The iconic NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) challenge has many of you rolling up your sleeves to pound out a novel. Becca and I love this event because it is a great time to become explore deep level ideas, experiment, and show ourselves we are absolutely capable of putting a novel-length story on the page.

NaNoWriMo is something you should make your own. Want to try a new genre? Go for it. Are you a plotter who would like to try pantsing (or the opposite)? Go for it! Maybe you want to channel an alter ego author voice, have an out-of-the box story premise you want to write, or you just need to get that next book done. Whatever it is, NaNo is a great time to blast out words and have fun doing it.

Writing a novel in a month also means telling your inner editor to take a holiday. He or she can go bug Elon Musk for a month – lots to criticize on the X front, after all. November is for you and your creativity alone, a pressure-free time to not worry about getting every word right as you draft.

We want this to be a terrific experience for everyone, so we’ve put together tips to help you smash out the words during NaNoWriMo:

1) Set yourself up for success before you write.

This is such an important step no matter what time of year it is, we’ve written an entire post about this! But there’s added pressure when it comes to NaNoWriMo because you’re attempting a draft a novel in a single month. If you haven’t yet done so, set up your space so you have what you need, talk to family members on how to respect your writing time, and click the link above to put yourself in a great place to draft.

2) Find an accountability partner.

NaNoWriMo is easier (and more fun) with friends, so find other writers who will be taking the challenge. Stay in touch so you can cheer each other on, have someone to turn to when you need help, and even meet up for writing sprints (in the real world, through Zoom, or over social media). NaNoWriMo makes this super easy–you can set up a group, join a group, find locals in your area who are doing the challenge, etc. If you belong to a writer’s organization, see who is taking the challenge and set up a group for you. If you participate on a writing forum, Facebook group, or something else, see who is doing NaNo and suggest you all exchange info to stay connected. Stay in touch, share your progress, support each other so everyone finishes November on a high note!

3) Know enough about your story to feel comfortable writing it.

This may look different for everyone, depending on your planning preferences, but planning a bit is essential. Whatever makes you comfortable, do. If you like to full-out outline and do character profiles, do! If you only need a few ideas to run with, great. But know what you need to be comfortable to start and keep writing. It can also be helpful to know your first scene well, so you have a strong first writing session. Highly recommended: the Storyteller’s Roadmap, and downloading the Story Planning Checklist. (Then, after planning, move on to the Writing Track of the Roadmap. You’ll find the Code Red section invaluable.)

4) End each session with an incomplete sentence.

This one sounds strange, but starting a new line with that damned blinking cursor can be paralyzing for some. If you know what the sentence is in full, but you leave it half-finished when you stop for the day, you immediately have something to write the next time you sit down, and muscle memory takes over. It can also be good to think on the next scene you want to write in between sessions so you have an easier time picking up again.

5) Keep sources of inspiration on speed dial.

There may be times you hit a lull and need ideas. (Totally okay, this happens.) Taking a bit of a break instead of trying to force words might help, so know what tends to make you feel creative and excited to write. Would you like to doodle a bit as you listen to music? Re-watch an old favorite Netflix movie that always leaves you with a rush to create? Bake something, or go for a walk? Maybe for you, inspiration hits in the shower. Whatever activity will help you work through story problems and recharge your creativity, give that a try.

6) If you don’t know what to write next, skip ahead.

Sometimes we hit a wall and feel pressure because the next scene is a big blank. We don’t know how the protagonist is going to get the magic dagger from their enemy, or what circumstances will ensure our romantic couple end up at the same ski resort. Guess what? It’s okay. Just think ahead to when that story problem is solved: the protagonist has the dagger. The couple run into each other at a ski lesson. Whatever “next scene” you can see clearly in your mind, start writing that scene.

Leave a note before you start reminding yourself what is missing <Jeff has to trick Lida into giving up the knife> or <Brand and Deena somehow both end up at the same ski resort>. Your brain will work on the skipped portion of the story in the background, and let you know how a leads to b. When it happens, you can go back and fill in the blanks.

7) Don’t be afraid to go off script.

A challenge like NaNoWriMo is meant to free your imagination, so even if you tend to plot and write to an outline, if your characters are taking things in a different direction, or your gut is telling you to deviate from the plan, you might want to give the story room to change. Add a mark you can find again using search like <<>> to note where you are deviating from the plan. Let the story unfold, and see where it goes. There is no wasted effort here, and you may find the new direction has you excited to write forward. Or you might decide the tangent isn’t for you. No worries! Add another <<>> and restart the story from where you deviated. The words still count toward the total and you can delete them later in revisions.

8) Don’t let doubt creep in.

It’s not easy to turn off the part of our mind that worries about quality, and sometimes our Internal Editor shows up despite our efforts to banish him. If he starts tsking over what you’re writing, do not listen. Every first draft is clay we must begin to shape if it is to evolve into the beautiful story we know it can become.

So, if the Internal Editor shows up, banish him to a room where this guy is waiting:

Imagine the resulting screams, smile, and keep writing.

9) Reward yourself.

Writing so many words while managing everything else in your life isn’t easy, and will require sacrifice. So make sure to reward yourself along the way, not just at the end of the challenge. Think about small things you love that you can promise yourself at certain points. You could set milestones to your word count, but maybe for you, writing 5 days in a row is a victory, or sticking to an internal promise of starting and finishing that rough chapter is the goal. Reward yourself in ways that motivate you to keep going.

10) Remember, you can’t really “fail” NaNoWriMo.

Even if you don’t hit 50K, or you decide to quit at a certain point because something comes up or you aren’t feeling the story, you had the courage to start, and to try! That’s a win, as is every word you did write!

No effort is ever a waste. Taking on this challenge is also a way to learn more about yourself and what does and doesn’t work for you. These are all lessons that will help you moving forward.

Becca and I are cheering you on! If you need any help at all, check out these three links

The Ultimate Prep Guide for NaNoWriMo (Plotters & Pantsers)
The Novelist’s Triage Center (Get Unstuck & Finish Your Book)
The Writer’s Secret Weapon Page

Go forth and be awesome–you’ve got this!

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post NaNoWriMo: Top Tips for Smashing Out 50K appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

If NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is new to you, think CHALLENGE meets CREATIVITY. Writers all over the world set the same goal: to write 50,000 words in the month of November. That’s a boatload of words, and for many, adds up to a full novel. But whether a person reaches 50K or not, participating is a way to silence the ‘ol You can’t write a novel! jerk-voice in their head and just write. (Fun Fact: my first full-length novel was a NaNo novel.)

This challenge is a great time to experiment: try a new genre, play with ideas, and let creativity take the wheel. But don’t mishear me – giving over to creativity doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do any story planning and instead assume the muse will show up on November 1st.

In fact, the key to a successful NaNoWriMo is to use October to plan and prep!

