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No Plot? No Problem!
Aspiring novelists don't need an MFA in creative writing, a book agent, an airtight plot, or a winsome cast of characters to get a novel writtenthey don't even need to know what they're doing. All that's needed is a little determination and this high-octane kit to kick motivation into overdrive and inspire users to produce a 50,000-word book in an exhilarating, invigorating month long Noveling Adventure.
48-page booklet
31 Daily Noveling Briefsrecommended allowances of writing advice and activities for every day of the noveling month
Guided, month long, displayable log for keeping track of progress
Motivational materials, pep-talking letters, and commitment coupons
The Mighty Badge of the Triumphant Wordsmith
48-page booklet
31 Daily Noveling Briefsrecommended allowances of writing advice and activities for every day of the noveling month
Guided, month long, displayable log for keeping track of progress
Motivational materials, pep-talking letters, and commitment coupons
The Mighty Badge of the Triumphant Wordsmith
Paperback
First published September 14, 2006
33 people are currently reading
641 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
October 31, 2020
I know this book for quite a few years but never try to read it. But why did I read it now??? I'm trying to make a plot... I'm an assassin with six figures in my head. My boss sent me my latest target but my mind is thinking... You see, I'm out of plot... Can you please help me continue the story... Comment down below... 😊😁😂
January 25, 2016
ETA: So I managed to review the kit, and not the book, because brain malfunction. But life is too short to redo. So be advised: I have not reviewed the whole kit. Only the book.
I think if you were attempting NaNo this would be a great book. And I think there's a lot of good stuff about pushing through that middle section of a book when you suck, the book sucks, every word you write sucks, and the world would be grateful if you'd just quit.
The writing style is light and engaging.
...the best way to tackle daunting, paralysis-inducing challenges is to give yourself permission to make mistakes, and then go ahead and make them. In the context of novel writing, this means you should lower the bar from “best-seller” to “would not make someone vomit.”
But for some people - like me - many specific suggestions won't work. Baty is clear about his process being based on a giant push-through to 50K - involving explaining to family and friends why you are not mentally or emotionally present with them - after which one needs a recuperation period to reclaim one's life. In terms of learning how to incorporate writing as a daily practice, something that can be sustained as part of your regular life, only some ideas can be adapted. The book is definitely not designed with this in mind.
But I got it for just over a dollar, so if it's still on sale I do recommend giving it a read and seeing what you can get from it.
I think if you were attempting NaNo this would be a great book. And I think there's a lot of good stuff about pushing through that middle section of a book when you suck, the book sucks, every word you write sucks, and the world would be grateful if you'd just quit.
The writing style is light and engaging.
...the best way to tackle daunting, paralysis-inducing challenges is to give yourself permission to make mistakes, and then go ahead and make them. In the context of novel writing, this means you should lower the bar from “best-seller” to “would not make someone vomit.”
But for some people - like me - many specific suggestions won't work. Baty is clear about his process being based on a giant push-through to 50K - involving explaining to family and friends why you are not mentally or emotionally present with them - after which one needs a recuperation period to reclaim one's life. In terms of learning how to incorporate writing as a daily practice, something that can be sustained as part of your regular life, only some ideas can be adapted. The book is definitely not designed with this in mind.
But I got it for just over a dollar, so if it's still on sale I do recommend giving it a read and seeing what you can get from it.
December 21, 2022
A good introduction for people wanting to write a book. Though short, this book was a bit repetitive and probably could have been half the size. Moral of the story: set a goal of when you want to finish your book and don't let other things get in the way of achieving this goal.
Read
January 28, 2018Brief, clear, to the point, funny, entertaining and useful for beginner novelists. Recommended.
November 29, 2010
Note: This review is for the kit, not the book itself.
This kit is a whole lotta look, but not much else.
The booklet, flash cards, and progress log are kind of cool, though not entirely useful; I think they might be better as electronic resources.
The booklet contains a lot of statements like the one above, but no real advice for the daily practice of writing. Baty swings to the extreme opposite of most writing guides by offering all pep and no substance. The actual advice being issued really only scrapes the surface of how one goes about writing a manuscript in a month.
