As NaNoWriMo Comes to An End, How Has Your Story Changed?

We are looking at the ribbon of the finish line for National Novel Writing Month 2020, but we’re still a day away from finishing.

Whether you’ve hit your 50,000 words or not, let’s take a look at where you’re story’s standing.

If you haven’t hit the 50,000 words, don’t worry — we’re covering that one tomorrow.

For today, have a look back on what you thought this story was going to be, and compare it to how it is now.

Did anything happen that shocked you?

Has everything you envisioned happened as you saw it in your mind?

What are you most excited about when it comes to the editing stage?

Don’t lose steam now, whether you’re going to hit those 50,000 words or not

We are so close to the finish line, so focus back on your story, then get write on in to hammering out that word count.

See you tomorrow!

My Response

Oddly enough, there’s not actually that much that’s changed from what I had planned with this and what the first draft has turned into. I actually still think it’s weird to think about how constructed this book was from the start. If anything, I guess the biggest change would have been how much I enjoyed writing it. It’s not like I thought I wouldn’t, but this has been one of the hardest stories I’ve ever had to write. As I’ve said so many times before, I usually have the idea first, and this time, I really had to force an idea out.

For that being what it is, though, I think it turned out well. There’s some stuff that I left out, some other things I wish I could have included, but that’s what the editing stage is for. God knows I’m not going into that for this book for a while, though. I think Vaeda and his little cast of friends need to go to sleep for a while. But they will definitely be back, I am sure.

Overall, this was a writing experience I will never forget. And, if I do — the whole thing’s on camera! That was certainly the strangest part of all of this. Regardless of who was reading or watching, that camera was always rolling, and I never had any privacy with this book. Whenever I do get around to the editing stages, I can definitely say that spending time alone with this world is what I’m most looking forward to.

Plot Inconsistencies? Use This #WritingPrompt to Help #GetWriteOnIn to the Solution

All right, guys.

National Novel Writing Month 2020 is coming to a close, but it’s not over yet.

You may be struggling to get to the finish line, and the could be a sentiment true for any time during the manuscript writing process.

Sometimes it can be easy to get caught up in your head about all the things you know you should have done instead.

So…

Where did you go wrong?

It’s okay to make mistakes in the first draft, it’s just not as okay to let those mistakes keep you from moving forward.

So where’s the plotline you know shouldn’t be there?

What can you do during the editing stages to make sure it helps strengthen your story?

How can you work around it now to finish out the first draft before you worry about all the things that need fixing?

Don’t get too hard on yourself for this, but take some time admitting to yourself where you went wrong, then get write on in to finishing out the manuscript.

All mistakes can be edited, and we’re not there yet, folks.

See you tomorrow!

My Response

There’s so much of this story I can’t wait to change once I hit the editing stages. Most of the development will go toward the magic powers, especially the ones keeping everybody in the cave. As I went through the first draft, I discovered they ate humans and that was part of what kept them there. Something in the human flesh took away their memories and kept them away from the exit. That’s definitely something I’ll have to look more into.

Everyone’s individual powers need work, too. When I went into this, I didn’t realize Vaeda would end up with necromancy. I suppose that makes sense, but there needs to be so much more development around it. Go’Ranashu is the only one who doesn’t really have anything extra special about him, apart from the fact he’s the only one unaffected by Yaga. That, however, is a plot hole, because, if his mind doesn’t get altered, why can’t he find the way out?

None of this bothers me. The whole point of the first draft is just to get through it, and if I hadn’t done that, I wouldn’t even know about Vaeda’s necromancy. I think that adds a lot to his character, and I’m happy with how that came around. There’s just so much more about the relationships and the magic that needs development. But boy, am I ready to take a break from this before I even start moving in on that.

Last Week of NaNo, Don't Lose Steam Now!!

The end of National Novel Writing Month 2020 is in sight.

Some people are done.

Some people have barely started.

But whether you’re in NaNo or not, let’s talk about the plot of your story for a moment. 

At the beginning of this NaNo adventure, we went through our favorite plotlines of our story as we got ready to embellish.

So let’s take a look back at the plotline you’d chosen as your favorite from the start.

Is it still your favorite, or has another storyline come along and shoved it out of place?

