

Failure

For all the big talking “failure” does, it actually has so little power to hurt you when you redefine it.

What if you fail to write a novel this month? What if you don’t reach the goals you made? What if life happens and circumstances get in the way of what you hoped to accomplish?

Failure only has the power you give it. You are an imperfect human, so without a doubt, there are things you have failed at, but if you acknowledge, “Yep, that was my bad, but I’m gonna learn from it, ask for forgiveness, and forgive myself.” You have literally just removed failure’s power to steal from you. And writing is not this do-or-die thing your insecurities tell you it is. There’s not a big right or wrong to it, it’s subjective and create-your-own-adventure.

So, what if you don’t write a whole novel this month? Did you try? Did you think about it? Did you practice creating a character and story outline? Did you write 2,000 words? Did you entertain the concept that you can be a writer, and that you deserve to try? Then guess what, you cannot fail.

Some is better than none – Jon Acuff

Deadlines

Euw, I don’t like that word, but as a freelance writer, I see the word “deadline” a lot. And meeting deadlines has cost me some late nights, stressful weeks, missed showers, hurried meals, and sore hands.

Deadlines can sometimes be motivating, that’s why I am even doing NaNoWriMo this year, because I have a project that I keep pushing to the back burner, and I think if I create a deadline for myself, I may get a lot or most of it done.

Here are a few tips for managing your NaNoWriMo writing deadlines.

  1. Clearly outline your goals. You may not have the goal of writing 50,000 words or creating a whole novel in a month, and that’s fine, just know what your goals are and clearly define them. This will help you plan ahead and adapt in the moment.

I am a visual person, so I like to write things down or create an image to help me stay on track. However, your brain works, make sure you have created a way to know and track your progress. It takes some of the anxiety out of the process, and it’s really encouraging when you see yourself moving forward.

  • Be okay with adapting. I know this is hard to accept, but life is unpredictable and more like Jumanji than anyone wants to admit. We all have no idea what November has in store for us, so we will be prepared by planning, and then we will be prepared to change the plan if necessary. This doesn’t make you a failure, or irresponsible, it makes you adaptable, and you will take life much less hard if you are okay with adapting.

You will have to use your own judgment to know when to adapt, and when to stand your ground on your plans, but give yourself permission to adjust ahead of time.

  • Plan according to your taste/schedule. You are not marching to the beat of any other writer’s drum for NaNoWriMo, you need to make your plans and go at your pace. You can look around you for inspiration, and if you see a good idea that benefits you, borrow it! But never think your writing journey has to look like anyone else’s.

Work-life balance

We all have responsibilities, relationships, and lives to keep up with apart from NaNoWriMo (unless you cleared the whole month and can still afford your rent). You want to write a novel, but you want to do it in a way that doesn’t destroy the other important things in your life like your family, health, or job.

Here’s how you can create your NaNoWriMo 2024 goals and still have a life to come back to when you’re done.

  1. Communicate your goals/intentions to your people. Whether it’s your significant other, your children, your roommate, or your friends, you need to communicate with them what your desires are and discuss any potential changes in your schedule.

So many relational issues could be solved by proactively communicating, and then maintaining that communication throughout the process. Will you be working half days on Friday this month? Let your boss know. Do you and your spouse have a bedtime routine with the kids that keeps your family peaceful and focused? Plan your writing around that or discuss how you can cooperate with your spouse to adjust the schedule temporarily. Will you be spending less time online or chatting with people? Let them know ahead of time so they don’t worry about you.

  • Take care of yourself. Yes, sometimes deadline seasons call for late nights, fewer showers, and some less healthy snacks. So long as this doesn’t become your everyday, it may be okay for a season. But don’t go overboard.

You’re writing a novel, not planning a nuclear war without casualties (unless that’s the topic of your book in which case I want to read it). Shower, eat, drink water, go outside and look at a cloud or a bird. Ask your kids or spouse how their day was, listen to music you like, get up and dance or stretch. Walk the dog. Post a quick update celebrating a win. Eat a treat, maybe even buy some special treats for yourself and your family during this month so you all have something to enjoy.

  • Celebrate. Don’t wait to celebrate only when you have accomplished the big goal, life is about celebrating EVERY win, that’s why kids are so awesome, every new skill, discovery, or beautiful thing is something to celebrate. When you are celebrating your wins, big and little ones, it’s harder for discouragement and doubt to take hold. Joy makes you slippery to the darkness, so lather up and celebrate!

Write on

NaNoWriMo is an incredible opportunity to get going on the writing you’ve been dreaming of for a long time. Whatever you accomplish this year, I hope your heart and mind are opened to the possibilities and potential that lie ahead of you. You can do this, now go try.

Read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 here, and for more great posts on movies, writing, and my story, follow the blog, or like on FB. #nanowrimo2024

How to Prepare for NaNoWriMo – Part 3

Look at you, you have decided to try National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)! In Part 1 of this series, I discussed my past experiences with doing NaNoWriMo and how much they empowered me as a writer.