To be ready for a full month of intense writing bursts, we should know a few things about what we’re writing, and have a plan on how to get to our 50,000 word goal.

Plan the story…

Whether you are a plotter or a pantser, it’s generally not good to start NaNoWriMo with no idea what to write about…unless you are looking to experiment, pressure-free, and won’t sweat it if you get lost or stuck, or finishing is not a big deal. But for the majority, having some direction at the start means starting off well, and it’s easier to build momentum so the words continue to flow.

Pantsers should have some idea of the type of story they want to write, and know a bit about what might happen. It can be a looser plan where characters and plot are more impressions, and who they are and what will happen in the story will be discovered as they write.

Plotters will want to do a deeper level of planning, including building characters to understand their personality, backstory, needs, goals, and more so it’s easier to write their actions and choices in the story. They’ll also want to plot or outline so they have a firmer idea of where their story will go and some of the major events that will happen. World building is also something to spend time on so it’s easier to draw readers into the character’s reality.

TIP: Whether you plot, plan, or do something in between, download the Ultimate NaNoWriMo Prep Guide below. You’ll be so glad you did.

Plan your time…

One of the biggest reasons why writers fail to finish NaNoWriMo is because life takes over and they can’t carve out enough time to write. Looking ahead to November and what might be happening in your life then can help you see what will be competing for your time. Maybe there will be some things you can handle now, or you can proactively plan for so they aren’t as disruptive. It’s also a good time to sit down with family members to explain how they can help you achieve your goal, and how that certain times they’ll need to step up because you won’t be available.

Plan your toolkit…

There are plenty of resources that can make it easier for you to know what to write, focus on the task at hand, supply you with ideas when you need them, and support you in other ways. Bookmark these babies:

NANOWRIMO: Seems obvious, I know, but there’s a ton of support right at the NaNo site, and you don’t want to miss it. So, sign up, introduce yourself on the forums, find local groups, and explore the many resources that writers all over the world recommend. (Don’t forget to recommend the ones that help you, too!)

TRELLO: This free tool is great for brainstorming. Gather together story ideas, research links, create columns for each character…Trello’s drag-and-drop cards are a great way to organize your ideas.

ONE STOP FOR WRITERS: This creativity portal is LOADED with powerful resources to help you plan characters & their arcs, world-build, create timelines, outline your story, and have non-stop ideas on tap so you always know what to write next. Start with a 2-week free trial if you like, or take advantage of this birthday discount.

TIP: While you’re at One Stop, poke around the THESAURUS to see all the way you can bring out your freshest stories ideas. The Conflict Thesaurus may become your best friend!

BRAIN FM: I purchased a lifetime license years ago and have never looked back, and why? Because it helps me focus on the task at hand. This app plays special neural phase-locking music that engages with your brain, encouraging productive writing sessions. If you’d like to try it, use my member’s code to get a free month.

FREEDOM: If social media and email pings distract you, well, you aren’t alone. An unending stream of information is a blessing and a curse, so if you want to claw back your keyboard, try this app and website blocker. (There’s a free trial).

THE NOVELIST’S TRIAGE CENTER: If you write yourself into a corner, run out of ideas, a plot hole happens, etc., visit this page. It’s packed with the many possible problems you might encounter and how to free yourself of them so the words continue to flow.

ULTIMATE NANOWRIMO PREP GUIDE: Wondering what story elements you really need to plan to be ready for November, and the other things you can do now that will set you up for a great NaNoWriMo?

Everything you need to for a successful NaNoWriMo is in this handy guide.

It’s full of actionable ideas on how to make time to write, plan as much or as little as you need, and points you to ingenious tools and resources that can help you.

Plan in October, slay it in November!

Mindy, Becca, and I have our pom-poms ready to cheer you on. You’ve got this!

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post The Key to a Successful NaNoWriMo? Using October Wisely appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

It’s a big anniversary for us, folks! Ten years ago today we hit the publish button on The Emotion Thesaurus.

10 Years. Can you believe it?

We wrote this book hoping to help others who struggled with showing character emotion, but deep down, we were terrified. It was our first book. We were nobodies…who would take us seriously? And we were self-publishing at a time when the industry wasn’t too fond of that just yet.

We had no idea it would go on to become so well-loved book. And oh my gosh, guys–thank you so much for that!

Many of you have told us the Emotion Thesaurus never leaves your desk, and it’s hard to describe how good that makes us feel. Talk about honored. It got us thinking about the many other must-have resources that help writers create, publish, and build satisfying careers. That led to a very big question:

What would the Ultimate Writer’s Toolkit look like?

So, we polled other writers, made a list of the best of the best, and then reached out to the leaders in our industry to see if they would help us build an ULTIMATE toolkit and give it away.

The Ultimate Writer’s Toolkit Giveaway

Buckle in, writers, because one of you will win…

A 1-Year Subscription to Jane Friedman’s The Hot Sheet: An award-winning newsletter that will keep you up to date on the market, industry news, author earnings, trending topics, and new opportunities. (Value: $59) 

Writer’s Digest’s Get Published in 2022 Bundle: Nine amazing resources to help you stay productive, get published, and keep a positive mindset, so you reach your creative goals. (Value: $79.99)

Joanna Penn’s Author Business Plan Course: Learn the elements of an effective business plan, questions you need to answer to discover what lies behind the plan, and how to act on decisions made to take your author career to the next level. (Value: $99)

A 1-Year Subscription to One Stop for Writers: Everything a writer needs to create fresh, breakout fiction: powerful character and plotting tools, worldbuilding surveys, worksheets, the largest show-don’t-tell database available anywhere, and a Storyteller’s Roadmap to guide you from that first idea all the way to a publish-ready book. (Value: $105)

A Scrivener Writing Software License: Provides all you need to write and brings together your notes, research, and writing…so it’s always at hand. It also lets you set word targets for your entire manuscript or for the current writing session—which can be great motivation. (Value: $49)

A 1-Year ProWritingAid License: More features than any other manuscript editing software on the market! Improve your writing quickly and efficiently with thousands of grammar, spelling and readability improvements delivered in real-time as you write. (Value: $79)

The Hero’s Two Journeys Video Access: Two of Hollywood’s top Story Experts, Michael Hauge & Chris Vogler, reveal the secrets of mastering Plot Structure, Character Arc, Identity, Essence, Archetype and Theme. (Value: $39)

A 1-Year Subscription to StoryTeller: Get ready for revision to get a lot easier! Use Fictionary’s 38 Story Elements to evaluate your story scene to scene so only your best writing makes it to the page. (Value: $200)

A 1-Year Premium Membership to The Critique Circle: Continuously improve your writing by critiquing others and building relationships with authors who will help with your manuscripts. You can receive multiple critiques and compare feedback to see what’s working and what areas need to be strengthened. (Value: $50)

A Publisher Rocket License: Publisher Rocket helps get your book in front of more Amazon shoppers with four tools to increase book sales. It makes finding keywords, sizing up the competition, and choosing profitable categories quick and easy. (Value: $97)

A 1-Year Subscription to Book Brush: The easiest way to create professional ads, social media images, and 3D book covers using author-specific stamps, templates and animations. (Value: $99)

A 1-Year Subscription to StoryOrigin: Build your mailing list, increase sales, and find reviewers for your book all in one place. Everything an author needs to super-charge their marketing! (Value: $100)

A Writers Helping Writers Thesaurus Set*: Nine bestselling writing guides to help you activate the power of show-don’t-tell to involve readers more deeply in the world, events, and emotional undercurrents of your book. *US winner: print, International winner: digital. Emotion Amplifiers is digital only

Say, are you drooling?
It’s okay, we don’t blame you!

