September 24, 2007
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What up.
So, although it seems relatively far away, November is rapidly approaching, and for me – and many others – that means it’s time to write a book.
National Novel Writing Month, or Nanowrimo for short, is a non-profit movement to make you write a 50,000 word novel over the course of a month. The aim is not to turn out the Great American Novel, but rather to take the “oh, I’ll get to it someday” approach to achieving goals and smash it.
In my case, the end result is nothing special in total – it’s a hastily written, autobiographical mess for the three I’ve done and two I’ve finished – but seeing “reading page 5/175″ in Microsoft Word is pretty striking.
So, in conclusion, help me think of novel plots.
Comments (8)
Write a novel about who you would have been if you were born in another time or place. Future, past, present in a distant land. Examine how you would have reacted to things that would have been commonplace then, but which are otherworldly today.
This is the best that I can do without knowing you or your interests and experiences.
I understand the dilemma. My last boyfriend could create these amazing worlds in such detail that he made up brands of coffee and the like without batting an eye. I, however, focus more on characters than on the world.
Alright, so you live in New York City. That should you provide you with ample diversity that you could write nearly anything and set it in your city.
If you are sentimental- perhaps a love story featuring people of different groups, be they social, economic, racial, or otherwise, who should not have met otherwise. (Also useful as social commentary.)
If you are sarcastic- perhaps a satire of your society. Exaggerate the faults in your world and simplify the characters to avoid drawing attention from your main point.
If you like fantasy- use the world that you live in, but change one element. Give some people a new ability, such as flight, and examine the consequences. Discover a new race that lives in a world that’s hidden, yet connected to yours.
You might wish to emulate one of your favorite authors merely to try out the style. You could take your dreams and make them reality. The possibilities are, both fortunately and unfortunately, endless.
(By the way, I might just try to write my own novel. It would be difficult with the balance between work and school that I am holding, but it could be worth it. Thanks for being inspiration.
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If you glance just to the right of this… you’re in the NYC metro. Sometimes, homework truly isn’t that hard.
I do wish that I lived in a more diverse place, for as I mentioned previously, you could set nearly anything in your city. I live in the country side, and while small-town America can be moving, it severely limits the stories that may be placed into the setting easily.
As for the suggestions, they come from reading quite a bit in former years rather than from studying your blog, though I considered that as an option.
Perhaps you should refine your previous characters. One or two of them might send you off on a new story, or you might finally figure out what the five of them were doing together.
I will consider writing. I think that I could probably incorporate my fantasy suggestion to you into my environment: anything can exist in a forest if it is deep enough. By then, my classes will be winding down, and I don’t think that 1667 words is that many paragraphs for me, so it might just be possible. I do have a month to decide, after all.
I find it necessary to note that all of this began because you stumbled across my xanga and left footprints that I followed back here.
As the 4th comment on this entry, I do understand the spamming sensation. I assure you that it’s mutual.
I never thought of how it could be difficult to come up with a story even with a good setting provided, but I suppose that you’re right. After all, I’ve never set down a book and said, “Man, that was an excellent setting! I can barely remember the plot, but the setting with stay with me forever!”
I think that I’ll try it this year. I’ve never written anything of substantial length before, so this should be a good challenge for me. I do have a few ideas of my own floating around, so I should be fine.
May I take it from your zeal for the footprints that I have stimulated your creativity at some point during this conversation?
oooo
How come I never knew that this happened every year? Perhaps I just haven’t been paying attention. Can I cheat and finish something I’ve started years ago? I have a lot of unfinished novels…
Hmmm, write an autobiography or a novel about a little american girl left behind in India who discovers the meaning of life, love, and differences.
Happy Writing!
perhaps I will try it…
also! HUGS for wishing me better. I’m not 100%, but I am moving up!
I didn’t mean that the beliefs must be shared to this degree:
“What do you believe about jay-walking?”
“It’s wrong. The law says not to do it.”
“I believe it’s OK. Sometimes, you just have to cross. Well, I’m going to have to leave you now. It’s been fun.” *jay-walks away*
I merely think that things would be easier and cause less conflict if both people believe in reincarnation, the 10 commandments, or that all problems are caused by spirits around us. There’s enough other things to fight about in a relationship without what happens after death being one of them, in my opinion.
There could be exceptions to my statement, of course. Not every relationship is doomed to fail because of differing religions, provided that the core beliefs of the individuals are the same. (If both believe that there are many ways to Heaven, then neither is likely to mind if the other picks a different path, you see?)
I hope that this clarifies what I meant to say. If we still disagree, that’s fine, but I wanted to explain regardless. (Thanks for reading!)
I’m non-confrontational, so I tend to prefer harmony, but if it works for you, then go for it!
Thanks for the comment! I am glad that you liked the shoe pix!
I always look forward to the stories that people post on here this time of year. Or the links to their stories.’Civildis’ writes some wonderful stories.