I also ordered Chris Baty’s original guide to NaNoWriMo, "No Plot? No Problem!," but after a month of waiting I marked it as lost in the mail. Perhaps I will try again with another seller in a few weeks, but after surveying this kit, I have to admit that my hopes for anything more substantial from Baty are low.
The kit’s contents are snarky and fun if you need a pick-me-up, but you shouldn’t expect any life-changing advice. Baty attempts to prepare you for a month-long writing endeavor with equal parts humor and advice, but the whole thing feels corny.
After seeing what he thinks will be useful in a month-long writing free-for-all (I mean, coupons promising that I will do things for other people if I miss my goals?! No, thanks. I’m already trying to write a freaking novel, I don’t need Tinker breathing down my neck about a long walk in the woods, too!), I wonder if NaNoWriMo isn’t actually just a cruel joke that Baty dreamed up one day and decided to entice a group of would-be novelists off the cliff with him.
But then I look at the warm, vibrant, optimistic crowd on Twitter, and I realize that NaNoWriMo-ers have all the support, advice, and inspiration they need in their own online community. My advice, after perusing this packet? Stick to November, or get a crowd of friends to write with you some other month, and leave this kit on the shelf.
For more of my thoughts on this book, head over to http://melodyandwords.com/2010/11/29/....
This kit is a whole lotta look, but not much else.
The booklet, flash cards, and progress log are kind of cool, though not entirely useful; I think they might be better as electronic resources.
The booklet contains a lot of statements like the one above, but no real advice for the daily practice of writing. Baty swings to the extreme opposite of most writing guides by offering all pep and no substance. The actual advice being issued really only scrapes the surface of how one goes about writing a manuscript in a month.
I also ordered Chris Baty’s original guide to NaNoWriMo, "No Plot? No Problem!," but after a month of waiting I marked it as lost in the mail. Perhaps I will try again with another seller in a few weeks, but after surveying this kit, I have to admit that my hopes for anything more substantial from Baty are low.
The kit’s contents are snarky and fun if you need a pick-me-up, but you shouldn’t expect any life-changing advice. Baty attempts to prepare you for a month-long writing endeavor with equal parts humor and advice, but the whole thing feels corny.
After seeing what he thinks will be useful in a month-long writing free-for-all (I mean, coupons promising that I will do things for other people if I miss my goals?! No, thanks. I’m already trying to write a freaking novel, I don’t need Tinker breathing down my neck about a long walk in the woods, too!), I wonder if NaNoWriMo isn’t actually just a cruel joke that Baty dreamed up one day and decided to entice a group of would-be novelists off the cliff with him.
But then I look at the warm, vibrant, optimistic crowd on Twitter, and I realize that NaNoWriMo-ers have all the support, advice, and inspiration they need in their own online community. My advice, after perusing this packet? Stick to November, or get a crowd of friends to write with you some other month, and leave this kit on the shelf.
For more of my thoughts on this book, head over to http://melodyandwords.com/2010/11/29/....
December 28, 2020
This was so helpful! I wish I had found and read this book prior to NaNoWriMo 2020 (my first-ever NaNo). I was lucky enough to have gotten much of the same advice listed in this book elsewhere, but it was nice seeing all the helpful tips and tricks listed in one concise place.
Chris Batey injects a lot of humor in his writing which I SUPER appreciate.
Highly recommend this if you're planning to gear up to join the NaNoWriMo event in November or Camp NaNo in April or July. :)
Chris Batey injects a lot of humor in his writing which I SUPER appreciate.
Highly recommend this if you're planning to gear up to join the NaNoWriMo event in November or Camp NaNo in April or July. :)
February 18, 2018
I actually finished this in 2015 when I did my first NaNo. It really helped prepare me to just write copious amounts, not giving a care to what came out or the quality of it. And I got way more than 50,000 words that year.