In Part 2, I walked you through some simple questions you can use to create a character you love to write. Trust me, if you love a character, you will want to write for them a lot. We writers create connections with our characters; they are like friends we root for and want to share with the world.

Today, I will walk you through ten storytelling beats you can use to outline your novel and give you a storytelling framework to help you stay motivated and confident in your writing.

Ten story beats

There are many approaches to creating a narrative structure, and if this list is overwhelming to you, feel free to do some research and find a system that works for you! I love this system because sometimes having more plot points means I am less likely to get lost along the way.

  1. Ordinary world of the hero
  2. Upsetting the apple cart
  3. Crossing the threshold
  4. Twist
  5. Midpoint
  6. Escalation
  7. Dark night of the soul
  8. Hero’s new plan
  9. Final showdown
  10. The new world

What does this list look like when writing a novel or screenplay? Let’s go through it using the classic The Fellowship of the Ring.

  1. Ordinary world of the hero. Frodo in the Shire. Your character’s ordinary world may be good or bad, but it’s “normal” and familiar.  Your character knows how the world works, what to expect, and how to survive/live in it.
  2. Upsetting the applecart. Gandalf shows up, and Bilbo gifts Frodo the Ring. Your character’s normal is broken by something unexpected; they can’t keep going with the status quo.
  3. Crossing the threshold. Frodo leaves with the Ring for the village of Bree. Your character has made a commitment that leads to a larger journey, and going back is not an option, the die is cast.
  4. Twist. Gandalf isn’t waiting at the Inn of the Prancing Pony, but Strider is. Your character didn’t see this coming, and they aren’t yet sure if this is good or bad.
  5. Midpoint. The Fellowship is formed. Some tough stuff has already happened, and your character doesn’t know what the resolve will be yet, but they have to pack it in and keep going to find out!
  6. Escalation. Battle in the Mines of Moria and internal conflicts among the Fellowship with Boromir and others. Things are getting worse, who can your character trust, maybe someone dies, the enemy is approaching, etc.
  7. Dark night of the soul. Gandalf falls while fighting the Balrog in Khazad-dum, the Fellowship is in trouble, and Frodo feels isolated. Your character believes all is lost, there is no hope, and things are broken that cannot be undone.
  8. Hero’s new plan. The Fellowship seeks refuge in Lothlorien and takes the river to save time on the journey. They are given Galadriel’s gifts and wisdom, and they have a bit more hope. Your character does not know if their new plan will work, but at least they have a plan.
  9. Final showdown. Amon Hen. Frodo escapes from Boromir, the Urukai show up and the battle takes place, Merry and Pippin are taken, but Boromir redeems himself and Aragorn accepts the mantle of protecting Gondor, creating resolve between the two men. Frodo also has to fully accept the role of the ringbearer, even if it means going on alone, which is a final showdown with his own doubts. Your character has a big showdown, it may end perfectly, or it may end with some things better, and some things worse.
  10. The New World. Frodo and Sam are setting off alone and determined to finish this come hell or literally high water. Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas are off to “hunt some orcs.” They will remain true to their Fellowship in their hearts, but their paths forward have diverged. Your character is facing a world different from the one they began in, maybe they are pleased with this, maybe they are not, but they must accept it either way.

These story beats may not always look as upfront and obvious as they are in The Fellowship of the Ring. You should consider this storytelling technique a guideline that you can adapt to fit your story.

I have applied these ten story beats many times, and they make mapping out a story arc so much easier. These beats are proven to create an effective storyline that satisfies an audience, especially when paired with an exciting character. These beats helped me unlock the “good story” formula, and they are a ninja sword in your collection of writing tools.

Use the beats, plan your story

Your next step for NaNoWriMo prep is to take the character you created with the questions I listed in Part 2 and bring them over to this list of story beats. How does the story you have in mind match with these beats? Do you need to add or remove things? Does the ending need some spicing up? Do you want your character to be fully triumphant at the end? Play around with your character’s story and these beats, as you tweak them, a story outline will emerge, and you’ll be so proud of yourself.

A lot of people are afraid of this part of the process of writing. They worry if they plan too much, they will lose the joy or creativity of writing.

I think this is a false fear and assumption. I have written with no plan before, and there are times and places for that (I’ll write about that one day), but for NaNoWriMo, I think having some level of plan is actually freeing.

What you are attempting here is monumental, and awesome, and it keeps you very busy. You don’t want to have to stop and think a lot, you just want to write. With this creative writing technique, you aren’t spending time thinking about where to go and if it makes sense or not, you are just joyfully running with a simple map in your head. If you do some of your thinking now, that’s less you have to do at the moment when you are just writing.

You can do this.

In the final installment of this NaNoWriMo series, I will cover how to write with confidence, overcome writer’s block, and fit writing into your normal schedule.

To catch the follow-up posts, subscribe to the email list, follow the blog, or like on FB for future posts. #nanowrimo2024