We can’t wait to see who wins this unbelievable writing toolkit. It won’t just improve someone’s writing – it will accelerate their career!

Runner-Up Prize Alert!

Because Writer’s Digest is so generous, they are also offering a runner-up prize:

Writer’s Digest NaNoWriMo Prep Bundle: Tons of tools to get your creativity flowing, keep you motivated, and complete your first draft in 30 days. ($56.99)

Thank you to all the generous sponsors who contributed to this Ultimate Writer’s Toolkit!

A little something from Becca & Angela

Many of you have The Emotion Thesaurus, either the original (75 emotions), or the 2nd edition (130 emotions), but you may not know it’s also at One Stop for Writers where we expand it from time to time.

In fact, we recently added 5 NEW EMOTIONS: Joy, Indignation, Misery, Giddiness, and Revulsion, so if you like, start a 2-week free trial to check out these entries (and the rest of the database), or…

Give yourself a 30% discount by using the code EMOTION when you sign up to any paid plan.

(Code valid until May 18th, 2022.)

Ready to enter the Giveaway? Find it below & good luck!

All the usual giveaway legalese applies – no purchase necessary, must be 18, and the winner is subject to our giveaway policies here. Additionally, these prizes have no cash value and cannot be exchanged. Some may have a time limit for redemption or other prize-specific conditions.

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post 10-Year Celebration: Win the Ultimate Writer’s Toolkit appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

NaNoWriMo is a great time to lock up your internal editor and let creativity take the wheel.

But unfortunately for most writers, it can be a time of disappointment, because while hundreds of thousands of folks step up to the NaNoWriMo plate, near as I can tell, only around 15% actually finish. And that’s a big bowl of sadness, if you ask me, especially as it’s often preventable.

Two Big Reasons Why Writers Quit

1. Sometimes life fish-slaps them in the face. An emergency crops up, or something unexpected comes along, and their time needs to be reallocated. Other times, already-overloaded writers decide to participate and discover they just can’t manage it along with everything else.

2. The writer loses track of where the story should go. When writers struggle too long with the “what happens now” question, they lose that forward momentum, start to doubt themselves, and fall out of love with the story. As those calendar dates pass with lackluster word count totals, catching up begins to feel impossible, or the story becomes too much of a mosh pit mess. So, they give up.

Most fall into this second category, but this doesn’t have to be anyone’s fate. So how do we avoid it? We prep, of course!

Prepping is for Plotters & Panters

No matter where you are on the plotter-or-pantser spectrum, you want to sit down on November 1st and feel good about having your fingers on the keyboard. The heady excitement of NaNoWriMo won’t last if the words dry up, so it’s best to make sure you’ve done everything you can to feel ready to create.

The two big types of NaNo prep we want to think about are Life Prep and Story Prep. Taking care of these in October is a super smart move.

The Ultimate NaNoWriMo Prep Guide

If you’d like some help getting ready, Becca and I have created an Ultimate NaNoWriMo Prep Guide for you!

This special guide looks at how to prep your writing space, NaNo-proof your life, and plan helpful story elements so you are ready for November 1st!

And don’t worry, Pantsers – our planning recommendations won’t hem you in. And Plotters, you’ll have suggestions that suit your process so you can plan as much as you need to write with confidence.

This guide is truly for Plotters, Pantsers, and everyone in between, so check it out!

Is One Stop for Writers in your NaNoWriMo Toolkit?

One Stop for Writers has a library full of powerful storytelling tools including the Storyteller’s Roadmap, a step-by-step writing plan to get you from that first idea to a publish-ready manuscript.

In the WRITING portion of the roadmap you’ll find a CODE RED section that will help with practically any struggle you might encounter, so subscribers, if you write yourself into a corner, get stuck in the middle, or you think you should quit, please check the Roadmap. A CODE RED solution can help you get you back on track!

50,000 words is within your reach.
You’ve got this, and we’re cheering you on!

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post NaNoWriMo Prep for Plotters & Pantsers appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

So, you did Nanowrimo and you made it to 50K! Congratulations, but you still have work to do. That’s right, now you need to revise … But where to start??

If you are feeling overwhelmed, then check out these 10 revision pointers. They can act as a handy checklist.

1. Wait

First up, do NOTHING. That’s right … Just let that novel sit in a drawer or on your computer’s desktop. Do absolutely zilch with it, for a couple of days (minimum) or weeks (preferred) or months (maximum).

Let your subconscious bubble away, working on any of your story’s problems as you get on with other stuff. In fact, here’s a great list of things to think about at this stage. (If you’ve already done this, now is the time to get going!)

2. Prepare a Copy

This bit is important. DO NOT have just one copy of your manuscript or screenplay – that way misery lies, Paul Sheldon style. Instead, send a copy to your eReader or print out a hard copy so you can make notes your preferred way. (Just make sure you can’t get sucked into typing more of it, so DO NOT read it on your laptop!).

3. Read

You need to read it like a new reader would, so try and be as objective as possible. Don’t let yourself off the hook just because you like a character, scene, or line of dialogue. Be really honest with yourself and get ruthless!

4. Avoid Revising the Draft as You Read

Remember, this is all about THE READ. There may be whole chunks that are dull, need fleshing out or make no sense. Remind yourself this is okay, it’s a first draft! Just write a few brief ‘notes to self’ to remind yourself for later.

5. Concentrate on the Big Picture First

When you’re done with your readthrough, you need to concentrate on the big picture stuff first. These include …

• The concept (aka premise). Is it obvious WHAT this story is? Do I get a sense of the tone, genre and style? What has gone before that is *like* my story?
• Characters. Do my main characters WANT something? Does it drive the story forwards? Do I understand WHO is doing WHAT and WHY?
• Structure/ Plotting. Can I follow the plot holistically? Does it feel like there’s ‘enough’ at stake? Are there ‘story cul-de-sacs’ that don’t seem to go anywhere? Does the plot seem to escalate, or run on the spot?

