Waukesha Writer's Preptober 2024

A Self guided journey

The Waukesha writer's

Preptober

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Resources

Life While Writing

Worldbuilding

Structure

Plot farming

Characters

Index

Characters

Make your future readers fall in love with your characters - both the good guys, the bad guys, and everyone inbetween. To do that you need to consider:Character strengths, flaws, quirks, and motivation, and what they will do (or won't do) to achieve their goals.

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Characters are the key ingredient to your novel, make them real.

Homework

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Character Arcs

Protagonists, Antagonists, Side characters, oh my!

Motivations

Character Strengths, Flaws, Quirks

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Character Building (Personality Systems)

Characters

Ennegram

MBTI

Zodiac

Jung Artchetypes

Where to Start?

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Characters

There are some basics as to where to start with character building: name, phyiscal appearance, superfical details. But the personality and traits are what are going to make your character sing. There are so many different ways to build a character's personality and they can be overwhelming. Sometimes using psychology or other personality based theories can help. Here are several to consider while building your characters

Jungian archetypes do not originate in the literary world but were adopted by literary analysts in the mid 20th century. The famed psychologist Carl Jung developed these archetypes in the early 20th century Jung believed in the collective unconscious or a set of traits, knowledge, and memories that all humans inherit at birth. He argued that his archetypes were part of inherited knowledge or collective unconscious. They helped shape a person’s development and personality. This idea has since been rejected by modern psychology. Others have argued that archetypes are reductionist and play into cultural and gender-based stereotypes. With that being said, storytellers still find these archetypes a valuable tool to build characters from.

Jung Archetypes

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Characters

Click each of the archetypes to learn more about them. You can take use archetypes as a base character template. You can also use these basic traits, strengths, and weaknesses to help build a strong character and how they would react or achieve their over all goal. You can also use this to help build character arcs and how they change throughout your novel or series if you are working on a series.

Waukesha Wrimo's Preptober

Characters

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)—also referred to as the “Myers-Briggs personality test” or simply the “Myers-Briggs test”—is a self-reported questionnaire. The test helps people assess their personality using four specific dichotomies, or scales: introversion-extraversion, sensing-intuition, thinking-feeling and judging-perceiving. The MBTI was first developed in the 1940s by Isabel Briggs Myers and her mother Katharine Cook Briggs, and it’s based on psychologist Carl Jung’s theory of psychological types. The purpose of the test is to “make the theory of psychological types described by C.G. Jung understandable and useful in people’s lives,” according to the Myers & Briggs Foundation. In other words, the MTBI is intended to give clarity and understanding of a person’s personality type in a practical way.

MBTI aka Meyer Briggs

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Characters

Click the personality types to learn more about them

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Characters

There are 12 zodiac signs, and each sign has its own strengths and weaknesses, specific traits, desires, and attitude towards life and people. By analyzing the projection of the position of planets, the Sun, and the Moon on the Ecliptic at the moment of birth, astrology can give us a glimpse of a person's basic characteristics, preferences, flaws, and fears. Because the Zodiac as very popular with mainstream culture right now, most know about the signs and the key traits. But they can actually be fairly complex. Click the picture to learn more about each of their signs and the zodiac in general.

Zodiac

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Characters

According to the Enneagram theory, each person develops one of nine predominate personality strategies (or types) by adulthood, which helps them cope with the external environment. The corresponding fears and desires related to each type are examined to understand the underlying motivations behind someone’s behavior. But this doesn’t mean the Enneagram puts all personalities into one of nine categories. Instead, it claims that personality is interconnected and multidimensional. Over time, every person will show the characteristics of each type of Enneagram. Still, the Enneagram test first determines a person’s "core" type, which never changes. It then works to identify the range of behaviors associated with it, providing insight into someone’s personality. Click the picture to learn more about the nine types of the Enneagram.

Enneagram

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Characters

The Difference Between Character Habits And Quirks

350 Character Traits List

250 Character Quirks List

One of the last things your characters should have are quirks. Quirks are tiny details that help transform an otherwise average character into something more interesting.It's not something huge or drastic, but rather small details in their personality, appearance, or behavior that reveal more about who they are under the surface and helps you flesh memorable characters out

Character Quirks

Just as important as it is to give your characters strengths, you need to give them flaws. Flaws allow readers to connect and empathize with your characters. Just as we all carry our own baggage of imperfections, these flaws breathe authenticity into characters, making them relatable mirrors of our own humanity. Without flaws, characters risk becoming two-dimensional.

