M.B. Mulhall's Blog, page 30

ABC 123(4)s of NaNo: Q is for Questions

Q is for questions. Are you answering them?  You may not be able to answer this question until the novel is finished and you read through the draft. Sometimes, especially with complicated plots, questions are posed and we get so caught up in everything else that we neglect to answer them.  It's not a major issue during NaNo, but be sure to look for the answers when everything is over.

 

Day 17:  Not to freak you out, but there are only 13 days left. Get a move on!!

ABC 123(4)s of NaNo: P is for Passion

P is for passion, which does not have to equal porn.  Many stories have an element of romance to them and that often leads to a sexy time scene or two or twelve.  There are ways to write them to be exciting and sexy without them being erotica/porn.  Be careful of the words you use to describe the uhh bits and acts and you should be okay. Remember, you don't need to spell every action out. People can use their imagination and get the picture just fine.

Day 16:  Are you still writing every day or have you slacked off a bit and skip a day here and there? It's not the worst thing in the world, but remember, if you're an American, there is a holiday coming up and you may be too busy preparing, or eating, to write for a while. Plan ahead to get ahead!

ABC 123(4)s of NaNo: O is for Ogres and Other Creatures

O is for Ogres and other creatures. If you're writing a fantasy novel, you have a huuuuge data base on creatures to inhabit your world; Ogres, elves, dwarfs, dragons, giants and wrights. Of course you can always put your own twists on these creatures and make them something different, but don't be surprised if you have a "purist" complain. With the recent explosion of paranormal stories, there is also much information on those creatures of the horror variety; vampires, werewolves, succubuses (succubi?). It's kind of a saturated field, but if you can put a new spin on it, people are going to eat it up. Don't be afraid to describe them from their physical traits to their diet habits, keeping it as clean or as gory as you like.  You want them to come off as believable as possible. Make them into something your readers would want to meet or something they'll have nightmares about.

Day 15: Welp folks, you've hit the half way mark.  Did you think you'd get this far? I knew you could do it (or I hoped at least because that means maybe the blog posts are helping you stay motivated)! You should be around 25% complete with your word count. Remember though, 50k is the goal but not necessarily the end of your story. Keep working hard!

 

ABC 123(4)s of NaNo: R is for Resolution

R is for resolution.  We talked about conflict earlier in the month and how all stories need it. Welp, if you're going to have conflict, there's got to be a resolution to it. By now, I hope you have a vague idea of what that resolution will be. The ending is drawing near so you'll have to wrap things up eventually. Don't end without one!  Sounds basic, but I figure it's still worth saying.

Day 18: Is your motivation lacking? Do I need to don a short pleated skirt and some pom-poms? (Please say no…that would scare you guys more than encourage you)

ABC 123(4)s of NaNo: N is for Nationalities

N is for nationalities.  Look around you.  Are blond blue-eyed Aryans all you see? I highly doubt it. Be sure to branch out and have characters of different race and nationalities. Juuuuust be cautious as to not be ridiculously stereotypical (unless perhaps you're writing a spoof and it's to be expected). Having characters of different nationalities will allow you to write in about different cultures and traditions and rituals. Do some research first if you're unsure and if you're using foreign words and phrases, put them in italics and try to work in a way of explaining the words via context clues, especially if you're writing for a younger crowd.

Day 14: Most of you are probably just shy of the 25k mark. Holy shit that's a HUGE accomplishment. Be proud of yourself and don't be afraid to brag a little. You've earned it!

ABC 123(4)s of NaNo: M is for Murder, Mayhem and Mystery

M is for murder, mayhem and mystery, three things that are sure to hook your readers. We've already talked about killing off you characters. A murder can throw a lot of mayhem into your story whether it's keeping readers on the edge of their seat with the mystery of it all or if it's got your other character's emotions in turmoil.  You don't need to have a murder to have the mayhem and mystery, but all three go together nicely.

Mayhem can come in the form of many things from finding out a huge secret, to all the animals at the zoo being let out, to a comet on a direct crash course with your small rural town. It gives you action to write about and that excites the reader.

A bit of mystery is a sure way to keep readers turning the pages, especially if you can add the twists and turns that leave them scratching their heads wondering where you're going and what's really going on. The whole story doesn't have to be a mystery either. Elements of it can be enough to peak interest.

Day 13:  Ahh lucky 13. It's not always a number we think highly of, but if you've made it this far, you can certainly consider yourself lucky. Keep up the good work!

ABC 123(4)s of NaNo: L is for Lagging Behing

L is for lagging behind.  We've all been there, whether it's your first NaNo experience or your fifth. It's not a cause for panic.  I'm going to let you in on a little secret.  While we all want to hit that 50k mark and be able to call ourselves winners, NaNo is about so much more than "winning".  It's about creating a daily writing habit. It's about flexing that giant muscle in your head (the brain, not the tongue). It's about being creative and striving towards goals. Even if you don't make it to the 50k, you will have accomplished plenty to be proud of and brag about. Remember, most people wouldn't have even attempted writing a novel.

Day 12: Have you spent any time on the NaNo forums yet?  While they can be the ultimate procrastination tool, they are also full of information and support. Take a break and check it out, but only for a short time! Then it's back to writing!

ABC 123(4)s of NaNo: K is for Killing Them Off

K is for killing them off. While it's not always easy to rid yourself of a character, it is strangely gratifying to play God and end them. Not to mention a death can add tons of pages to your count from the actual even to a funeral to reminiscing later in the story.  Be creative with it. Impale them on a picket fence, have them find a long lost landmine in the middle of the school playground, mixer malfunction, death by meat tenderizer, nail polish ingestion, eaten by hippo.  The possibilities are endless!

Day 11: Have you guys gone to any local write-ins yet? Search your area to see what's going on. Even if you're not much of a people person (us writer types can be quite the introverts), it's nice to just sit and write with a group of people who are having the same struggles as you are. Not to mention you can't slack off (much) when others are watching!

ABC 123(4)s of NaNo: J is for Journey

J is for journey.  There are lots of different kinds of journeys your characters can take over the course of your novel. There's the obvious where they're traveling from one location to another. The journey is often a major aspect of fantasy, especially high fantasy, novels. Look at Martin's A Song of ice and Fire. Those characters are journeying all over the freakin' place!  His characters do have other kinds of journeys as well; emotional journeys and the journey to maturity. The second is one you often find in young adult novels as the characters go through coming of age experiences. What kind of journey are your characters taking?

Day 10:  Struggling? Having issues? Vent 'em here. We'll all help if we can and if not, maybe it'll just feel good to get it off your chest and know that you're not the only one having a bit of a hard time. You are NOT alone!

ABC 123(4)s of NaNo: I is for Incentive

I is for incentive. Do you need incentive to keep writing? Let me tell you, regardless of how good or bad your novel is, not much is more awesome for a writer than to print out your manuscript and hold it in your hands. All those warm off the printer pages, collated in glowing white with black print like little ants lying down on your pages…it's awesome. So awesome.  There are other incentives of course; rubbing it in the faces of the doubters, eventually publishing it or getting representation,  using it to even out the wobbly kitchen table, the great incentives never end!

Day 9: Here's an incentive for you, the first 10 winners to come back to this post on Nov. 30th and post a link to your profile (which will show your proof of winning) and an email address will receive a free digital copy of my upcoming YA paranormal novel, Near Death! (Is it egotistical of me to think you'd even be interested in my book? Maybe…but Hey! A free book is a free book! ^_^)