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So, NaNoWriMo is about to start, and you haven't got a plot. Don't panic! Writing a novel without a comprehensive plan is an exciting endeavour, and it is definitely not impossible. The fun in pantsing is in the uncertainty; rather than painting-by-numbers, you get to create your story piece by piece, and discover the story along with the reader.
Here are 4 methods of writing a novel without a plan (and without panic).
Once you've got a few ideas for your novel, the next step is to learn as much about the topic and setting as possible. This is to be done in conjunction with plotting your novel because to explore the best form and sequence of events for your novel, you need to understand at least some of the background knowledge. But finding relevant and accurate information is a challenge—not to mention keeping track of it!
The characters in your novel are just as important as the stuff that happens to them. You (and your readers) are going to be spending a lot of time with them, so it's important to make them worth reading about. Note that they do not have to be likeable, but they do have to be interesting, and there should be a reason that they are in your novel.
This post will take you through a method of creating characters that will be relevant to your novel, interesting to you and that have their own voice. It is likely that this voice will change and develop as you keep writing your novel, but this post is designed to give you a jumping-off point. As you go through the process, make note of anything you need to research later so you don't get distracted.
Once you've you've got an idea for your novel, you need to figure out what is going to happen, and who is going to make it happen (or who it will happen to). These two steps are fluid; they work together to create the overall picture of your novel, and they can happen simultaneously or one by one or in a strange order. It is different for every writer and every project.
This post is for the planner-at-heart. There are 5 different methods here which you can mix, match and customise to work for your project.
It's almost that time of year again! If you haven't heard of NaNoWriMo, it's a writing challenge where writers of all levels, from newbies to seasoned novelists, attempt to write a 50,000 word novel in the month of November. At 1667 words per day, it's definitely a challenge, but there's no reason you can't do it if you head in with a plan, a collection of writing buddies, and plenty of your caffeine (and/or alcohol) of choice.
So, first things first—you need to figure out what you're going to write! Here are 3 exercises to get you started.