NaNoWriMo 20% Check In and First Excerpts

Congratulations, Novelists, you have reached the 20% mark in your noveling journey!

By now your protagonist has been introduced, the setting established, and you are swiftly approaching Plot Point #1 (sometimes known as the inciting incident). There is probably a good amount of foreshadowing happening to hint at upcoming conflict, and you definitely have introduced an antagonist, either in the form of another character or an abstract force. 

The most important thing in these first chapters is to establish what is AT STAKE for your Character. 

To get even more words, introduce a significant subplot that connects thematically to your main plot. 

AND NOW…(From the Larry Brooks article, "Storytelling in Chunks…"):

"At Plot Point #1, you change everything. 

The hero’s quest – the thing this story is all about – really begins here.  Because right here, at the First Plot Point, you throw something into the story mix that challenges, that defines and/or gets in the way of what the hero needs or wants, that threatens the hero, that puts the hero’s pre-PP1 life on hold until they can conquer this obstacle, or at least defines what they must do in the near term to continue that journey.

All that happens in one chapter.  It should be at about the 20^th percentile of your story."

Go big. Try listing all the awful, tragic, horrible things that can befall your character--betrayal by an ally/friend/love interest, accident, death, etc, and see what seems the most interesting to turn your character's world upside down.

Homework for all: 

1. Make your 20% Goal by midnight on Thursday, 11/6, and update your word count accurately. You will get credit for your progress for this first week's worth of noveling. Make sure you update the site, because that is where Ms. W is checking. 

Hold mini-marathons with your writing buddy, either in person or with text challenges to get to 20% (3,000 for 15,000 novelists, 2,000 for 10,000 word novelists)

2. By end of day Friday: Choose a 200-300 word excerpt from your opening pages (anywhere you like) that capture your character, setting, or conflict. Post your excerpt in your class-specific forum on the ywp.nanowrimo.org site. This is part of building your digital literacy skills by being a contributing member to our virtual classroom. More importantly, it's a great chance for you to show off your work and make people want to read your novel. Make sure your excerpt is polished and error free. Use spell check, read out loud, and run it past your writing buddy first. 

Be sure to read at least 3 other classmate's excerpts over the weekend. You will be inspired!

3. Do a word-count marathon for an extended period of time over the weekend, either in-person or virtually. Compete with your fellow novelists for how much you can write in a sustained session. 

Ms. Witham will host a writing session at the Venice Grind (12224 Venice Blvd, Mar Vista, CA 90066) on Saturday morning from 8:30am-?? First five novelists will get treated to their choice of caffeinated or uncaffeinated beverages, and others will have their pick of Gray's Halloween candy.