Character Flaws

Knowing your character's strengths gives your readers something to root for. Whether it is resilience, compassion, intelligence, or unwavering determination, these qualities deeply resonate with readers. They reflect our own dreams and vulnerabilities, establishing an emotional bond that brings these characters to life.

Character Strengths

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Characters

Everything a person does is for a reason. We overreact to get attention, we stay late at work to make more money or find purpose or avoid family. We eat because we're hungry, or sad, or anxious. We drink because we're thirsty. To create a believable character you have to give them a clear motivation for all things they do.

Needs vs Motivations vs Goals

Universal needs that all humans experience. Needs are broad. Examples are things like survival, affection, relaxation, protection, creation, freedom, identity, understanding, or participation.

Character Needs

A goal is the tangible outcome of your character's motivations. If your character is a cop motivated to stop a criminal then their goal should be to put that criminal behind bars. Goals are how readers know if your character has failed or succeeded in their quiest

Character Goals

Motivations are more specific, but rooted in character needs. They are created by a character's backstory. An example would be a cop who has a need to protect because they were assaulted in college. After that they spend years searching for their attacker.

Character Motivations

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Characters

Motivations Using the 9 Universal needs

To Relax (Idleness)

• Personality: curious, funny, reckless, and imaginative
• Desires: fun, parties, games, peace of mind
• Actions: daydream, give way to fantasies, brood, play, relax
• Interactions with Society: seek privacy, intimacy, closeness, free time

To Survive (Subsistence)

• Personality: concerned about physical and mental health, adaptable, funny
• Desires: food, shelter, resources, work
• Actions: feed, rest, procreate, work
• Interactions with Society: creating living environments, and stable social settings

Freedom

• Personality: determined, passionate, assertive, bold, open-minded, tolerant, rebellious
• Desires: equal rights
• Actions: dissension, choice, disobedience, awareness, commitment to one’s self
• Interactions with Society: control over their own time and space

Understanding

• Personality: receptive, curious, disciplined, intuitive
• Desires: literature, teachers, methodology, communication
• Actions: investigation, meditations, study, experimentation
• Interactions with Society: supports schools, universities, and academies

Creation

• Personality: rational, bold, autonomous, curious, imaginative
• Desires: skill, work, ability
• Actions: invention, design, composition, interpretation
• Interactions with Society: productive feedback, workshops, cultural groups, spaces for expression, audiences

Participation

• Personality: receptive, dedicated, respectful, adaptable
• Desires: rights, responsibilities, privileges, duties
• Actions: cooperations, agreement, expression of opinions, obeying
• Interactions with Society: associations with churches, communities, neighborhood, family

Love (Affection)

• Personality: passionate, determined, sensual, respectful, tolerant, receptive
• Desires: friendship, family, partners, nature
• Actions: making love, expressing emotions, sharing, caring for others, cultivating
• Interactions with Society: privacy, intimacy, a space for togetherness

Identity (Belonging)

• Personality: consistent, assertive, self-assured
• Desires: habits, customs, religion, historical memory, values, norms
• Actions: commitment, integrations, confrontations, getting to know one’s self, self-actualization
• Interactions with Society: social rhythms, a setting which they belong to

Protection

• Personality: caring, adaptable, autonomous
• Desires: insurance, savings, healthcare, rights, family
• Actions: cooperation, prevention, planning, helping
• Interactions with Society: creating social environments and living spaces

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Characters

• Self-sacrifice

• Service (to higher power/others)
• Superman Complex
• Survival
• Win respect/admiration

List of General Motivations

• Ambition
• Addiction
• Atonement
• Becoming Perfect
• Betrayal
• Catastrophe
• Censorship
• Conspiracy
• Control

• Death (fear of)
• Debt
• Desperation
• Destiny (pursuit of)
• Discovery
• Dishonor
• Duty
• Escape Torment
• Failure (fear of)
• Fame
• Fleeing God
• Freedom