How has the shape of the arc changed from what you had originally intended?

Has the change of this arc shaped your story differently than you’d anticipated?

Don’t let any story disconnects keep you from finishing out NaNo.

Whether you’re doing NaNo or not, every month is a “WriMo” — a writing month — so no matter where you are in your story writing, spend some time in your favorite plotlines, then get write on in to your daily session.

See you tomorrow!

My Response

My original favorite plot arc had be focusing on the relationship between Vaeda and Go’Ranashu. That is definitely still one of my favorites, although I’m not all the way sure I’d consider it a full favorite. Go’Ranashu himself is a favorite character, and without him, Vaeda would have crumbled in a blink. I’m definitely happy the honest between them continues as the story progresses. Vaeda needs at least one person he can fully rely on.

I think I’m more happy with what ended up happening during the development of Vaeda’s power. When I first started plotting out everything, that wasn’t something I had foreseen. I suppose his ability to raise the dead makes sense for the purpose of him being down in the caves. His inability to know anything at first developed, I think, a lot better than I had originally intended. Upon the reread and editing stages, I will definitely have a lot more fun developing all of that.

Overall, now that I’m done with the book, I think I’m happy with the way at least things went down. The relationship between Go’Ranashu and Vaeda was definitely strong throughout. All of the relationships Vaeda had with the other characters worked well. They had to figure out if they trusted each other or not while trapped in the dark. Although, I will say, I kind of would say I doubt I’ll ever do something like that again.

Character Freaky Friday

Whoa!

Okay!

Hi, YouTube.

I’m Rachel, the subtitles girl and co-host of the livestream write-ins here on Write On In.

How’s it going, everybody?

This National Novel Writing Month 2020 adventure is my first attempt at writing a book, and I hope you’re as excited as I am about hitting that 50K word mark!

If you’re struggling — whether you’re in NaNo or not — I guess it’s my turn to offer up a solution that might help get you unstuck.

Character Freaky Friday, anybody?

What if your main character was either completely different, or just reversed roles with somebody else?

How would the story look different if it was told through somebody else’s eyes?

Is this a side character that’s suddenly thrust into the spotlight, or another character who could arguably be considered a main already?

How might this channel be different if it was my beautiful self running it?

Okay, okay, that was more of a joke, but seriously.

Switch up some characters, have some fun with your plot lines, then get write on in to your daily session!

Andrew will be back tomorrow, so happy writing everybody!

Rachel's Response:

Morgan wakes up and opens her eyes. The room she's in is slightly different than the one she fell asleep in, but her sleep riddled brain can't quite work out why just yet, as it is very similar. She looks to the balcony door of Pierre's room and sees the same usual view of a morning in port, another ship on the opposite side of the pier. She turns her head to the right now and is shocked to see Captain Rico Bulgarelli asleep next to her with a small trail of drool falling out of his slightly open mouth.

Morgan jumps up, wondering what on earth could have happened last night after their dinner to find herself in bed with the captain and having no recollection of how she got there. Her sudden movement rouses Rico from his sleep and he abruptly questions her, "What is the matter with you now?" His words are harsh and biting, his tone makes the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.

Morgan stammers "Uh. I... I don't... How did... What happened last night?" She finally forms a full thought.

"We had dinner. We came home to our cabin. And you denied me the most basic of wifely duties, even on my birthday. You need to get over whatever that thing with the girl was, and get back to normal already. It's over." His voice had that same biting tone, filled with venom.

"Wifely duties? I'm sorry you must be confused. I need... I need to..." Morgan trailed off as she walked into the bathroom. That's when she looked up and saw the face of Gemma staring back at her, blonde hair framing her delicate features. She let out a scream, and sure enough the Gemma reflected in the mirror screamed as well.

Andrew's Response:

If this story was told from Go’Ranashu’s perspective, none of it would have been as confusing as it is. He is the only one whose mind was not altered by anything going on. His mind is the most pure and sound out of anybody’s, so if he were to tell the story, it would be much more fluid. That being said, there would be way less drama going on, and it might not be that interesting. Just full of Go’Ranashu trying to convince everybody to see things his way.