A good tip here is to use a plotting worksheet LIKE THIS ONE. By ‘drawing the story’ – and understanding the characters’ actions within it – you are less likely to end up stuck in what I call ‘The Story Swamp’ in your redraft.

For more on writing craft, you can grab a free online mini course on everything mentioned in this article, HERE.

6. Next, Concentrate on Scene by Scene

I like to write a list of every chapter or scene, then summarize what happens within it. In screenwriting, these lists are called beat sheets. It’s also a great way of working out whether there’s enough going on in each chapter in your book. You can cross-reference with your plotting worksheet and figure out if scenes are in the ‘right’ order.

7. Get Rid of Your Obvious ‘Writer Tells’

Watch out for random info dumps that slow the read down. Info dumps are also a favorite of amateur writers, so you want to make sure your exposition flows smoothly. Last of all, make sure you identify your crutch words. Crutch words are those ‘filler words’ you personally over-use that can be substituted or cut altogether.

8. Sweat the Small Stuff

So you’ve worked on the big plotting and character stuff holistically … Then worked your way down to individual scenes. This means NOW is the time to really work on stuff like grammar, spelling and punctuation. I would also recommend ensuring your draft is free from purple prose, which are those overwritten, ornate chunks of text.

9. Stay Positive

At this point, you may feel like your brain is about to explode. You may hate your book and have no idea whether it is good. THIS IS NORMAL and literally happens to all writers, even pro authors. Don’t freak out.

10. Get a Beta Reader (or two!)

Now you’ve written and revised your novel, it’s time for some feedback. Get a beta reader – this is someone who can give you feedback. Find them online in writers’ groups, via hashtags on Twitter and Instagram or at networking events (both on Zoom and real life). Alternatively, there are services where you can pay for specialist readers, though B2W always recommends exhausting your free options first.

Good Luck!

LUCY V. HAY - Resident Writing Coach

Lucy V. Hay is a script editor, author and blogger who helps writers. She’s been the script editor and advisor on numerous UK features and shorts & has also been a script reader for 20 years, providing coverage for indie prodcos, investors, screen agencies, producers, directors and individual writers. She’s also an author, publishing as both LV Hay and Lizzie Fry.  Lizzie’s latest, a serial killer thriller titled The Good Mother is out now with Joffe Books, with her sixth thriller out in 2024. Lucy’s site at www.bang2write.com has appeared in Top 100 round-ups for Writer’s Digest & The Write Life, as well as a UK Blog Awards Finalist and Feedspot’s #1 Screenwriting blog in the UK (ninth in the world.). She is also the author of the bestselling non-fiction book, Writing & Selling Thriller Screenplays: From TV Pilot To Feature Film (Creative Essentials), which she updated for the streaming age for its tenth anniversary in 2023.

The post 10 Steps To Revise Your Nano Novel appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

This year I won’t be entering but I’ve won NaNo a few times in the past (and failed once). That failure was due to a misstep of mine which I’ve never repeated.

What happened, exactly? Well, things were stupidly busy for me and long story short, I went into it unprepared. All I had was a nugget of an idea and figured I’d “get everything sorted” as I went along.

I was wrong.

Halfway through the novel, the story petered out. I never finished. Worse, I felt like I’d wrecked what could have been a great story idea…had I planned it out a little more. UGH.

Some people like to pants a novel (meaning they don’t need to plan and they can create on the fly). And while back then I would always pants a little, I still needed to know my story’s bones – who the protagonist was, what was at stake, and have ideas about where things were going.

So lesson learned: plan the important stuff. Since then, I’ve brainstormed what I’ve needed to. No more novels running out of steam, and no more quitting a book before it’s finished!

Whether it’s NaNoWriMo or not, I’ve realized that planning my characters so I know who they are deep down means they are so much easier to write. I always know how they will behave because I understand who they are and what’s motivating them.

Whether you plan a little or a lot, there’s one go-to place to check out: One Stop for Writers.

Planning is part of my routine but time is always tight, so having the right toolbox at my keyboard makes all the difference. Here’s how One Stop can help.

Ideas. Oh, where to start when it comes to planning a novel? A character’s secret, fear, or emotional wound? A plot complication, an area of internal growth, story stakes, or a story prompt? The idea generator is packed with options for planning your characters and plot.

Characters. At the heart of your story, characters must be well-developed with needs, motivations, and goals that make sense for who they are. The Character Builder not only helps you plan the people in your story, it also can recognize which key details will be part of their character arc. It will gather this information and create an accurate character arc blueprint showing their internal journey in your story. (Yes, really!)

Worldbuilding. Whether the story takes place in the real world or one of your own making, the details matter. For readers to be immersed in the protagonist’s struggles and the logic of the world has to hold up. One Stop has customizable surveys can help you plan the people, places, and systems that power your world.

Timelines. Is your character going on a quest? Do you need to plan a series of crime scenes where a killer leaves clues behind? This tool can help you track places, dates, and important details. And if you need to, you can drag the tiles around to play with the order of story events.

Plot & Structure. Need a solid outline to follow? Story Maps leads you through the 3-Acts step-by-step, helping you plot the outer story and prompting you to think about what developments should happen and when for change, failed, and static arcs.

Scene Outlines. If you want to keep your scenes on track so each one pushes the story forward, we have two different styles of Scene Maps to help.

Depending on what you need, there are other resources too. You can take it slow with Templates and Worksheets by planning the character, plot, and settings in smaller pieces. Or dive into everything that touches your character’s specific goal like the obstacles, stakes, and preparations using the Character Motivation Thesaurus. One Stop has the largest description database available anywhere so even during NaNoWriMo you’ll never run out of ideas on what to write.

Each of us plans differently…we get a feeling in our gut that guides us. Whatever you personally like to know about a story going in, I’m guessing One Stop for Writers can help. (But hey, I’m totally biased!) If you want to check the site out, give the 2-week free trial a spin.

Now, to totally kill it on the NaNoWriMo front…

Grab this Ultimate NaNoWriMo Prep Guide. It is PACKED with help on how to plan your story & characters, and set yourself up for success in others ways, too!

Are you entering NaNoWriMo? Is this your first year, or have you done it before? Let me know in the comments!

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post The Best Resource for Planning Your NaNoWriMo Novel appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

I had the rare and luscious experience this weekend of cracking open a book and it being so awesome that I flew right through it. The Deceivers is about a girl from the wrong side of the tracks who’s tapped to attend Vale Hall, a secret academy for con artists.

The character’s situation was compelling and the writing flawless, so I was sucked in right away. But at the back of my mind, doubts fluttered—suspicions that this book would end up like every other book in the Secret Academy subgenre.

Please don’t let her end up falling for her mark and becoming part of another love triangle.

Please don’t tell me that the hunky Vale student she’s falling for is playing her, that she’s actually his mark.