• Peacekeeping (anything to avoid conflict)
• Peer pressure
• Persecution
• Personal growth
• Phobia
• Poverty
• Power
• Quiet life (pursuit of)
• Rebellion
• Recover something lost
• Religious/political zeal
• Restitution
• Revenge
• Righteous indignation
• Rivalry
• Search for the meaning of life
• Seeking God
• Self-actualization
• Self-loathing

• Greed
• Grief/loss
• Hatred
• Healing
• Hedonism
• HeroComplex
• Honor
• Justice
• Knowledge (pursuit of)
• Loneliness
• Love (romantic
• Love for Family (biological or found)
• Lust
• Madness
• Martyr Complex
• Messiah Complex
• Need for acceptance
• Obsession
• Paranoia
• Past Trauma

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Characters

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20 Ways How to Write Characters Better: Protagonists, Antagonists, Minor Characters, and More!

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Creating an amazing antagonist for a novel is a crucial element of storytelling. An effective antagonist should be more than just a one-dimensional villain; they should possess depth and complexity. Develop their motivations and backstory, giving readers insight into what drives their actions and beliefs. A great antagonist challenges the protagonist in ways that force growth and change, creating tension and conflict that propels the story forward.

Antagonists

A well-rounded protagonist should possess relatable qualities that draw readers in, making them emotionally invest in the character's journey. It's essential to give your protagonist depth by exploring their flaws, vulnerabilities, and inner conflicts, allowing for growth and development throughout the story. Additionally, a strong protagonist should have clear motivations and goals that drive the narrative forward, creating a compelling and engaging reading experience that resonates with the audience.

Protagonists

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Characters

1.) MotivationFemale villains, on the other hand, tend to have more personal or emotionally driven motivations such as jealousy, revenge due to betrayal, or manipulation to achieve a deeper emotional need. Think of characters like Lady Macbeth in Macbeth who manipulates others for power but is deeply tied to emotional ambition and guilt, or Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones whose quest for power is intricately tied to protecting her children and maintaining her family’s legacy. Female villains are often depicted as reacting to emotional wounds or societal limitations. 2.) Emotional Expression Female villains, however, are more often allowed emotional complexity. They may express anger, jealousy, or despair more openly, and can use these emotions to manipulate others. For example, Cruella de Vil in 101 Dalmatians is unhinged in her obsession, letting her emotional volatility drive her actions. In some cases, their emotional expression is a tool, such as in the case of The White Witch in The Chronicles of Narnia, who manipulates others by feigning vulnerability or using charm. 3.) Physical Appearance Female villains are often portrayed as using their appearance to deceive, appearing beautiful or seductive to mask their evil intentions. The Evil Queen in Snow White is a classic example of this. She uses her beauty as a tool, but her jealousy over another’s beauty leads to her downfall. Female villains frequently embody the “femme fatale” archetype—dangerous and alluring, using their charm as a weapon to get what they want, as seen with Catwoman in Batman..

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Male Identifying Villains

All stories need an antagonist, an imposing force against the protagonist. But not all antagonists are villians. There is a whole spectrum of villainy to had some trouble to your protagonist's life, check them out here and see how you can manipulate them to creat the ultimate villain.

1.) MotivationMale villains tend to be driven by more external or tangible goals such as power, control, wealth, or domination. These motivations often tie to desires for status, conquest, or revenge. Villains like Sauron in The Lord of the Rings or Darth Vader in Star Wars are quintessential figures, motivated by the thirst for ultimate power and control over others. Male villains are frequently portrayed as ambitious figures willing to destroy entire societies or structures to achieve their goals. 2.) Emotional Expression In traditional fiction, male villains are often portrayed as emotionally detached or stoic. They suppress their emotions to maintain control and are seen as calculating and cold. Characters like Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs embody this. His calm, intelligent demeanor contrasts his heinous acts. The suppression of emotion aligns with the cultural archetype that male figures in power do not show weakness, equating emotion with weakness. 3.) Physical Appearance: Male villains are frequently depicted as physically imposing or intimidating. Their appearance may evoke fear and dominance. Characters like Voldemort in Harry Potter and The Joker in Batman have a grotesque or menacing physicality that represents the internal corruption and chaos they bring. They tend to symbolize external threats in a visual and obvious manner.

