PlotNoWriMo: Fine Tune

In the final week, we examine your outline so far and fill in any gaps left to make it work as a whole. The most important thing to remember about the outline?

If your novel is causing you undue stress next month, don't worry about straying from your outline or abandoning it entirely, IF it keeps you writing. But the hope is that we've done a thorough enough job of outlining that we've anticipated and fixed plot-related problems that could arise.

One thing to realize is that the actual writing of your outline may not feel as inspired as all the brainstorming and outlining we've done this month. It's possible that when you actually start to write, some of the shine has dulled from your idea. This happens often when our brilliant creation feels bogged with the technicality of writing it or even if the story isn't coming out as we envisioned in the first draft.

Be careful that you don't abandon your outline prematurely. A good way to tell whether a problem lies with a flawed outline or a bored writer is to look at the reason why you're having trouble.

If the dots of your story aren't connecting -if the character isn't cooperating, if the plot points are beginning to unravel- this is a good indication that your outline isn't working and it's safe to try writing without it for a while. (As a cheerful anecdote, while writing The Fellowship of the Ring, J.R.R. Tolkien had no idea who Strider was when he met the hobbits in Bree, but Tolkien decided to go with it. Now can you imagine LotR without Aragorn?)

If the plot still works, but your inspiration and passion for putting the words together has waned, there's a good chance the problem is you and the answer is to sludge through. Assuming the idea felt inspired and brilliant during the outlining stage, you still believe in your story and want to write it, you've just hit a rough patch. As with any creative pursuit, there are going to be times that you want the finished project without going through the hard process of creating it. We've all been there. If you really want to be a writer -or a person of any creative pursuit- we need to take the technical and/or boring side of the project with the thrill of the ingenious craze. Don't give up on your outline just yet. If you keep writing, you should find that the boredom will vanish and the inspiration return, you just need to stick with it.


On a personal note, I've (almost certainly) decided that I'll be skipping NaNoWriMo myself this year. I have my work cut out for me completing my MG novel Rodney and the Gonjii, and most of this is fine-tuning and arc-mapping, so word count does not really apply.


For those of you participating, the best of luck! And hey, I'd love to hear about your progress during NaNo. A vicarious experience, if you will. Be sure to tell me whether or not this outlining process has helped you, as I hope it has. Just #PlotBender.

PlotNoWriMo Schedule: 

• Introduction 
• Week One -The Idea
• Week Two -Brainstorm
• Week Three -Major Plot Points
• Week Four -Organize
• Week Five -Fine Tune

PlotNoWriMo: Organize

That's right, it's time. To get organized!

Step four in the PlotNo process is dedicated to filing and organizing all of your notes and brainstorming, converting them into hard copies to have on hand (WORLDBUILDING BIBLE! *throws confetti*), and taking satisfaction in the fact that all relevant information is now at your finger tips. Mua ha ha.

Having trouble? #PlotBender

Finding success? #PlotBender
Scared of what's coming come November? #PlotBender

Want to share your own tips? I think you know where this is going. =) 

PlotNoWriMo Schedule: 

• Introduction 
• Week One -The Idea
• Week Two -Brainstorm
• Week Three -Major Plot Points
• Week Four -Organize
• Week Five -Fine Tune

PlotNoWriMo: Brainstorm

Arr, look at that horizon. A brainstorm's a-brewin, matey!

I apologize this is up so late this morning *coughcough* -afternoon. Things got a little crazy when I came down with a fever, but no fear! I'm doing much better, and Step Two in the plotting process is here.

Brainstorm 

This second week is aimed at fleshing out The Idea from week one, with the dual goals of providing you with enough material for a novel and filling in the inevitable gaps and holes of The Idea.

Brainstorm like the wind, my plotters!

Ask any questions in the comments below or with #PlotBender on Twitter. Heck, let's make this a party. Let me know how you're doing and whether you've discovered more effective ways to plot.

PlotNoWriMo Schedule:

• Introduction
• Week One -The Idea
• Week Two -Brainstorm
• Week Three -Major Plot Points
• Week Four -Organize
• Week Five -Fine Tune

PlotNoWriMo: The Idea

Confession: I've never been very good at plotting and planning and organizing. Especially organizing. *shudder*

 

O, the messiness!

These three things happen to be very important for (successful) writing. I realized it's the reason I've been having such a hard time finishing my book. I didn't know enough solid, sorted details about what was coming next. Without that, I felt like I was stumbling in the dark.

Having never been good at the plotting and organization thing, I turned to the Internet. No single suggested method worked quite to my taste, so I wound up cobbling my own process. It's been working wonders for me, and with NaNoWriMo just around the corner... Well, I couldn't resist sharing.

This is that process.

Introduction

The Idea

The first week is focused on getting that story idea from your head to paper. Write down your idea. All of it. Every thought you have about your future story and its characters.

PlotNoWriMo Schedule:

• Introduction
• Week One -The Idea
• Week Two -Brainstorm
• Week Three -Major Plot Points
• Week Four -Organize
• Week Five -Fine Tune

Pecksniffian: An Author's Highest Honor

Pecksniffian.

This is an actual word. I'm not making it up, I swear. I can't even remember where I first heard it, but I do remember thinking whoever invented it might have been sniffing glue. 

The word's true origin is a way better story.

Pecksniffian: Uncuously hypocritical (Merriam-Webster)
                Affecting benevolence or high moral principles. (Oxford English)

This word is derived from the name Seth Pecksniff, a character in Charles Dickens' Martin Chuzzlewit. This, I think, is one of the highest honors society can bestow upon an author.

Book sales are great. Seeing your name in huge print on the cover of your baby would be wonderful, and listening to readers tell how your words affected their lives would be amazing. 

But for one of your characters to have such a huge impact on society in general that they turn his name into an adjective, that the easiest way someone thinks they can relate a real world situation to their peers is to use your character as the ultimate example?

That is a true success for a writer. 

I'm not ashamed to admit I want this to happen to 'Rodney'. How fun would that be?

"Don't be such a Rodney, Adrian," Sharona could tell Mr. Monk. "It's just a little dirt."

"Quit the Rodney freakout, Indy," Marian Ravenwood would complain, "They're snakes."

"Sorry I Rodneyed," I might say, red in the face after fleeing from a bumblebee.

It could happen, right?