Please don’t turn the well-intentioned, father-figure principal who’s running the whole show into a morally bankrupt egomaniac who’s been playing everyone.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with any of these scenarios. The problem is that you see them in almost every book of this genre. After a while, they become cliché and begin to sound like every other story in that section of the library. Not exactly what we’re going for as authors.

Predictability is a problem for many readers. It’s why genres explode onto the scene for a while, but eventually fade out (dystopian, anyone?), because pretty soon, every book in that category sounds the same. Part of the magic in reading a new book is not knowing what’s going to happen. If readers can figure that out without really trying, chances are, the book isn’t going to hold them captive.

I was pleasantly surprised that the afore-mentioned book rose above the predictable outcomes. I was committed all the way through because I didn’t know what was going to happen and I couldn’t wait to see how things resolved. This is what we want for our readers: engagement, excitement, and an appreciation for a well-written, never-before-seen story.

So how do we give that to them? How do we avoid writing a story that’s predictable?

Read Within Your Genre to Identify Common Tropes

To a certain degree, genres have to be similar. People who read in a genre read those particular books because they’re appealing. Readers who pick up horror stories want to be scared; romance aficionados like the tension between the protagonist and his or her love interest; historical fiction readers enjoy stories about characters from a different age and long-ago settings. So some of the common elements within genres are necessary; they’re what make those books those kinds of books.

What we want to avoid are rinse-and-repeat scenarios surrounding the story’s main conflict or its resolution (like the ones I mentioned earlier).

To do this, we have to know what those same-old-same-old scenarios are, and the best way to do that is to read lots and lots of books within your story’s genre. TVTropes has a listing of literary genres and popular examples of books in those categories to help you flesh out your reading list. (Or, for something on the lighter side, check out these tongue-in-cheek Story Tropes Bingo Cards.)

As you read, make a list of the common scenarios and story resolutions you see in those books. Which ones keep cropping up? Which ones feel too easy, as if the author is just following someone else’s formula? Which ones were you able to predict while reading? Write those suckers down so you can think past the easy solutions and come up with something unique that will set your story apart from the others.

Read Outside Your Genre to Explore Other Conflict Scenarios and Their Outcomes

Once you’ve identified what to avoid, you’ve got to figure out conflict sources and resolutions to use instead. The best way to do that is to read outside of your genre. I know, I know, I just told you to check out books like yours. But if that’s all you read, you’re only going to see what everyone else in your genre is doing, and you’re likely going to end up using the same formula.

To make your story unique, look to other genres. What kinds of conflict scenarios are happening in those books? What other sources of conflict can you use to ramp up the tension in your scenes? Instead of the obvious story solution, how else could the main conflict be resolved?

Start another list. Get the juices flowing by writing down every idea that pops into your head, no matter how outlandish or odd. In the planning stage, experiment with some of those ideas to see which ones will help you not only avoid predictability but create something interesting and exciting that readers couldn’t possible see coming.

Choose Subplots Thoughtfully

While the main conflict or story goal within certain genres are similar (Boy Wants Girl, Woman Must Escape a Killer, Cop Has to Solve the Crime), you can differentiate your story from the others with your subplots.

In The Deceivers, Brynn is seeking to obtain certain information from her mark. This is her objective, and it’s a common one for a story in the Secret Academy/Con Artist genre. One twist, though, is a subplot involving her mother’s kingpin, drug-dealing boyfriend. When he learns that Brynn is collecting secrets from a wealthy politician, he wants in. He wants a cut. He’s a dangerous dude, so ignoring him is bad, but including him means tying herself to her old life and her dead-end neighborhood, which Brynn desperately doesn’t want to do.

This subplot takes the story out of the typical mold for this genre and creates all kinds of interesting scenarios. Throw in a romance subplot with another student who’s got issues of his own, and it becomes a totally new and unpredictable story.

When you’re planning your story, you obviously need to focus on your main storyline, but don’t stop there. Carefully consider what atypical subplots you can include that might take things in an unusual direction. Most outer motivations (overall story goals) can also work for smaller objectives (subplots). So explore the different possibilities to come up with a unique mix of plots that will give you all kinds of options for where the story can go. 

Listen, it’s easy to fall into the trap of writing a story that’s just like the others in your genre. But for readers, “easy” often translates into ho-hum, clichéd, and expected. You don’t have to reinvent the whole genre to keep readers interested. Just put in a little extra work to identify and avoid the common patterns, and you’ll end up with something for readers to talk (or even blog) about.

Quick Resource List for NaNoWriMo’ers (and the rest of us):

Writer’s Helping Writer’s Conflict Thesaurus
One Stop for Writer’s Character Motivation Thesaurus
Literary Genres and Common Tropes

BECCA PUGLISI

Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and bestselling author of The Emotion Thesaurus and its sequels. Her books are available in five languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers—a powerhouse online library created to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post Saving your Story from Predictability appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

1. Make with a plan (yes, even the Pantsers). Really, the more you know about your plot and characters going in, the more it helps. Understanding what motivates your hero and why is the golden thread of your story which will make everything else so much easier to write because each action and decision is about getting them what they need most. Even if you’ve started without knowing this, challenge yourself to puzzle it out as soon as possible so that will help you steer the story.

2. If you get stuck on what comes next, skip ahead. Think about the story ahead and the next scene you see clearly in your mind. Maybe it’s two scenes down the road, or two chapters. Either way, put a placeholder into your book like, “Cindy is released from prison on a technicality” and then jump forward to the next scene you know will happen, like Cindy stalking the only witness to the crime. Words flow again, and in the background, you brain can work on the problem. When the answer hits (and it will), you can go back and “fill in” the missing scene.

3. Hate how a scene turned out? Change the setting and rewrite it. Many don’t realize it, but setting choice is a pretty big deal. How well the scene works is influenced by how well you utilize your setting, so choosing the right one is important. You can really mess with a character’s emotions, alter the mood, create conflict, and home in on fears, hopes or dreams as you need to, all using the setting. Here’s 4 ways to nail down the best setting choice for each scene. (Psst, if you rewrite the scene, keep the old one as it’s part of your 50K word count!)

4. Always end the session knowing the next line. We can lose momentum between writing sprints–one minute the words are flying, the next, nope. If you are writing a scene and need to quit for the day, try not finishing it…wait and pick it up again in your next session. Or, start the next scene just enough that you see the direction and then stop. This will help you get into the flow faster and keep the paralyzing fear of WHAT COMES NEXT at bay.

5. Triage, Triage, Triage. Getting stuck or stumped may happen. Let’s be real–it probably will happen. But that’s totally okay because all you need to do is visit the NaNoWriMo Triage Center. You can find help for Character Issues, Plot Problems, Conflict Juicing, Story Middle Problems, plus a bunch of brainstorming links.

BONUS TIP:

Now might also be a good time to check out One Stop for Writers. Activate the FREE TRIAL and gain instant access to the largest Show-Don’t-Tell THESAURUS database anywhere. You’ll never run out of ideas on what to write about.

