3 Ways to Harness a Passion That Will Propel You Through NaNo

As we dive into the NaNo Prep months, it’s time to start considering what kind of novel you would love to devote 30 days to. Author Denise Jaden writes in encouraging fellow Wrimos to channel their personal enthusiasm, which will go on to intrigue readers as well:

Whenever August and September roll around, I begin feeling panicked about The Right Story Idea. Starting the NaNoWriMo challenge with a blank page and a silly idea you came up with over your fifth glass of wine one night may seem fun for days one, two, and maybe even three of November, but what is a writer to do when the fun and brilliance and drive for that idea starts to fizzle? How on earth will you make it through the other twenty-seven days?

Here are a few keys to figuring out how to harness your passion in what you love, connect to, and want to read:

1. Say goodbye to “should”.

First, get rid of all the “should”s in your writing. If your inner mantra is telling you, “I should write this idea, because it’s been on my hard drive waiting for me for twelve years,” or “I should write about mermaids/vampires/time travel/brutal murders because that’s what’s hot right now,” there’s a good chance those ideas are not going to fuel your passion and keep you writing. 

In her motivational book Get It Done, Sam Bennett suggests writing a “Could Do List.” For instance, if you had unlimited time and resources, what might you want to write about? What if you were guaranteed a bestseller, no matter what the subject matter? What would you choose then? Make this list, while understanding that you are under absolutely no obligation to follow through with any of these ideas. This is not a to-do list. It is a dream list that reveals what’s inside you. 

2. Ask yourself some questions.

In your journal, answer the following questions: When do you feel most alive? When have you felt most in love? Most enraged? What motivates you? What wrecks you emotionally? What angers you most? Harness these feelings and memories to find new ideas, or use them to sift through ideas you already have. 

3. Define your purpose.

Write a mission statement for your writing and for your life. By putting these ideas to paper, you define the purpose that guides your writing. What is most important to you? What do you hope to focus on and bring across on the page? What do you hope to make readers feel?

This mission statement can be worded in any way you like, but consider writing it so it answers questions like these:

What emotions do you want readers to feel most when they read your writing?
How do you envision affecting, improving, or enriching your reader’s life with your writing?
Ideally, how do you want your writing to change the world in a meaningful way?
How does your writing benefit you? Is it cathartic? Does it enrich your understanding of the world? Does it add to your income?

As you discover new facets of yourself and new things that inspire your passions, insert those ideas and motivations into your story plan (you can even check out my website for a Story Plan template). At the end of the day, you want your stories to make readers feel as inspired as you felt when you first conceived them. Do your stories make you feel passionate? Do they inspire, entertain, invigorate, teach, or enlighten you? Have they helped you solve a problem? If you want them to do the same for your readers, they must first do all those things for you.

Denise Jaden is also the author of the NaNoWriMo-popular guide, Fast Fiction, and several popular fiction titles. For more inspiration of how to come up with story ideas, check out Denise’s new book for writers, Story Sparks: Finding Your Best Story Ideas and Turning Them into Compelling Fiction. A sought-after speaker, motivating writers to find their own best story ideas, and then stirring up the drive to write them, Denise lives just outside Vancouver, BC, with her husband and son. Find out more at her website.

Top image licensed under Creative Commons from Steve Corey on Flickr.