I’m relatively new to Nanowrimo as last year was the flagship event for me. I’m ashamed to say that I didn’t finish my 50,000 goal but stumbled and face-planted somewhere around the 18,000 mark.
This year is my year.
15 years ago, I faced the chubby, flecked in zits around the chin kid in the mirror and told her that there would be a book. There would be a book before she turned 30 because 30 is old and if she hasn’t done something by then, then she’s probably a crappy adult and probably doesn’t have a boyfriend or those cool blonde highlights our mom said we couldn’t have because chemicals make you bald.
So this has to happen. While I am actually married but still don’t have those cool blonde highlights, this book is next step to adulthood. The Key Master to my Gate Keeper, if you will.
Thus, in the interest of keeping myself afloat this year, I’ve created my own perfect concoction of preparation so that by November 1, I’ll be ready to hit the keys.
Why is this starting in the middle of October instead of the beginning, you ask? Because I only began to panic earlier today. Here we go, “Pantsing” it again.
I’ll be posting my challenge posts on this blog and if anyone cares to join, I will happily read your challenge responses as well. We writers need each other in this time of tribulation.
Jacqueleen’s 20 Days of Desperate Prepping:
Day 1 – October 11: Character development. Pick a random human you’ve seen today. Describe his or her physical attributes without using cliches. Write a flash piece about this person and integrate him or her into the Nano project’s world. 500 words. Focus on anti-cliche descriptions.
Day 2 – October 12: Setting. Think of a place you’ve never been. Google images of that place. Place that character from yesterday in that location. 500 words. Focus on sensory details.
Day 3 – October 13: Character development. Find a new random human you’ve seen today. Don’t describe a single physical trait, but instead describe only the actions that this person performs. Include details on the way he or she moves, any minute gestures that might be nervous tics or unique mannerisms. 500 words. Focus on describing actions.
Day 4 – October 14: Romance genre. Take the two characters that were created and make them fall in love. 600 words. Focus on tone or attitude the characters have towards each other.
Day 5 – October 15: Turn on Pandora. The first song that comes up, write a scene with those two characters that would go with that song like it was the soundtrack. 600 words. Focus on mood.
Day 6 – October 16: Setting. What did you have for breakfast? Write about your character’s experience eating that same meal. 500 words. Focus on sensory details.
Day 7 – October 17: Action Genre. Think of a worst case scenario involving fire and put your characters right in the middle of it. How do they react? 600 words. Focus on actions.
Day 8 – October 18: Stream of conscious. Have your first character written on day 1 give a piece of advice to the character written on day 3. Make it really profound and life changing. 600 words. Focus on thoughts.
Day 9 – October 19: Dialogue. Write a conversation between the two characters about the problems with today’s weather. Use the actual weather you had today. Don’t forget details. Make sure to use all non-cliched descriptions. 600 words. Focus on anti-cliche descriptions and sensory details.
Day 10 – October 20: Setting. Go someplace you’re very familiar with. Add one object to that location that you would never actually find there. Have one of the characters discover it. 650 words. Focus on sensory details.
Day 11 – October 21: Horror Genre. In his play Anthony and Cleopatra, Shakespeare states, “In time we hate that which we often fear.” Give one of your characters a particular and irrational fear. Make him come in contact with that fear. How does he react? 650 words.
Day 12 – October 22: Character development. Take the first character written on day 1. Turn him or her into an animal. Write the new perspective of the person from an animalistic point of view. 650 words. Focus on sensory details.
Day 13 – October 23: Character development. Have your character move through all four seasons and give the character Seasonal Affectation Disorder. How does your character cope in the different types of weather? 700 words.
Day 14 – October 24: Write an entire scene around the completely cliched phrase, “he at least had liquid courage”. 800 words.
Day 15 – October 25: Write a scene where the character in your Nano project is introduced to his hero. 850 words.
Day 16 – October 26: Write a scene where the main character in your Nano project purchases the one thing he or she has wanted more than anything else in the world. 850 words.
Day 17 – October 27: Write a scene where one of the characters in your Nano project hears his or her favorite song. 850 words.
Day 18 – October 28: Turn on Pandora. Skip ahead a song. Using that song, write a scene with your Nano project character with that song setting the mood. 900 words.
Day 19 – October 29: Write the prequel to your Nano novel. What is happening right before your book starts? 950 words.
Day 20 – October 30: Write the epilogue to your Nano novel. What is going to happen at the end of your book? 1000 words.
Halloween – pump the hell up.
Jacqueleen Hale 