Becca and I are cheering you all on!  Go, NaNo Warriors!

What are your favorite NaNo tips? Share them in the comments!

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post Hacking NaNoWriMo: How to Reach the Finish Line appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

With so many stories bouncing around in a writer’s mind, it likely comes as no surprise that most writers seek to write more—or to be more efficient in the time they have to write. In the month of November, known as National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) to the writing community, thousands of writers endeavor to write 50,000 words in a single month.

To give you perspective, 50,000 words is roughly 200 manuscript pages (at approximately 250 words per page). For non-writers, that number is probably akin to a month of torture. For writers, it may feel that way, too. Yet, it’s a delightful torture we do to ourselves… every year.

But regardless of the month of the year—whether it’s NaNoWriMo season or any other month—how can writers more efficiently put words onto the page?

1. Make a writing schedule and track your progress

It’s important to make writing a routine. Depending on your lifestyle, such as if you’re a nurse, you may not be able to write daily. Find what works for your schedule and make it a routine. Meanwhile, track how much you write to keep yourself accountable.

2. Determine when your peak creativity is and plan your days around that time

Some people like to write in the morning, some at night. Assess your daily habits to see when your creativity blossoms throughout the day. If it’s in the morning, adjust your schedule so you go to bed earlier. If it’s at night, try putting your kids to bed earlier (if you have kids) so you have more time to write.

Whatever your circumstances are, adjust your schedule so you are available to write during your peak writing time.

If your peak creativity is at a time when you are at work, for example, and can’t make time to write, I have unfortunate news for you. You will likely need to write at a time when you don’t “feel” creativite. Part of the difficulty of being a writer is you can’t only write at the times you feel like it. Learn to be creative through discipline.

3. Restrict your writing time to only writing

Don’t use social media or anything else that might be distracting while you are writing. Allow your writing time to be strictly that: a time to write. If that means going to write where there’s no WiFi (and therefore no temptations), do it. Also, consider leaving your phone in the other room when you write.

4. Utilize the Pomodoro Technique (also known as  “writing sprints”)

If you have ever gone on the online writing community, namely the communities on Twitter and YouTube, you will likely have heard of writing sprints. In short, it’s a designated amount of time (often ranging from 10 to 40 minutes) where writers will write as much as they can in that allotted time.

Recently, I stumbled across the Pomodoro Technique, which is similar in theory to a writing sprint. Essentially, it’s a time management method created in the 1980s by Francesco Cirillo where you work in timed intervals, usually 25 minutes in length, and it’s separated by short breaks.

I’ve found the following schedule works for me:

• Write for 20 minutes
• Rest for 5 minutes
• Write for 20 minutes
• Rest for 5 minutes
• And so on

During the 20 minutes of writing, I write as much as I can. In the five minutes of rest, sometimes I will read over what I’ve written or my outline for the remaining/next chapter, or I might hop on social media or do some other menial task and let my mind rest until the five minutes are over.

Test it out to see what works for you. I highly recommend setting a timer on your phone (or another device). There are also Pomodoro Technique apps.

Compared to having an hour and saying to yourself, “I’m going to write for an hour,” and then writing for 20 minutes and fidgeting on social media for the other 40 minutes, the Pomodoro Technique encourages single-tasking and efficiency.

5. Avoid editing as you write

This is a tip you will hear everywhere, but I think it’s great to voice one more time. Your first draft is supposed to be an imperfect retelling of the perfect story in your head. Allow yourself to be messy, to have typos, and so on as you write the first draft of your manuscript. Only put your editor hat on when it’s time to edit that first, completed draft (or section of the book).

If you’re an edit-as-you-go writer (which is totally cool), NaNoWriMo or speed writing may not be the thing for you. Or, perhaps, allow yourself to speed write a chapter before going back to edit it.

As always, take my advice (or any writing advice) with a grain of salt. Experiment to see what works best for you!

6. Ignore all other shiny novel ideas

Got a fantastic novel idea for your next novel? Does it somehow—rather suddenly—seem so appealing to explore? That’s your brain trying to avoid working on your current book—something it likely sees as stressful or hard work. Our bodies and minds are wired to want to be the most efficient and take the path of least resistance. However, fight the instinct to divert your creative attention. Instead, write these shiny new ideas down and explore them at a later time.

7. Have your computer/notebook handy

You never know when you will have downtime. Consider using any spare minutes in the car between appointments, before a doctor visit, etc. to jot down a few words or book ideas. If you know you will have free time during your day, such as while you are at the airport, bring your computer or notebook to write. If you don’t want to bring your personal computer while you travel, download the Google docs app (or a similar writing app). That way, you can open up your Google docs on your work computer or on your phone and write whenever you have free time.

8. Write in different places

Whether you are a creature of habit or you like variety in your writerly routine, consider the place you write as yet another contributing factor to your productivity. Do you have a favorite place to write at home? A desk or office, perhaps? Write there. If the words aren’t flowing onto the page, however, consider swapping locations: kitchen table, local library, couch, bed, coffee shops, a local pub (if you are of age), and so on.

9. Write when others are sleeping

Whether you are a parent or live in a busy household, consider writing when others are sleeping—either late at night or first thing in the morning. The hours before the world wakes up or after it goes to sleep are some of the most productive hours, as there are less distractions or other obligations vying for your time.

10. Remove distractions

Turn off your WiFi, put your phone in another room, or remove any other distractions that might tempt you to do something other than write during your writing time. For me, it’s tinkering on my website. As a result, I will turn off my WiFi and only allow myself back online when I’ve hit my daily word count goal.

11. Find an accountability partner

I hesitate to include this tip. From what I’ve seen, many writers will place the responsibility on their accountability partner to keep them writing. But, in my opinion, that responsibility falls solely on the writer, themselves. Therefore, consider finding a fellow writer to touch base with weekly or every now and again. Encourage each other to keep going, and don’t be afraid to bounce book ideas off them if you are stuck. But do not count on these people to remind you to write every day. That’s what calendar alerts are for.

12. Outsource non-writing tasks

As many of you guys know, I’m a mom. And goodness knows my to-do list is about as monstrous as my TBR (to-be-read) list. During the month of NaNoWriMo or any other month you are looking to pump out some extra words and increase your productivity, don’t be afraid to ask for help in non-writing tasks (that might otherwise take away from your writing time).

If you have a spouse or partner, ask them if they wouldn’t mind doing the dishes or laundry that week. If you are at school, ask your roommates if they could go grocery shopping for you. If you live at home, ask your parents or loved ones to chip in as needed. You would be surprised how your family and friends will go out of their way to help you if it means supporting your dreams.

