The race is on for 50k words by November 30th. As you type or scribble your heart out, take heart—you may be drafting the best novel idea you’ve ever had.
Writing Tip for Today: What are some tips for getting to 50k AND having a solid draft to then revise?
Get Action Going
As you write, you’ll undoubtedly have all sorts of background material that at some point readers need to know. I’m here to tell you that readers don’t need to know much of it in Chapter One. The more space you give to your “set-up” in the early chapters, the more impatient readers will want to see someone doing something—anything except living in the past.
If you ever write, “her mind reeled back,” in Chapter One, you probably have a problem. Readers are willing to forgo back story in favor of action. And action usually means more than one character on stage. If you put your Main Character onstage alone, the result is a monologue. Be wary of forcing readers to endure monologues before the story gets going.
Instead of giving readers every backstory detail, put your character into action. Let him interact (read: conflict) with the other characters. Even if you draft by using mostly dialogue, you can hint of the motivation and attitudes in the character’s thoughts or body language. Make your characters move.
Start in the Middle
Each scene you write will have a set-up: the where, the when and the who is onstage with your POV character. Yet if you practice moving the start of a scene closer to just before the action starts, your readers will thank you.
In media res helps remind us that scenes don’t need a lot of setup. It’s OK to allow your readers to imagine some of the details—even if they vary from your imagined scene. The famous example of the wine glass spilling onto a white gown can help you skip over unnecessary details. Readers crave rising tension and conflict—don’t make them wait too long.
As you craft your scenes, remember that your Main Character wants something passionately AND that someone or something is determined to keep him from attaining it. The middle of your novel is often a crucial turning point. I recommend James Scott Bell’s Write Your Novel from the Middle for great instruction on getting through the middle of your novel.
An effective novel is a series of rising action that builds tension higher with every scene.
Pile on Tension
As you may know, an effective novel is a series of rising action that builds tension higher with every scene. You keep readers guessing whether the Main Character will achieve the goal and overcome adversity by making the hurdles higher and more difficult with each scene.
As you NaNo, try filling your writing space with notes to remind you to keep ratcheting up conflict and tension. Your readers want to be on the edge of their seats, turning pages to learn if the character wins or loses. Each scene, with incremental wins and serious losses, will force your character to change and grow so the goal can be met at the climax. This up and down feeling keeps readers wondering, exactly what you need to keep them reading.
Beware of loading the most conflict and tension in the opening as a way to attract readers. If you put a high-tension scene at the beginning, you’ll have little to surprise readers with at the climax. Hint at bigger stuff but avoid burning down the whole story in Chapter One. One more thing: Keep your own writing word count goals every day you write and remember to have fun.
