“The first draft is just you telling yourself the story.” ~ Terry Pratchett
Tell Yourself the Story
Whether or not you’re a plotter or a pantser, you have an idea for your story. Before you get started, it helps to take a few minutes and tell yourself the story.
Yesterday we talked about starting with characters or plot. The story itself includes both. In fact, it includes everything–plot, characters, theme, setting–every element of your novel.
On the post for NaNoWriMo Eve, I talked about ways to overcome the fear of getting started. Knowing what you’re going to write is one of those ways. And telling yourself the story is a great way to know what you plan to write for that session.
For my novel-writing process, I start with the main character(s). Once I know their goal, motivation, conflict, and the stakes that will happen should they not reach that goal, I move on to make a loose outline. I like Jim Scott Bell’s Super Structure approach for this step.
The best part about JSB’s system is its flexibility. You “tell yourself the story” through a series of what Jim calls “signposts.” These signposts lay out a loose plot without stifling one’s creativity.
I have a history of plotting stories to death — to the point where there’s no fun in writing them. Once I received a manuscript back from a contest, and the critiquer’s comments stated my story was “plot-flawed.” I was mortified, so I started studying plot. When I started my next book, I went overboard on plotting. That book still remains unfinished.
Take a few minutes, or even an hour or two, and let your story play out in your head like a movie. Think about the main plot points (or signposts). Think about the characters — how will they grow? Think about the theme or message you wish to convey through this story. Think about your story’s setting. How does it set the mood or reinforce the story’s genre?
It’s only day three of NaNoWriMo, but some writers start struggling at this point and start facing that “What, oh what shall I write today?” syndrome. If you find yourself asking that question, stop and tell yourself the story.
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