In only a couple of weeks, writing enthusiasts across the globe will set off on NaNoWriMo 2024. That novel idea that’s been floating around in your head wants to succeed—here are some tips on winning NaNoWriMo.
Writing Tip for Today: Here are some tips for preparing your novel idea for the NaNo challenge:
The Character
For those who are new, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. It’s held each November. You have 30 days to crank out 50,000 words of a draft of a novel. Most novel tutorials advise doing research on a Main Character. While this can be fun, it could end up being a bunch of info your readers won’t care about. Physical descriptions, deciding which famous actor will play the movie-version and similar activities may be beneficial, but I wouldn’t spend too much time on it.
We writers can get lost in details of creating a character, yet most new writers base their character on their own lives. Familiar habits, likes/dislikes or settings based on where you actually live are common. These tendencies aren’t bad, but you’ll want to create a character who isn’t all you.
One way to do this is by combining different real people into a single character or switching the character’s sex. Maybe the character looks like one person you know, but acts like another. Do be careful if you write the opposite sex—men and women really do think differently and are apt to care about and notice different things.
The Place
You may have heard that setting is a character. When you set your NaNo novel, be mindful of your reader. If your Main Character is facing abandonment or seeking peace or safety, you can use the setting to echo and reinforce that quest.
I don’t advise setting any novel in the town where you live unless it’s necessary to tell the story. I’ve read many manuscripts from writers who set their stories in their own small city or town for no apparent reason other than they live there.
As you embark on your NaNo challenge, consider setting your story in a place that echoes the character in some way. A desert can denote loneliness or need, while a lush green landscape can pose hidden dangers. Be mindful as you set your novel.
Be sure both the goal and the obstacles aren’t easy to overcome.
The Why
Character and setting are important for any story. Decide on the character’s main desire and what or who will try to thwart that goal. Be sure both the goal and the obstacles aren’t easy to overcome. Place them in ascending tension as you move through the story.
You’ll have a better story if you decide on a worthy goal (X wants to find true love, Y wants to conquer the enemy or expose the criminal, Z longs to be accepted and belong to a group or family). Then choose substantial obstacles to keep the goal from being easily obtained.
Even if your character is like you and the story is set in your hometown, creating a gut-wrenching and hard-to-earn goal and worthy adversaries will take you much farther than a character or setting alone. Be sure to pick a why that will force your character to change and grow by the end. Get your NaNo pencils sharpened and be ready to write on November first!