October 21, 2021
The second edition of No Plot, No Problem is a novel writing guide written by Chris Baty, the founder of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). Expanding on the first version, Baty goes through the early history of NaNoWriMo, in which the goal is to write a 50,000 novel in 30 days, and his reasoning to make the "one day" novel come to life and it's not as hard as you think it is to write a novel. Baty then details preparations for the month of writing (which doesn't require plotting your novel at all), so you can succeed, as well as tips and tricks for writing throughout the month and what happens after that first draft ends. I loved how fun and witty the writing is throughout the story, and it felt very casual, like talking to a friend. It's further backed up from excerpts from NaNo winners and published authors who've written books during the event. While this was originally designed for those participating in the November writing event, it can be used all year long for any month.
This guide is especially great for discovery writers and/or those new to the novel writing process. As of the time of this review (October 2021), I'm a seasoned NaNo winner, reading through the book served as a "pull it together" moment in my writing life as I was going through a bad case of writer's block and plotting my books were making things worse. It helped me realize I'm naturally a discovery writer, who writes with little to no planning prior to a first draft. I highly recommend this book to people in both camps.
This guide is especially great for discovery writers and/or those new to the novel writing process. As of the time of this review (October 2021), I'm a seasoned NaNo winner, reading through the book served as a "pull it together" moment in my writing life as I was going through a bad case of writer's block and plotting my books were making things worse. It helped me realize I'm naturally a discovery writer, who writes with little to no planning prior to a first draft. I highly recommend this book to people in both camps.
July 29, 2019
The title is a bit misleading. It's not as much about how to proceed with writing a novel when you're low on plot details, but how to win NaNoWriMo using the extreme pantser method. A fun read (Baty is a witty sonofagun), full of fun exercises and encouragement, but more about the merits of freewriting than on how-to advice for a polished manuscript.
November 14, 2015
Do you know what NaNoWriMo is? National novel writing month which we are presently in during the month of November. The founder of the concept is the author of this book. I knew about this because I am blessed with some writers in my life: Colette Bezio and Colleen Riordan and Jennifer Daniels. We scheduled "write~ins" at the library both last year and this year. Kaarina Menting noticed this book in our collection and set it aside for me. It was fascinating because the experience has been a proven formula to get people "unstuck". A deadline, an expectation of a number of words, and opportunities to bond within a writing community help writers to do their thing. I am not a writer but I enjoyed the way the book was laid out and the tips seem valid for ANY creative process. You must exit the mundane and obligations to get into "flow". I was excited that two of my favorite novels were as a result of NaNoWriMo: Water for Elephants and Night Circus.
October 15, 2008
This companion to 'No Plot? No Problem!' solves the difficult problem lots of first-time novel-writers face: lack of a box of cool novel-related things! In the writing kit, there is a poster to track your progress through November, a declaration that you will complete your NaNoNovel, a pin for once you've written 50k, and tons of other cool stuff.
The kit helps keep you motivated during the cold month of November by giving you things to look forward to, like hitting 20 000 words, rubbing it in everyone's face when you win, and December.
Novel writing isn't just for the professionals anymore.
The kit helps keep you motivated during the cold month of November by giving you things to look forward to, like hitting 20 000 words, rubbing it in everyone's face when you win, and December.
Novel writing isn't just for the professionals anymore.
January 11, 2016
If you want to believe you can pull a novel out of your ass in a month, then I highly recommend this book.
If you want to produce absolute garbage, then I highly recommend this book.
If you are prepared to stop everything you do in life so you can write a garbage book, I recommend this book.
If you want this arrogant author to promise you the world and that everything will sort itself out if you 'write, write, write' then I recommend this book.
This book does not tell you how to write. It shows you NOT to write a book.
If you want to produce absolute garbage, then I highly recommend this book.
If you are prepared to stop everything you do in life so you can write a garbage book, I recommend this book.
If you want this arrogant author to promise you the world and that everything will sort itself out if you 'write, write, write' then I recommend this book.
This book does not tell you how to write. It shows you NOT to write a book.