Villains

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Characters

Female Identifying Villains

4.) ViolenceFemale villains tend to use violence in more subtle or indirect ways, often utilizing poison, psychological warfare, or manipulation to achieve their goals. For instance, Bellatrix Lestrange in Harry Potter is both a physically violent character and someone who uses psychological torment, symbolizing the insidious nature of her villainy. Poisoning is a recurring trope among female villains (e.g., The Queen of Hearts or Medea in Greek mythology), reflecting a cunning, underhanded approach to conflict. 5.) Leadership Style Female villains frequently work through more subtle means of control, often manipulating others from behind the scenes. They are strategists who may work within systems or exploit personal relationships to gain power. Cersei Lannister exemplifies this kind of villain, operating through careful political maneuvering and deception, playing her enemies against one another. Female villains are more likely to manipulate the emotions or desires of others, rather than rely on direct authority. 6.) Relationship with the Protagonist Female villains often have a more personal relationship with the protagonist. Their evil deeds may stem from feelings of betrayal, jealousy, or competition. Regina Mills (The Evil Queen) in Once Upon a Time is driven by personal vendettas. Female villains frequently serve as dark mirrors to the female protagonist, representing what they might become if they give in to negative emotions or selfish desires, as in Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty.

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Male Identifying Villains

4.) ViolenceMale villains often employ physical violence directly, relying on brute strength, weapons, or armies to assert their power. This can be seen in figures like Thanos from The Avengers or Saruman in The Lord of the Rings. The destruction they bring is typically on a grand scale—wars, massacres, or societal collapse—fitting with their large, often world-changing ambitions. 5.) Leadership Style Male villains often lead through fear and domination, preferring direct control over their subordinates or entire nations. They are authoritarian and may be seen as despotic or tyrannical. President Snow from The Hunger Games and Sauron in The Lord of the Rings exemplify this type of leadership, where loyalty is often coerced through fear of punishment or destruction. 6.) Relationship with the Protagonist Male villains are often positioned as direct rivals or opponents to the protagonist in terms of power or ideological struggle. For example, Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood serves as the epitome of tyranny, standing as a stark contrast to Robin Hood’s sense of justice. Male villains tend to have broader conflicts with the hero related to morality, ambition, or world order.

Villains continued....

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Characters

Female Identifying Villains

In summary, male identifying villains are traditionally portrayed as powerful, physically intimidating, and outwardly destructive, embodying large-scale threats like tyranny, domination, and societal upheaval. Female identifying villains, on the other hand, tend to be more emotionally complex, often relying on manipulation, beauty, or psychological warfare to achieve their goals, frequently working behind the scenes and presenting more intimate, personal threats.How can you subvert these common characteristics?

7.) Redemption Arc Female villains are more frequently allowed to be complex, with writers sometimes giving them redeemable qualities or explaining their motivations. Characters like Harley Quinn in the DC Universe and Maleficent have backstories that humanize them, suggesting that their evil stems from trauma or betrayal. This adds depth to female villainy, suggesting that their villainous traits may be the result of societal constraints, loss, or emotional pain, rather than pure malice. 8.) Weapons/Abilities Female villains frequently employ more covert or manipulative weapons. Poison, magic (often tied to deception), and psychological manipulation are common. Ursula from The Little Mermaid uses manipulation through contracts and trickery, while Medea from Greek mythology is both physically and psychologically destructive. They are more likely to fight through intellect, deception, or charm than brute force. 9.) Personality Traits Female villains are often portrayed as cunning, vengeful, and emotionally intelligent. They use their sharp wit and understanding of emotions to manipulate situations. Amy Dunne from Gone Girl is a master manipulator who plays on people’s perceptions to achieve her goals. Female villains often display a deep understanding of human nature, using it to their advantage in strategic and personal ways.