13. Say no to non-writing activities

Unfortunately, you won’t have time to do everything. If you’re invited to a barbeque that’s during your writing time, you may have to say no to get that next chapter down. Look at your schedule. Decide if you can (or have) hit your goals with your remaining free time that week. If not, consider saying no.

14. Give yourself deadlines

Sometimes, simply saying, “Write 50,000 words in a month” is a little too vague for our writerly brains to grasp (and ultimately attain). Instead, consider giving yourself weekly deadlines, such as writing 12,000 words by Sunday night each week. Most importantly, use these deadlines to keep yourself accountable!

15. Make a long-term plan with short-term goals

Similar to the first point in this blog, make short-term goals for your writing. Write down attainable goals that are within your power. For example, a goal within your power is to write 50,000 words in a month. A goal not within your power is to get a literary agent in the next year.

Track your progress throughout and adjust your timeline as needed.

With these short-term goals in mind, consider how this will impact your future. Do you want to have a published book within the next five years? If so, you will want to factor in other things to your timeline, such as the time it takes to research agents, query, go on submission, etc. To accomodate for these things, which are outside of your control, you may want to give yourself a deadline to complete draft one, another deadline for self-editing, another deadline for exchanging chapters with CPs, and yet another deadline for beta readers so you have extra allotted time for the time it takes to get literary representation and then go on submission.

Time moves faster than you think; so consider where you want to be in your author career in the coming years.

16. When all else fails, use bribes

If looking into your future and thinking about having your book on a bookshelf in five years is just too darn far away to motivate you to write right now (vs. binging a television series on Netflix this very evening), you may want to utilize my favorite writing productivity technique: carbs.

I mean, bribes.

It may not sound flattering, but humans aren’t all that different from animals. Classical conditioning (also called Pavlovian conditioning) works on us, too. Ivan Pavlov, a Russian physiologist, discovered in his research in the 1890s that dogs began to salivate at the presence of the technician who normally fed them, and not salivating at the presence of food. In short, he discovered dogs could be trained over time to respond to a stimulus and associate it with food.

Similarly, we can learn to associate hitting 2,000 words per day with a well-earned bowl of pasta. Just saying.

MEG LATORRE

Meg LaTorre is a writer, YouTuber (iWriterly), creator of the free query critique platform, Query Hack, co-host of the Publishable show, blogger, and she formerly worked at a literary agency. She also has a background in magazine publishing, medical/technical writing, and journalism. To learn more about Meg, visit her website, follow her on Twitter and Instagram, sign up for her monthly newsletter, and subscribe to her YouTube channel, iWriterly.

The post How to Write More Words, aka, Winning at NaNo appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

However, Becca and I want to support all of you who are leaping into the sleep-deprived & coffee-fueled madness of NaNo, so here are two deals you may not know about that can help you get those 50,000 words on the page.

A 2-Week Free Trial at One Stop for Writers

When you’re heading towards a month-long journey into a world of imaginative chaos, you want to make sure your writer’s backpack is well stocked. We know your gummy bears and pretzels supply is ready to go but what about the creative tools that will help you actually get those words written?

If you haven’t tried One Stop for Writers, now’s a great time to sign up. You can take some time to plan your protagonist in detail using the Character Builder. This hyper-intelligent tool allows you to dig deep into the personality, backstory, motivations, and fears so you know what makes them tick. Not only that, it will prompt you with character-specific ideas at each step. You’ll craft a powerful, unique character (like THIS ONE) in half the time, one strong enough to carry your story into reality.

Our Story Map, Timelines, and other structure tools can help you plan as much or as little as you need. And One Stop for Writers has the largest fiction-based description database available anywhere. You’ll never run out of ideas on what to write, that’s for sure.

To find out more, visit our Features and Tools page or start your FREE TRIAL. (No credit card is required.)

The Emotion Thesaurus

Maybe you’ve heard buzz about The Emotion Thesaurus and are wondering why people get so excited about it. Well, our books are a bit unique in that they contain helpful brainstorming lists to ensure you never get stuck on what to write next. (Sounds sort of great for NaNoWriMo, right?)

The Emotion Thesaurus has been expanded into a 2nd edition that looks at 130 different emotions, listing the body language, thoughts, dialogue cues, and visceral sensations for each so you can also figure out exactly HOW to express your character’s emotion.

Showing the character’s emotion is a common stumbling block for writers, especially in the throes of NaNoWriMo when time is a factor. So rather than staring at the screen and struggling, open the book to the emotion your character is feeling and read through the lists of body language, thoughts, and visceral sensations. Chances are this will trigger an idea that will send your fingers back to the keyboard so you don’t lose the flow.

All right, guys–you’ve got this. We’re cheering you on! Set November on fire with your words!

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post Two Great Tools To Help You Win NaNoWriMo appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

Ready to mow down some words? Read on–this will help you get to the 50K finish line!

1. Start with a plan (yes, even the Pantsers). Really, the more you know about your plot and characters going in, the more it helps. Understanding what motivates your hero and why is the golden thread of your story, so don’t go in blind. There will be plenty of room for pantsing, trust me.

2. If you get stuck on what comes next, skip ahead. Think about the story ahead and the next scene you see clearly in your mind. Maybe it’s two scenes down the road, or two chapters. Either way, put a placeholder into your book like, “Cindy is released from prison on a technicality” and then jump forward to the next scene you know will happen, like Cindy stalking the only witness to the crime. Words flow again, and in the background, you brain can work on the problem. When the answer hits (and it will), you can “fill in” the missing scene.

3. Hate the scene? Change the setting and rewrite it. Many don’t realize it, but setting choice is a pretty big deal. How well the scene works is influenced by how well you utilize your setting, so choosing the right one is important. You can really mess with a character’s emotions, alter the mood, create conflict, and home in on fears, hopes or dreams as you need to, all using the setting. Here’s 4 ways to nail down the best setting choice for each scene. (Psst, if you rewrite the scene, keep the old one as it’s part of your 50K word count!)

4. Always end the session knowing the next line. We can lose momentum between writing sprints–one minute the words are flying, the next, nope. If you are writing a scene and need to quit for the day, try not finishing it…wait and pick it up again in your next session. Or, start the next scene just enough that you see the direction and then stop. This will help you get into the flow faster and keep the paralyzing fear of WHAT COMES NEXT at bay.

5. Triage, Triage, Triage. Getting stuck or stumped may happen. Let’s be real–it probably will happen. But that’s totally okay because all you need to do is visit the NaNoWriMo Triage Center. You can find help for Character Issues, Plot Problems, Conflict Juicing, Story Middle Problems, plus a bunch of brainstorming links.

What are your favorite tips? Share them in the comments.

Now might also be a good time to check out One Stop for Writers. With our FREE TRIAL, you can access our massive show-don’t-tell THESAURUS and keep the words flowing.

And of course, there’s also a ton of writing tutorials, lessons, story maps, timeline tools, generators, and other writerly help there, too.