He is, however, my favorite character in the book. Even outside of Vaeda, I think, just because he’s been exactly as I wanted him to be. Trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind… oh, wait, that’s me pulling out my old Boy Scouts traits. Go’Ranashu fits into those categories regardless, and he’s the only saving grace, for me, in this book.

Without him, this story would be nothing, and even though it isn’t told through his perspective, I’m still glad he’s part of it. He might not be able to handle some of the pressure that Vaeda found in the caves as well as Vaeda himself, but not because of a lack of heart. If this story were his, he would have given every chapter, every page, and every sentence his all. Perhaps one day he will get a story of his own. There was a life of his before this, and there will surely be one after…

Fall in Love With Your Story With This #WritingPrompt

What’s up all you beautiful writers out there?

I hope this video is finding you well.

Whether you are well into National Novel Writing Month 2020 or not, maybe you need a little extra boost for your writing session today.

Maybe you’ve felt either a great connect or a disconnect with your storyline.

Let’s focus on that real quick, because we’ve let out some frustrations over the last couple of weeks, and it’s time to look on the bright side of things.

What do you love about this story your writing?

How is it changing you as a person, or as a writer?

Has it become something more than you could have ever dreamed?

Writers and creatives are often known to be their own worst critics, and sometimes it’s hard not to be.

Spend some time focusing on everything you love about your work in progress, then get write on in to your daily session.

My Response

I’ll admit, I wasn’t really feeling my story too much at first. It was kind of slow going in the beginning, and it was really forced. I tried so hard to connect with it. I thought of everything I could do, tried everything I had done in the past to make that connection, but nothing work. It really shook me, and right at that halfway mark, I seriously considered DNFing my own book. 

But then, I don’t know, something just clicked. I got into a scene I liked, and the characters started making more sense. Things got better, more exciting, and it’s almost like the moment I got over that little hump, the floodgates are just about to unleash. Now, I’m really excited about where this book is going and what’s going to happen between this point and the end.

I’m coming up into the last act, just one more chapter until then. The climax is on the way, so, even though this a short book, everything that things are building up to is about to happen. I guess so much of me wishes I could have started this from the end to the beginning like a Benjamin Button type story. That’s not a bad thing if you’re any type of writer, to write whatever section of the story you want at whatever point you want to. It’s just not as good an idea when you’re posting the whole thing daily :)

Feeling That Plot Disconnect? This #WritingPrompt Will Help You #GetWriteOnIn to the Solution

Are we done with National Novel Writing Month 2020 yet?

No, but we are only a day away from the halfway point!

Whether you’re ready to pull your hair out like I am because you’re in NaNo or because you’re just braving the venture that is writing a book, today’s prompt brings us back to a focus on our plots.

If you’re like me, you might be feeling a little stuck on the storyline.

So what’s bothering you?

Are you just not feeling it like you had hoped?

Does the story feel forced?

Do you wish it could be something else already?

It’s all right to feel frustrated with your story sometimes, just don’t let it stop you from writing it anyway.

Remember that the first draft stages are supposed to suck.

So write out your plot frustrations, then get write on in to your daily session.

GO WRITE!

See you tomorrow.

My Response

My story is actually driving me crazy right now. I know I’ve crafted it all up from the nothingness of the ether that was my brain on a random generator, but man I feel like I’m writing in circles. It’s weird, since I’m posting it, and I know that some people are enjoying it, but I feel like I don’t even know what’s going on in it right now. I’m not reading it before I post it, because if I reread it, I’m going to get too caught up in trying to fix it. I know I can’t do that, because then I’m going to fall behind and never get anything done.

It’s just frustrating because, like I said, I feel like I’m writing in circles. The characters are kind of going in circles, I know, and they’re stuck in this cave, which is what makes things hard for me I guess. I’m just wondering how it’s making the reader feel, even though that’s the last thing I should really be thinking about right now. I just feel like the story is moving slower than I would like, but at the same time, I’m not even 100 pages in! It just feels like blabber at this point.

I just wish the story would speak more to me. By this point, with all of the connection I’ve forced, I just wish it would connect back with me a little bit more. I’m feeling a little burned out, and I think the story knows it. The story always has more control than the author admits, but that’s frustrating. If I’m supposed to do a good job writing it, then why wouldn’t it want to help me out some if it were really in control?

