Hey everyone!
I'm deep in the NaNoWriMo trenches. I'm coming up for a bit of air today. I'll have my NaNoWriMo Lesson #3 post up shortly so stay tuned!
Happy Writing :)
How to pad your word count...
It's day 9 of NaNoWriMo we're almost a third of the way through and all though I'm still typing full steam ahead, I'm looking down the road to the latter parts of the month when I will probably start running out of ideas.
In order to get to 50k as efficiently as possible, consider these methods of word count padding:
- Include lists of items. Is your character going to the grocery store or on a trip? Perhaps one of your characters likes to make a to do list to start off the day.
- Introduce a character that likes to spontaneously break into song.
- Take the time to include a detailed description of the scene. Really get descriptive. Include points on all five of the senses: Sight, Smell, Taste, Touch, and Sound. (Ooooh, Look! A list!)
- Have the character get into a heated back and forth and back and forth argument.
- Add a prologue or an epilogue. Each is good for an extra 1000 words or so!
Keep that word count flowing! :)
What ever you do. DO NOT GO BACK AND READ ANY OF WHAT YOU HAVE WRITTEN UNTIL 12:00:01 AM ON DECEMBER 1ST!!! If you do you might be overwhelmed by a compulsion to edit.
Last night I crossed the 5k mark after finishing a scene with a lot of dialogue in it. I didn't have much of a plan for it other that 3 key elements needed to be covered in the scene, I was totally flying by the seat of my pants (which completely offended my engineering sensibilities). The resulting scene was clunky and awkward and...well...crap. It took all my willpower, and a bit of wine, to accept it for what it was and just keep writing. It is just a rough draft and it can be changed as soon as the calendar flips to December 1.
...Hoping to cross into 7k territory tonight!
How's everyone's current WIP coming along? (both NaNo and non-NaNo alike)
The interwebs is a great place to find lots and lots of tools to help with your writing. So in honor of this completely insane noveling endeavor also known as NaNoWriMo, I've compiled a list of fabulous links with invaluable goodness to aid you on your month long journey (or any other WIP goal you've got going on)
The NaNoWriMo Website (stating the obvious here I know...) Peruse the forums for plot bunnies up for adoption. Can be very helpful when you hit the wall and need fresh ideas.
The NaNoWriMo Report Card - Stay on top of your word count by keeping track of it with this shnazzy excel spreadsheet.
Writing a Si-Fi/Fantasy Novel? Check out these world builder questions. Details lead to more word count!
Fill out a character sheet. Again...details, details, details
Need a more organized and structured way to get to your 50k goal? Try the snowflake method for writing your novel
And the even more extreme write or die for those of you in need of a kick in the writing pants.
I'm off to make some serious word count progress...