Becca and I are cheering you all on!  Go, NaNo Warriors!

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ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post 5 NaNoWriMo Hacks To Keep Words Flowing appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

Your mind goes blank.

At first, you don’t understand. You stare at your fingers. Why aren’t they moving, directing fictional lives, creating worlds?

Come on, you urge. Get to work. They remain still, splayed out in knobby hooks of rigor mortis.

A familiar feeling curls through your belly, sliding around in a slow dance before fanning through your chest and netting it tight.

It’s happening, the thing you prayed would not come to pass: the Big Blank, a creative block that tries to stop you from writing. 

Don’t Panic.

If your mind goes blank about what to write next, don’t worry. Looking in the right places within your story can get going again. We’ve set up a triage center for you in case your writing stalls, and you need help to get moving again.

It isn’t unusual to hit a creative blank at some point, so the first step is to determine what’s holding you up.

Character Blanks

If a character is a bit flat, and you’re having a hard time writing them because you can’t connect, the best thing to do is delve deeper into who they are and develop them more. But during NaNoWriMo, time is of the essence. There’s not always time to re-plan a character. So here are some shortcuts:

Introduce a Secret

Every character is hiding something, including your character. They will be motivated to protect it because they come from a place of guilt, shame, exploitation or necessity. This secret can shed light on their past, highlight their insecurities, and create conflict in the story…because you’ll want this secret to get out. Secrets are great to add character depth and the right one furthers the plot. Brainstorm the perfect secret here.

Give Them An Unusual Skill or Talent

Another way to help your character stand out is to focus on something that makes them unique. Can a talent, skill, or ability add zing to their stage presence and tie right into how they will achieve their goal?

(This list of talents and skills can get you started.) 

Make Them Worthy

Sometimes we can tell the connection between the character and the reader isn’t there, because we don’t feel empathy for the character ourselves as we write. The area to explore in this case is WORTHINESS.

Giving a character a boatload of undeserved misfortune isn’t enough. We need to think about what the character does despite their hardship, and how that can pull readers in.

Questions to ask: 

1) Is their goal worthy? (Here’s a checklist to find out.)
2) What makes them human? Do they struggle, make mistakes, and sometimes don’t know what to do? 
3) Do they keep trying because they want something better? 
4) Do readers see themselves in the character – their struggles, needs, hopes, and dreams?

When triage methods aren’t cutting it…

Sometimes a character needs so much work you need to do an overhaul to figure out what’s wrong. Here’s our tip: activate this FREE TRIAL and use One Stop for Writers’ Character Builder to diagnose what’s wrong and fix their Character Arc (the tool creates an accurate Character Arc Blueprint from your character’s details).

Story Middle Blanks

Focus on Motivation

Ran out of steam, did you? It’s okay, the middle of a story can be a tricky place. You don’t want to wrap things up too quickly, but at the same time, not…much…seems to be…happening. When you get stuck and don’t know where to go next, think MOTIVATION. Your hero should always be motivated to act, making decisions, choices, weighing options. Always know what is motivating your character, and you’ll be able to put one foot in front of the other again. If you are stuck for ideas on what is motivating your character, visit this list.

Have Them look In a Mirror

If you’re lost in the middle, make haste to the midpoint & mirror moment when your hero looks within, has an emotional epiphany, and that leads to change and purpose.

Seek Out an Expert

James Scott Bell knows all about writing the middle of a novel, so much that he’s written a book about it. A book, I might add, you should own (and all his others).

Plotting Blanks

Throw a Curve Ball

Tension makes the world go round. If your characters are stalling on what to do, it’s time to amp things up and spread some pain. Use the Conflict Thesaurus to find the perfect story problem, complication, ticking clock or danger that will turn up the heat, forcing them to act.

And remember…it’s okay if they fail. In fact, failure is an important part of your story, and their journey of growth.

Introduce a Pressure Point

If your plot is chugging like a car that’s almost out of gas, it might be time to utilize a pressure point. There’s nothing like a temptation, a challenge, or an opportunity for redemption to push the story forward.

Poke at Backstory Wounds

Unresolved emotional wounds are a big part of what’s holding your character back in the story, so if the plot trail starts to dry up, return to their Character Arc and remember your protagonist will almost certainly need to change to succeed (if that’s your intent). Part of change is letting go of past hurts, so you should know what that is for your character.

Visit this EMOTIONAL WOUNDS database to delve into different types of trauma, and see how these events can negatively impact a character, and specific hurdles they must overcome. This will give you ideas on what should happen in your plot.

Conflict Blanks

Raise the Stakes

If your conflict is flat-lining, it’s time to raise the stakes. No, I’m not talking about throwing more monsters at your hero for him to kill, or a bigger, nastier bomb for him to diffuse. Instead, let’s personalize those stakes because it pressures your protagonist to ACT.

Threaten something or someone they care about. An option is to pass on the fallout to someone else. In other words, if the character does nothing, another will suffer. This undeserved misfortune will push them to do all they can to avoid this.

And if you need ideas for a conflict scenario, what the fallout might look like, or what could be at stake, this Conflict Thesaurus will be your best friend.

Cross a Moral Line

If your tension is as hardcore as limp celery, bring about a personal crisis. Force your hero to do the unthinkable and cross a moral line for the “greater good.” When the lines between right and wrong grow fuzzy, everything gets complicated in a hurry, which is terrific for juicing up your story.

Friction & Fireworks

You love your characters, I get it. The problem is, when everyone is playing nice with one another, the story gets boring fast. Add a healthy dose of tension by creating some clashing personalities as this will create friction.

Amplify Emotional Reactions

Nothing adds tension and conflict like a stupid mistake. Screw-ups are a story’s bread and butter, so amplify your character’s emotions, piling on the stress or pain, or even distracting them with the primal pull of attraction, hunger or thirst. You pick the amplifier, apply it, and watch the emotional overreactions lead to bad judgment and rashness that create terrific story fallout.

Brainstorming Blanks

Sometimes our brain turns to static. But during an event like NaNoWriMo, nobody’s got time for that. This is where a show-don’t-tell database can help.

One Stop For Writers: Your Portal to Unlimited Creativity

No matter what it is you need help with — describing the setting, weather, symbolism, character motivations, backstory or more–you’ll find lists of important details to incorporate into your story, ones that push the plot forward, characterize, and infuse scenes with emotion. There’s no room in your story for “filler” details, so make sure everything you show readers has purpose, making your story strong and vivid.

Now, Keep Writing!

If all else fails, if you can’t solve your problem, go around it. Put in a sentence or two as a placeholder, and then move forward in the story to a point where you feel on solid ground again. Later, you can come back and fill in the blank.

Chances are, if your brain has time to think about the problem without feeling pressured to perform, you’ll sort it out on your own and be able to come back and add in the missing scenes.SaveSave

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ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

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