Tag: outline

Posted in inspiration, Thoughts

My Reflections of NaNoWriMo

Posted on by Sherri

My first week of NaNoWriMo 2019

I’m not sure what I expected this week during the first week of NaNoWriMo. My only other experience with NaNo in 2015 was more harrowing. As an inexperienced writer who usually only made five-hundred words per day, trying to triple my output to make my NaNo goal wasn’t easy. I had to really push myself to write every day. It felt like a job, a burden and when I finished, just before Thanksgiving that year, I was too exhausted to even celebrate. This year is so much easier. As a more experienced writer who writes nearly every day and averaging about two-thousand words a day, the difference between this NaNo and the first are quite surprising.

I almost didn’t participate in NaNo this year. After the mental and physical exhaustion of my first experience, I wasn’t sure I wanted to put myself through that again. The first NaNo was to prove to myself I could write on a schedule and produce work. This NaNo I don’t feel I have to prove anything. It is just for fun and to get the rough draft of my next book done. I hope that through this NaNo, I can meet other writers, share stories, be a part of the community of writers. I hope to offer support and encouragement and learn new tricks and ideas about writing and publishing.

I have talked a lot about listening to YouTube videos, reading blogs and listening to webinars on writing. As a pantser, I have tried to find ways to prep my stories that don’t include the soul-sucking outlines and planning guides many of the plotters seem to enjoy. Truthfully, I thought I would enjoy that process as well and was surprised at how imprisoning it felt for me. BUT, but, I have learned that I can use plotting tools in my own way. A few years ago, I came to realize that my first draft was my outline. As a pantser, my process is different than a plotter’s, because I just sit down to write plotting and planning going back and adding necessary information and events to support my current idea as I draft. When I read back through my rough draft, I move things, delete, add, ask questions. Sometimes in the rough draft if I don’t know an answer, I might leave a question or suggestion and keep writing.

Before starting NaNo I tried writing an outline but in truth it was a quick draft of my story ideas, with a few questions, scene ideas and character notes. As I’m writing and I’m looking at the outline. I use about half of what I have, add a lot more, rearrange some and delete a few things. I am surprised at how much I did do in the outline.

So as I reflect on this first week of NaNoWriMo, I feel good about my progress. I don’t feel stressed, though I do have to push to find time to write daily. With writing as my second career, I still have to work my day job, take care of my husband, myself and the house. Thankfully my kids are grown, and my husband is fairly low maintenance. I have connected with other writers and hope to attend a write-in this week.

My advice to other NaNo participants. Do not make yourself crazy. Don’t let the fact that you only have 500, 5000, whatever your word count is, make you feel bad in anyway. This program isn’t designed to make you feel less than someone else or better than. It is not about killing yourself to get your wordcount. The purpose of NaNoWriMo is to CELEBRATE our love of writing and to make it a priority. If you want to be a published author, you have to have dedication. NaNo can teach you that. If you are struggling to finish a project, NaNo can encourage you to finish. If you just want to prove to yourself that you can have a career as a writer, then NaNo is a great exercise for the real world. Make NaNo be the experience, the exercise (or exorcise) you need it to be.

Words of Encouragement: Let your words flow, tell the story that is inside of you, someone needs to read it. Believe that you can do it and you will. Don’t try to make it pretty, just write it, you can work on pretty later. You cannot fix a blank page, but you can edit a bad page. Half the writing is in the editing.

Wishing you all a Happy NaNoWriMo!

Posted in Thoughts, Writing tips

What Happens When a Pantser Plots?

Posted on by Sherri
Calendar in my NaNo Book

For years I have suffered a debilitating disease of UNABLE to Plot. I’ve taken classes and courses, bought books and listened to other authors, but when it comes down to plotting and outlining, I freeze up. This year for NaNoWriMo, after listening to several YouTube videos and webinars, I decided to give it another try.

In the past when I thought of outlining my story I’d break out in hives. I might get as far a A.2.b.3. before completely freaking out because nothing was adding up or equaling out. It was inevitable. I couldn’t stand that it wasn’t the way I’d always been taught it had to be. English teachers y’all have destroyed my mojo. It is impossible to get the exact same number of bullet points per letter for each topic, plot point, story beat. I CAN’T do it! It makes me nuts. I know, some of you know I’m already nuts but this just adds to it.

I’d start to feel like I didn’t know what to do and wanted to scream!

I did it! I outlined my story for NaNoWriMo!

Oh-my-gosh, really? But I’m a pantser.

What am I doing plotting? Why am I even trying? What is this madness? It’s called NaNoWriMo, shhh.

Because I’m doing NaNo (National Novel Writing Month Challenge) and I know in order to write faster, fifty thousand words in one month, am I crazy, yes, I need to pull out all the tricks. I’ve worked on character sheets, sticky note ideas and reminders, and I just finished outlining my story.

Am I really outlining and planning my story? Huh, that’s not how I write, is it?

Well, in truth, as a pantser, I usually just sit down at the computer and write. The ideas just come to me as I’m writing, well sometimes, and other times, I have to put in a place holder like “Something needs to happen here,” or “make the character do X or Y.”