July 12, 2017
My problems with this book:
(1) You are not a novelist just because you force yourself to write 50,000 words in a month. In the same vein, you're not a pianist just because you can play a couple Chopin etudes badly, nor are you a teacher because you volunteered at a local elementary school for a year. I 'won' NaNoWriMo in 2011, and even though I didn't have Baty's book, I used the same word-count-boosting techniques he recommends for flailing writers: I made characters' names longer (I made X into Miss X); I forced my characters into long-winded conversations (most of the time, there really is nothing to say about the weather); and I invented lengthy dream sequences that were mostly based on my own dreams. You could argue that there's something to be said for not aiming for perfection, but at some point, it's just horrible writing. Like one of my old teachers said, "Perfect practice makes perfect." Sure, published authors generally recommend that aspiring writers hone their craft by producing large quantities of writing. But Baty seems to recommend forgetting quality 100 percent in pursuit of quantity. But maybe I'm being too harsh. It could be that I just happen to be able to compartmentalize my Inner Editor better than most, which makes me more susceptible to writing legitimately awful prose in the heat of NaNo.
(2) Much of the book focuses on giving unhelpful advice and making inaccurate generalizations about how writers work. Casual jokes about how you're going to forgo showering and become a caffeine addict in the next month seem like they're trying too hard, and for younger writers, Baty's encouragements to 'take a sick day at work' if you're getting behind are completely useless. Even worse? His fantasy scenario where you, a NaNo winner, brag about completing your 'most recent novel' at a party to impress someone you find attractive. It's disingenuous to claim on one hand that 'no one will ever see your work' and that it's 'totally okay to decide you don't like your NaNo novel enough to revise it,' while also adding cute asides about how your work will someday be on the table of a New York Times literary reviewer.
That being said, NaNo is an amazing experience, and I absolutely don't regret doing it. I just don't think that you really need Baty's book to help you.
(1) You are not a novelist just because you force yourself to write 50,000 words in a month. In the same vein, you're not a pianist just because you can play a couple Chopin etudes badly, nor are you a teacher because you volunteered at a local elementary school for a year. I 'won' NaNoWriMo in 2011, and even though I didn't have Baty's book, I used the same word-count-boosting techniques he recommends for flailing writers: I made characters' names longer (I made X into Miss X); I forced my characters into long-winded conversations (most of the time, there really is nothing to say about the weather); and I invented lengthy dream sequences that were mostly based on my own dreams. You could argue that there's something to be said for not aiming for perfection, but at some point, it's just horrible writing. Like one of my old teachers said, "Perfect practice makes perfect." Sure, published authors generally recommend that aspiring writers hone their craft by producing large quantities of writing. But Baty seems to recommend forgetting quality 100 percent in pursuit of quantity. But maybe I'm being too harsh. It could be that I just happen to be able to compartmentalize my Inner Editor better than most, which makes me more susceptible to writing legitimately awful prose in the heat of NaNo.
(2) Much of the book focuses on giving unhelpful advice and making inaccurate generalizations about how writers work. Casual jokes about how you're going to forgo showering and become a caffeine addict in the next month seem like they're trying too hard, and for younger writers, Baty's encouragements to 'take a sick day at work' if you're getting behind are completely useless. Even worse? His fantasy scenario where you, a NaNo winner, brag about completing your 'most recent novel' at a party to impress someone you find attractive. It's disingenuous to claim on one hand that 'no one will ever see your work' and that it's 'totally okay to decide you don't like your NaNo novel enough to revise it,' while also adding cute asides about how your work will someday be on the table of a New York Times literary reviewer.
That being said, NaNo is an amazing experience, and I absolutely don't regret doing it. I just don't think that you really need Baty's book to help you.
May 4, 2020
[First Glance]
I know I reviewed the original NaNoWriMo book, but I happened to get this kit on clearance at Barnes & Noble somewhere along the way as well. I'll be brief, as there are few thoughts about this kit that don't align with my review of the 2004 book.
[Positive Bits]
Humor is still Baty's key approach, and it fit well with the pacing of this smaller kit's book. The activities mentioned as similar to those in the core book, but this kit focuses on the basic details and leaves the actual accomplishment of each activity up to the writer.
