Five Tools for Last-Minute NaNoWriMo Preparation by Rochelle Melander
Every Thanksgiving, when I roll out of bed exhausted before the day begins, I promise I’ll start earlier, plan better, and budget my time more wisely. But every year I end up spending the days before Thanksgiving madly cleaning and cooking and trying to keep up my word count for National Novel Writing Month.I’m having the same problem with planning my novel this year. I came up with an idea and a few characters months ago. But I haven’t had the time to actually prepare for the month. You know, build characters, create their world, and plot out some interesting adventures to send them on. Yikes!
If you’re in the same boat, read on. I have five super, duper resources to help you plan your National Novel Writing Month novel quickly, easily, and with plenty of substance! Borrow book ideas from these sources:
1. The news. I’ve noticed that the news provides plenty of fodder for stories. (Law and Order: Special Victims Unit fans know that their writers borrow ideas and plots from headline news.) In an interview on NPR, a scientist spoke about a new technology that allows them to turn mouse stem cells into eggs. The scientist talked about the future, how someday this might work for humans who hope to have children. Before the program was over, I already had a plot idea: what if a team of criminals stole stem cells from celebrities, created eggs and sold them to make designer children? Creepy and fun.
2. The public domain. In a recent blog post on my site, guest writer Rill talked about the wealth of plots and characters available in the public domain. Wow! Great idea! And why not? Plenty of modern novels and movies have been based on classic plots—note Jane Smiley’s A Thousand Acres based on Shakespeare’s King Lear or the movie Clueless based on Jane Austen’s novel Emma. For years, writers have used characters from the Bible to create their own stories such as Madeliene L’Engle’s reimagining of the life of David in her novel, Certain Women. Use Project Gutenberg to find books and characters in the public domain. (http://www.gutenberg.org/)
3. Your life! No doubt all of us have encountered conflicts and dramas that we should work out in therapy. But who has the time or the money? Thankfully, writing provides the perfect opportunity to lampoon and learn from the stories of our lives. Instead of agonizing over character and plot, take a closer look at your life story. Are any episodes novel-worthy?
4. Your wacko family. Okay, maybe I’m projecting. As a kid, I used to love it when the crazy relatives came over, and I could listen in on the adults gossiping about various family secrets. I wish I’d written down some of those torrid tales. I’d no doubt have plenty of material for several novels! Visit with family members and listen for story nuggets. Or if you don’t have a wacky enough family, borrow one. Volunteer at a local retirement center and ask if anyone has a story to tell. You’ll hear plenty!
5. Overheard. I’m an unapologetic eavesdropper. Just this morning at the Y, I heard a whole long tale about the drama in a fellow exerciser’s workplace. Overheard stories, interesting tellers, and raw dialogue provide great tools for novel writing. Borrow freely.
BONUS RESOURCE. The best selling novel Fifty Shades of Grey began as fan fiction. Though I've never dabbled in fan fiction, it might just be the ticket to finding the perfect NaNoWriMo project AND making loads of money. Hmmm.
Your turn: Where do you get your last-minute ideas?