I’ve wrote scenes with complete details and felt I had them just right and then the next scene might be “why would he do this?” While outlining my story I’ve used a few of my “placeholder” tricks. It’s not a real outline. It’s a barebones rough draft with a list of a few things I want included in the story. I also have a few questions and challenges. My outline looks nothing like what my English teacher told me an outline should be, but I think it gives me an idea of where I want to go in the story without fencing me in.

One of the biggest differences between pansters and plotters is y’all know where you want to go with the story and all the steps for how to get there. Pantsers might know where we’re hoping to end up, but we have no idea how we’re going to get there, and we may change our minds halfway through the story. For us, writing the story is the journey, if we know too much it ruins the fun.

With writing a series I’ve come to know my characters, the storyline and how I want the overall series to end but I still come up with new characters and new ideas that I want to incorporate into it. Some of the ideas make it into the story, or I save for future books, others get edited out or don’t even get written. I think of writing like a puzzle, I know one of my main characters really well but one of them is still a mystery. I have a few facts but I’m still getting to know him or her. I know my antagonists and my antihero but am I going to allow him a point of view? While some of you may know your character’s birth sign, color of underwear and if they like jazz, rock or country. I’m lucky to remember their hair and eye color and if they have any physical tells.

NaNo is about writing a rough draft and writing it quickly. While I’ll write my outline and try to follow it as closely as I can, I also know that as a panster I have to allow myself the freedom to spread my wings and fly. Just as long as I fly in the right direction, it’s all good.  

So those of you who are pantsers and want to try writing an outline, why not just write what you want to happen in each chapter. A one- or two-line synopsis of what happens or a question you need to answer. It doesn’t have to be difficult. Use what works for you. Good luck and I’ll see you later.

If you’re NaNoing, I’m Pamlico Writer, I could use a buddy to help me through and I’d be happy to do the same for you.

My working cover
Posted in inspiration, Thoughts, writing inspiration

Preparing for NaNoWriMo As a Pantser

Posted on by Sherri

I have searched the web for programs, YouTube videos, blog posts, and webinars to help me get ready for NaNoWriMo. The one thing I’ve noticed is they are not geared to pantsers. I know, I know, if I’m a pantser how can I “get ready” for NaNo? Well, when I was preparing for my very first NaNoWriMo in 2015 I knew I had to have some information at my fingertips, or I’d waste precious writing time trying to figure things out.

Over the years, before publishing my first novel, I took several online classes, attended several programs and presentations and even bought books to learn how to write better, faster, how to plot, outline, use a graph, or a chart or a Ouiji board. Okay, I didn’t use the Ouiji board but I’ve tried several different methods of planning my novels in advance and I find it difficult and disheartening that I cannot do it. I often do not know what my characters will do until I’m in the middle of the action. Sometimes I add a character in the middle of the story and have to go back to the beginning and show that he was there all along. So how can someone like me prepare for NaNoWriMo?

There is no one way to write a novel. In fact, there are probably as many ways to write a novel as there are people who write them. For me, I found that by combining different techniques and ideas, I could develop my own plan. I don’t plot but I plan my novel. So, here’s what I know before I start to write.

Genre: suspense thriller with strong romantic elements, I have to have a love interest.

Main Characters:

Hero: the main male character, in this particular story he is the main POV character.

Heroine: the main female character, love interest and second POV character.

Villain or anti-hero: this is the 3rd POV character and he is sort of the bad guy but thinks he’s the hero.

Cast of secondary characters:

This is a series so some of my past characters will be in this novel. How many, and who is still undetermined, but I can assume that the hero’s sister, the owner of the café where they all hang out, the Police Chief, and the SBI agent, and more than likely, the hero’s father will all have scenes. I’m also assuming the heroine’s sister will make an appearance as she has had brief parts in prior stories and will be the heroine in the next book. I may also introduce some of her other family members. All of these are easily referenced in my Series Bible. But for easy access during NaNoWriMo I’ll be implementing another plan. If you are interested stay tuned for the second part of this story.

Major Plot Details:

I know a few major plot details, for example I know why the fires are being set, I know who is setting them. I don’t yet know what I’m planning to burn or blow up, but I’ve got a couple of ideas.

I know the love interest, I’m not sure how they’re going to get from being antagonists to being in bed together, but half the fun is figuring it out.

I know one person who is going to die. I really enjoy planning my murders, sometimes I scare myself. I just never knew I had this inside of me. I blame it on the children. After six sons you stop thinking about romance and start considering murder.

Scenes:

I don’t have a lot of scenes planned but a couple are already in my head. Some are vague and others are quite vibrant. As I am planning my novel for NaNoWriMo, I write down these scenes, but I may or may not use them.

For now, all the planning is in my head but in order to get things straight and be prepared for NaNo, I’ll need to do something with this information. The question is, what way is best for you? If you haven’t checked out some of the YouTube NaNo Prep videos, check out #HeartBreathings, #WritersLifeWednesdays, Alexa Donne’s NaNoWriMo Tips for Newbies.