I enjoyed the titles and descriptions of people who you might invite to join you. Instead of just suggesting family and friends, Baty takes the time to explain archetypes for each kind of person. A fellow writer. A challenge taker. A book group(ie).
[Less Enjoyable Bits]
Honestly, there's a clear echo. The mini book in this kit would easily take the place of purchasing the full No Plot? No Problem! if you were choosing between A or B. You're losing the history of NaNoWriMo and some depth to the exercises offered, but the basic explanation and guidance for writing a novel in a month are still present.
However, this kit really is the bare bones of NaNoWriMo guidance. It's good... but not very different from just reading bits and pieces of the peptalk emails you get from NaNoWriMo's website during November.
I know I reviewed the original NaNoWriMo book, but I happened to get this kit on clearance at Barnes & Noble somewhere along the way as well. I'll be brief, as there are few thoughts about this kit that don't align with my review of the 2004 book.
[Positive Bits]
Humor is still Baty's key approach, and it fit well with the pacing of this smaller kit's book. The activities mentioned as similar to those in the core book, but this kit focuses on the basic details and leaves the actual accomplishment of each activity up to the writer.
I enjoyed the titles and descriptions of people who you might invite to join you. Instead of just suggesting family and friends, Baty takes the time to explain archetypes for each kind of person. A fellow writer. A challenge taker. A book group(ie).
[Less Enjoyable Bits]
Honestly, there's a clear echo. The mini book in this kit would easily take the place of purchasing the full No Plot? No Problem! if you were choosing between A or B. You're losing the history of NaNoWriMo and some depth to the exercises offered, but the basic explanation and guidance for writing a novel in a month are still present.
However, this kit really is the bare bones of NaNoWriMo guidance. It's good... but not very different from just reading bits and pieces of the peptalk emails you get from NaNoWriMo's website during November.
November 30, 2023
This book is great for someone who doesn't know anything about National Novel Writing Month. It is packed with the history and gist of the event as well as word-count goals and tips. It takes the reader through the creation of the first NaNo to what they might do after November if they want their book published. It has a few interesting tips for experienced writers and lots of quotes from participants. If you like heavy sarcasm and over-the-top, non-stop farce, then you will like this "manual" for NaNo. The author definitely puts the emphasis on not taking the writing seriously. There are probably better guides if the reader has some ability to write and is hoping to come out with a half-way decent draft after thirty days or has completed a novel previously. I liked the week by week guide near the end.
November 16, 2017
Thus book hasn't had great reviews, but I really liked it. I've signed up to NaNoWriMo which involves writing a novel of 50,000 words in the month of December. This book is written by one of the guys who founded the whole thing back in 1999. It's really useful to see the journey that got NaNoWriMo to where it is today and gives some realistic, light-hearted advice about how to write a book in a month which would normally be a crazy feat. There's a lot of humour in this book as well as some really solid advice, and there's a week by week guide at the back including a "what next" section for when you've finished the 50,000 words. Definitely worth a read for anyone participating in NaNoWriMo. If you're not then I guess the book would be kind of pointless.
September 5, 2017
There's some neat advice here and there, and I'll probably think about some of the questions Baty poses to think through my stories.
However, the book is very fluffy. The whole thing can be skimmed without losing much of anything because of long forays into meaningless pep talks and repeating for the umpteenth time that you should write really quickly and it'll be a frantic experience. I get good writing uses repetition, but this becomes ridiculous.
Some of the tips for boosting the word count are just bad, such as ignoring the use of hyphens, making characters' names pointlessly longer, and inexplicable stutters.
However, the book is very fluffy. The whole thing can be skimmed without losing much of anything because of long forays into meaningless pep talks and repeating for the umpteenth time that you should write really quickly and it'll be a frantic experience. I get good writing uses repetition, but this becomes ridiculous.
Some of the tips for boosting the word count are just bad, such as ignoring the use of hyphens, making characters' names pointlessly longer, and inexplicable stutters.
