Winning Nanowrimo: Summing it Up

What is Nanowrimo?

• National Novel Writing Month
• One novel/ 50,000 words (200 pages) in November

How It Works

• Make a commitment
• Let go of quality, focus on quantity
• No going back and re-writing/ editing
• Discipline, focus, and endurance

Set a Goal

• Doesn’t have to be a novel
• Doesn’t have to be 50,000 words
• Stretch yourself, don’t stress yourself

Think of a Reward

• Tangible: Not "the satisfaction of writing a novel."
• Motivator during tough times
• Achievement or effort?
• Multiple rewards? Daily? Weekly? Milestones?
• You need to celebrate

 Make a Plan

• Where and when do you best write?
• Can you adapt if conditions aren't ideal?
• How efficient are you at writing?
• How can you fit writing into your schedule?
• What sacrifices will you need to make?

Create an Outline

• Brainstorm ideas for novel
• Organize ideas into a logical sequence
• Doesn't have to be permanent: go off script
• Book in a Month by Victoria Lynn Schmidt

Crunchtober

• "October is crunch time."
• Practice: 500 words a day in October
• I use it for brainstorming/ outlining

Gather Support

• Affirmation, Accountability, Mentorship, Company, Competition, Free Time
• Nanowrimo.org: Word Tracker, Pep Talks, Find Local Writers, Prizes

Previous Posts

Winning Nanowrimo: The Challenge
Winning Nanowrimo: Creating an Outline
Winning Nanowrimo: Crunchtober
Winning Nanowrimo: Gathering Support

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OUTLINE #1: PLOT

What’s your story about?

List at least ten key events that happen throughout the story

Event #1: Inciting Incident
Event #2
Event #3
Event #4: Reversal
Event #5
Event #6
Event #7: Reversal
Event #8
Event #9: Climax
Event #10: Resolution

How do these events connect to each other?

Problems or Questions:

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OUTLINE #2: CHARACTER

Ask your main characters the following questions:

What do they look like? (Age, gender, important physical qualities)
Who/ what do they love/ hate? (Stakes)
What do they desire? (Motivation)
What do they fear? (Obstacle)
What do they believe in? (Theme)
What is their background/ history? (Depth)
What is their greatest secret? (Surprise)

Don’t forget to come up with an antagonist.

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OUTLINE #3: SETTING

Decide on the General Setting.

Physical Landscape

• city, suburb, or country?
• land and water
• nature: plants and animals
• buildings and man-made environments

Era/ Culture

• clothes: how does it express their culture?
• objects: what things are commonly used?
• technology, politics, religion

Time Frame

• how long does the story take place: days? months? years?
• any noticeable time gaps?

Seasons/ Weather

• clothes: how does it protect them from the elements?
• holidays
• dangers

Try to come up with 3 Specific Places

Room, house, café, train, fort, spaceship, forest, etc.
What objects do you see? How might the hero use them?
How might this setting help advance the plot?