Choose a Favorite Scene and #GetWriteOnIn to Your Work in Progress

Hopefully, by this point in your National Novel Writing Month 2020 adventure, you’ve written at least one scene of your book that you enjoy.

Same statement if you’re writing a book at all.

Authors have a tendency to become their worst critics, especially during first draft stages.

We know the stuff we’re putting out isn’t our best.

We know as soon as that editing stage hits, our hideous words will magically transform into glinting jewels.

The problem is, sometimes we can lose motivation along the way if we ever start to feel that disconnect.

Today, I’d like for you to pick your favorite scene thus far from your work in progress, wherever you stand on that.

Either write about why it’s your favorite, or take a break from the written word and act it out for yourself.

Connect with why it’s your favorite scene, and let it motivate you to get write on in to writing more just like it.

I’d totally pick a scene to act out for myself if I wasn’t trying to keep these so short.

Such is life.

See you tomorrow!

My Response

So far, my favorite scene has been when Vaeda is trying to figure out “eyes open” and “eyes closed.” I’m having some fun trying to figure out his little memory things, even though sometimes it’s a little circular. But it’s really fun developing everything going on without the main character actually being able to see. That was something I was a little worried about at first, but it’s proving to turn out just fine. Gotta take the wins when you get them, man.

Another reason it’s my favorite scene is because it was challenging for me. I don’t like setting, I feel like I’m awful at writing it. That’s part of the reason I took sight away from the main character in the first place, so he could basically be blind for me, ha. It’s fun trying to develop everything based on the memory that he can’t hold on to. That aspect of the writing challenge in this book has made me feel like I’m growing as a writer, and I can never be mad at that.

I also enjoy this scene because it gave me the opportunity to explore the cave they’re in a little bit. There will be more of that coming up, I’d assume, but it’s fun to take some time building things every once in a while. For someone who loves to read, I sure am scared to write out some details sometimes. I get scared thinking people will get bored, and while I do tend to overwrite sometimes, there are people who do love details, as well. So I’ve had a great time detailing out this cave and allowing Vaeda to find his inner strength through that exploration.

Plot Problems? Please. Let's #GetWriteOnIn to a Fix With This #WritingPrompt

Whether you are kicking off National Novel Writing Month 2020 week two or just somewhere on your writing path and struggling to connect with your plot, I’ve got the prompt for you today.

Today’s plot prompt is so simple it’s almost stupid:

Describe your favorite plot arc.

Here’s the thing: 

Characters have main stories, side stories, secret stories, and everything else in between.

There’s only so much focus you can spend on the plot in a scene-by-scene basis.

So take this opportunity to pick your favorite arc in the story.

It doesn’t have to be the main one, and it might be a little easier if it wasn’t.

What makes it your favorite?

Is it an arc you chose on your own, or one you feel chose you?

Is it a side arc that, after some exploration, may need more attention?

If it is your main plot arc, what about it intrigues you?

What about this story keeps you up at night or waking early to write it out?

So take this time to reconnect with your plot, then get write on in to your daily writing session.

See you tomorrow!

My Response:

My favorite plot arc is the one that focuses on the friendship between Vaeda and Go’Ranashu. Everything in this book has dark under themes and discussion of an inability to trust the people around them. With Go’Ranashu in particular, I’m always trying to make him as approachable and trustworthy as possible. I feel like Vaeda needs someone to be there for him through thick and thin and come to his defense anytime he needs it. Go’Ranashu is easily that person, and it’s also very easy to make it work.

Part of what I like about this particular arc, even though I suppose it’s more of a character arc in between Vaeda and Go’Ranashu, is the examination of different ethnicities through it. There’s some things I guess I’m trying to be careful about as far as my handling of sensitive topics. Obviously, with Go’Ranashu being an actual beastly creature, I’m not trying to be insensitive toward topics like race. My intent with him in particular is to showcase racial injustice through the judgment people place upon him simply for the fact he looks different and looks like he “could” be mean. I’m hopeful that’s coming across in what I’m trying to produce.

But all of it comes down to the whole idea of who is “good,” who is “evil,” and what the difference is between those two terms. Good and evil is as subjective as creative works, in my opinion. They don’t go as hand-in-hand, and that’s going to be one of the main plot arcs examined throughout this book as a whole. How much deeper can we go past the surface? Can we bring forth a unity by simply recognizing our differences with respect? These are questions that this particular relationship is going to help explore throughout the text.

#GetWriteOnIn to Your Word Count with This Story Prediction #WritingPrompt

If you are stuck on your storyline on day 5 of National Novel Writing Month, I have the prompt for you.

If you are stuck on your storyline and you are not on day 5 of National Novel Writing Month…

I still have the prompt for you.

I’ve also got you for setting and character prompts, but not today.

Today, we are going to talk about story predictions.

Almost a week in, how has your story changed, if at all, from what you’d thought before you began?

Do you think it will change before the end of the month?

Are these changes you’re allowing and embracing openly, or ones you’re trying to fight off?

The story takes on a life of its own after a while, and there’s nothing wrong with that in a general sense.

You’ve just got to be careful to prevent it from getting too far off track.

But make some predictions, have some reflections, and then get write on in to your story.

See you tomorrow!

My Response:

So far, this story has just been a wild ride from the start. Everything about it has been kind of shocking to me, but all in a good way. Now that I’m finally able to really get into the story and explore it, I’m finding that it’s shaping itself pretty closely to my expectations, if not perhaps exceeding them just a little bit. I didn’t realize how much Piranesi was going to end up influencing this, but it has definitely made a mark on the writing of this story. It excites me that it isn’t all blowing up in my face, considering what I’m doing.

There are times, though, when I’m having a harder time connecting with what’s going on. My character, and all of the characters with him, can’t see anything. That’s fun in some ways, because I feel like I’m developing the characters through their energies instead of their physical traits. It’s just difficult because I have to paint a picture without actually using any color. I watched a lot of blind videos before I started this, so I’m hoping it’s helping, but I’m really interested to see how that develops throughout the rest of this book.

I embrace every change that comes along the way. It’s weird, any time I think there’s something that’s changing from the original, I head back to my chapter-by-chapter analysis and find that it hasn’t really changed at all. Writing it out like that in the first place got me connected to it on a deeper level. That connection makes subconsciously writing it all that much easier. Hopefully I feel the same way by the time this is all finally over.

Plot Got Your Tongue? Try Out This #WritingPrompt to Help You #GetWriteOnIn

When you’re writing a book, sometimes the hardest part to get into is the actual plot.

Is the story interesting enough?

Do you have any gaping plotholes you’re not aware of?

Have you thought out every possible arc?

What if there was a better way to tell this story?

If this character took this path, or that character took another one.

Today, if you’re having a hard time getting into your writing — whether you’re on NaNo day two when this is posted or anytime on your storyline of writing -- try purposefully writing out a bad subplot.

This may seem counterintuitive, but if you spend some time — three paragraphs, fifteen sentences, to be exact — writing out a plot you know is bad, you’ll get it out of your system.

You won’t have to worry about it sneaking back and ruining a perfectly bad first draft.

Let out the crap, flush it down the toilet, and get write on in to your story.

Happy writing, everybody.

See you tomorrow!

My Response:

When Vaeda explores the caves that have him trapped, he stumbles upon a yeti and a dragon coupled together. The yeti, it turns out, is pregnant, and the dragon is tasked with protecting the cave from intruders — like Vaeda. The dragon, however, is unable to breathe fire, and clipped his nails before Vaeda arrived. The dragon tries to fight off Vaeda, but is unsuccessful. Vaeda is able to remain invisible to enemies.

The yeti knows how to brawl, and isn’t afraid to fight. Pregnant or not, she attacks Vaeda when the dragon proves unsuccessful. Vaeda, of course, doesn’t have anybody else in the cave with him, because they’ve all abandoned him and left him to die. He runs through the halls of the cave, chased by the yeti, who screams at him in some foreign language. He does everything in his power to calm the beast down, but to no success. 

At last, Vaeda outruns the beast. He doesn’t know where he is, obviously, because he’s pushed himself further into a cave, but no matter. He’s escaped the jowls of the beasts that wanted him for dinner, and he was on to live to see another day. It would be nice to find a friend or two, but he remained grateful of his ability to stay alive on his own. He just hopes his luck sticks out with him for the rest of his life.

Read the first chapter of The Fight to Save the Future here.