October 26, 2017
The idea of writing a 50,000 word "novel" in a month sounds ludicrous, but again people run marathons and ultra marathons, so I don't see why – if you've always wanted to write but for various reasons haven't ever got down to it/suffer from writer's block – you shouldn't attempt the NaNoWriMo challenge. Sure, you'll probably produce something is far from polished, but you have all the other months in the year to sort it out. You CAN work on your (imperfect) draft after November.
This book isn't perfect, it's downright ridiculous in certain places (how to find a perfect pen in a shop, etc), but it's got me all motivated for my first ever NaNoWriMo, so I'm not complaining.
This book isn't perfect, it's downright ridiculous in certain places (how to find a perfect pen in a shop, etc), but it's got me all motivated for my first ever NaNoWriMo, so I'm not complaining.
December 5, 2019
Chris Baty é o criador do NaNoWriMo e a premissa do livro é que você não precisa de uma trama para começar a escrever, tudo o que é necessário é um prazo. Ele dá dicas para quem quer tentar escrever um romance de 50000 palavras em 30 dias (pelo menos o primeiro rascunho). As 3 estrelas são porque achei que, como apenas 17% das pessoas que participam do NaNoWriMo conseguem terminar o desafio, a premissa não me parece assim tão boa.
November 30, 2020
I started reading this months before an actual NaNoWriMo. Then forgot to continue with the work sections once I began. Feel free to read Section One many times before starting. But don't forget Section Two when the event begins. It was enlightening and captured many of the things that were happening to me IRL.
Easy-to-read. Entertaining. Informative. Inspirational. Realistic. Tragic. Twisted. Unpredictable. Whimsical. Witty.
Easy-to-read. Entertaining. Informative. Inspirational. Realistic. Tragic. Twisted. Unpredictable. Whimsical. Witty.
May 1, 2018
Read along with this while I did Camp NaNoWriMo in April 2018. Good tips for attacking the 50K word novel challenge using an approach I hadn't otherwise considered. I think there is valuable advice here for down-and-dirty novel writing. Quick with a fun sense of humor, I'd recommend this at least to those considering NaNoWriMo.
November 6, 2016
I borrowed it from the Open Library, so I had only the booklet; it was a fun and motivating read. Also a short one, which is a very important thing during the madness of NaNoWriMo. Now let's get back to writing ;)
August 17, 2018
A book on writing that has fewer points for writers in general but lots for NaNoWriMo nuts. I am not that kind of nut. But hey, a friend gave it to me so i took it. Just so: take what you need and leave the rest.
Also, some swearing and jokesy references to alcohol.
Also, some swearing and jokesy references to alcohol.
June 5, 2019
My rating: 3/5
Meh. This book is 100% focused on anyone sprint writing for NaNoWriMo; unfortunately I'm not doing it again. If you're doing the sprint, this has a lot of tips and tricks on getting through the insanity.
Meh. This book is 100% focused on anyone sprint writing for NaNoWriMo; unfortunately I'm not doing it again. If you're doing the sprint, this has a lot of tips and tricks on getting through the insanity.
August 2, 2022
Love the advice, fancy items and little tid bits of information in here. I don't think anyone needs it, but it helps if you want a little motivation every day. I managed to write a 50k+ word novel successfully thank to the book though.
July 2, 2024
I liked this book. Other books on writing have been too vague and up-in-the-skies when it comes to their advice. This book, to my relief, talked about how to actually sit down and get the damn words out of you.
It was kind of funny too.
It was kind of funny too.
April 19, 2025
I’ve known about NaNoWriMo for years but have never had an interest in it until now. Ironically, the non-profit is closing its doors but the spirit of writing a novel in a month still remains. Glad I picked this book up!
May 6, 2017
Pas très facile à noter... c'est juste un bon livre pour accompagner son expérience du Nanowrimo.
October 10, 2017
A short read from the founder of Nanowrimo. Lots of hints, feedback, and anecdotes about the nanowrimo process. Recommended for anyone considering participating in the Novemeber nanowrimo sprint.
December 2, 2017
A must have if you are doing Nanowrimo and an excellent resource on writing a novel. So easy to read and fun too!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews