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NaNoWriMo: Getting an Idea

October 11, 2011 at 11:00 am
Kelly Cipera
6

Now that we know what NaNoWriMo is, we’re at the perfect opportunity to start thinking about an idea for our stories. If you already have an idea, some of these could just be fun writing exercises to practice getting a certain amount of words a day.

Believe me, if I can give one piece of advice, it’s get practice writing 1667 or more words a day. If you start now you won’t have to start at a cold run come November 1st. You’ll be in the habit of sitting down and making yourself write. Now, a note of caution, don’t burn yourself out or beat yourself up if you can’t do it one day or a handful now in October. This is merely an opportunity to see what your output is going to be so that you can adjust in November.

First step is getting an idea, and if you don’t have one already a good way to do that is from writing prompts. My Nano idea this year had been rolling around in my head for a year or so now, but a writing prompt I found on the NaNoWriMo forums suddenly solidified the idea in my head. I went from an abstract jumble of words to a clear idea, just because someone else suggested a sentence of a prompt. Sometimes that’s all it takes. I highly recommend you check out the forums even if you’re not looking to do NaNoWriMo this year, but just enjoy writing. It’s a good resource for prompts and support. Also, these prompts are a good place to start for your October writing exercises. Go through and pick a handful of prompts (or even share some) and set a goal for yourself to work on one prompt every other day.

Prompt Resources (I recommend and have used):

  • Creative Writing Prompts
  • NaNoWriMo forums: Word Wars, Prompts & Sprints
  • Learning Express’s 501 Writing Prompts (Maybe a little technical, but still a good resource)

Maybe you need something a little more structured, and that’s fine — everyone’s mind works differently. I’m someone who needs to know what the “box” is so that I can think outside of it. Sometimes, you also need to get back to basics. Purdue’s Writing Lab is great for this. Now if you’re an English major, this website isn’t going to be for you, but if you write a little here or there, or haven’t written anything since high school, this is a good refresher course. However, if you’re looking for more involved writing exercises, let me recommend the following websites (they are as good or better than anything I would have suggested, and can be future resources to you as well.)

Exercise Resources:

  • Daily Writing Tips’ 10 Writing Exercises to Tighten Your Writing
  • A Selection of Fiction Exercises, from The 3 A.M. Epiphany from University of Denver
  • Lightning Bug’s Website has a writing activity page as well as other resources

Still struggling? Take a break. I want to resubmit the idea: Don’t burn yourself out. Sometimes just writing about your day can slow your brain down enough to have that “light bulb” moment. Try other techniques like a dream journal. Write a silly story about your pet, best friend, write about your hopes, write about your fears. Everything and anything could be inspiration. The only way to become a writer is to write. Good luck!

Did you have trouble finding an idea? Have any advice? Maybe you could share a writing prompt for people who are still working on an idea. If you share a writing prompt I will!

NaNoWriMo

You might also like:

  • NaNoWriMo: Let the Writing Begin!NaNoWriMo: Let the Writing Begin!
  • NaNoWriMo Countdown!NaNoWriMo Countdown!
  • NaNoWriMo: Fandomania ParticipantsNaNoWriMo: Fandomania Participants
  • NaNoWriMo 11 Is Coming!NaNoWriMo 11 Is Coming!
  • NaNoWriMo: The Home StretchNaNoWriMo: The Home Stretch
About the Author
Kelly Cipera has been a bookworm from a very early age, discovering the fantasy genre in the 7th grade by reading The Smallest Dragonboy by Anne McCaffrey during an English class. After that it was too late; science fiction and fantasy became insatiable habits helped along by her father. Married to a rocket scientist, she now lives in Virginia and continues to read voraciously.
6 Comments
  1. Simon FitzGerald October 11, 2011 at 11:58 am

    Every year I try NaNoWriMo and every year, I don’t finish. But I genuinely think that this is going to be the year. it’s good yo know that there’ll be other Fandomania contributors on board too to keep me motivated.

  2. Kelly Melcher October 11, 2011 at 12:22 pm

    That’s great Simon! I haven’t finished either, but I am going to attempt again this year. I think I have a solid idea this time that I can actually work with. Last year I couldn’t get past the part of my story that I had to do some research on, and spent a lot of time researching… which isn’t writing haha. I hope you’ll friend me on the NaNo Website!

  3. Simon FitzGerald October 11, 2011 at 4:22 pm

    I have a story that my friend and I came up with while in a bar one night (which is funnily enough the beginning and origin of most of my stories). I’ve been dying to write it for ages, and I think that this is my best shot to do it.

    The pub is my version of research ;)

  4. Simon FitzGerald October 11, 2011 at 4:32 pm

    This is me:

    http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/participants/ultimate-simon

  5. Kelly Melcher October 14, 2011 at 9:11 pm

    This is me: http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/participants/kellykinns

    Although right now it still says “writing buddies new” so I guess they are tweaking that.

    I wish a pub could be my research. Instead my fiance is tempting me with his latest class/text book on human habitation in space… which has nothing to do with my upcoming NaNoWriMo project but everything to do with another story I am working on a second draft of… must not get distracted.

  6. Simon FitzGerald October 19, 2011 at 6:14 am

    That’s actually a reason that I love writing in a pub or (believe it or not) in work. There are so few distractions.

    If I try to write at home, I have books and comics and movies and games and a dog all competing for my attention. Plus, the internet which holds all the information in the world.

    In a pub, or at work, or even in a car park before a job interview, there are much fewer ways to get distracted. though anything that is written in a pub definitely needs to be checked over at a later stage ;)

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