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Male Identifying Villains

7.) Redemption ArcMale villains, especially in older literature, are less likely to be given redemption arcs. They often embody pure evil and remain unredeemable, like Lord Voldemort or Darth Vader (though Vader’s redemption at the very end is rare). These characters are often motivated by an irredeemable hunger for power that leaves no room for moral growth. 8.) Weapons/Abilities Male villains typically use weapons that are overtly violent or destructive—swords, guns, magical powers of destruction, or brute strength. Their tools are often an extension of their quest for domination or destruction, as seen with Thanos’ use of the Infinity Gauntlet or Voldemort’s wand. 9.) Personality Traits Male villains are typically characterized by arrogance, ruthlessness, and ambition. These traits are often played to emphasize their dominance and inability to see others as equals. Lex Luthor from Superman is driven by ambition and a belief in his superiority over others, while Joffrey Baratheon from Game of Thrones is the epitome of arrogance and cruelty, with no regard for others.

Villains continued....

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Characters

Female Identifying Villains

Shades of Villiany

A character who does bad things to achieve a bad goal but has one throwaway line about a hard childhood that is expected to put them ihnto one of fthe aforementioned categories when in reality it just makes them annoying.

A character who does bad things to achieve a goal that they believe to be good, but is actually messed up.

A character who does bad things to achieve a good goal.

A character who is a bad person, but whose backstory/character arc makes you feel sorry for a sympathetic towards them.

A character who does too much bad to be a good person, but does too much good to be a bad person.

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Characters

Annoying Villain

Anti-Villain

Anti-hero

Sympathetic Villain

Morally Grey

Pump Up Your Side Characters

Creating memorable side characters in fiction requires giving them depth, personality, and purpose without overshadowing the main plot or protagonist. Here's how to take them from a 2D character to a 3D Character: Distinctive Personality and Voice

• Give them a unique voice: Whether through their dialogue, mannerisms, or perspective, a side character should feel distinct. Think about how they speak, their tone, vocabulary, and quirks.
• Develop strong traits: Even with minimal page time, a side character can stand out with one or two vivid characteristics—like wit, optimism, stubbornness, or an unusual hobby.

Role in the Story

• Support the main plot: Side characters should serve a purpose in the story, whether by helping or hindering the protagonist, offering insight, or pushing the narrative forward.
• Create contrast: Good side characters can contrast the protagonist or highlight aspects of the protagonist’s personality or growth.

Visual and Descriptive Clues

• Unique physical traits: Use a striking physical detail or mannerism (e.g., a nervous tic, a distinct way of dressing) to help the reader easily recall them.
• Symbolic objects: Give them something symbolic that ties into their personality or role, like a recurring object or phrase that represents them.

Balance Screen Time

• Stay within limits: While side characters should be vivid, they shouldn’t overshadow the protagonist or the plot. Give them moments to shine, but make sure they don't steal the spotlight.

Make a list of your favorite side characters and what made them so amazing and why you would riot if anything bad ever happened to them. Then apply those characteristics and reasonings to your own side characters.

Backstory and Motivation

• Hints of a life outside the plot: Even if the full backstory isn't revealed, having a sense of their past, motivations, or desires makes them feel more real. This adds depth and explains why they behave the way they do.
• Internal motivations: Consider what drives the side character. Are they pursuing something personal, or is their loyalty rooted in deeper values?

Flaws and Conflicts

• Give them weaknesses: Side characters can be more relatable and interesting when they’re imperfect. Whether it's a fear, bad habit, or personal conflict, flaws make them human.
• Minor conflicts: Side characters should face their own struggles, either related or unrelated to the main plot. Even a subtle personal dilemma makes them more memorable.

Engage Emotions

• Evoke feelings: Memorable side characters often connect emotionally with readers, either through humor, tragedy, or a moment of vulnerability. The reader should care about them, even if only for a short time.
• Relationships with the protagonist: Their dynamic with the main character can provide memorable moments—whether they are the best friend, mentor, rival, or comic relief.

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Characters

How to Write Powerful Side Characters

How to Write Secondary Characters

How to Write Memorable Side Characters

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Characters

Check out these additional resources about Side Characters!

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Character Arcs

Wuakesha Wrimo's Preptober

Characters

A character arc is the transformative journey a character undergoes throughout the story. It’s often an inner change to an opposite state of being, from sad to happy, from naive to worldly, or from kind to evil. Characters typically achieve this change by adapting to the obstacles they encounter in the pursuit of their goal.

• Figure out who is in your main cast of characters including your antagonist, villain, and/or anti-hero

• Make a story bible with their basic information
• Physical Description
• Key or important details you don't want to forget

• Know their
• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Motivations
• Goals
• What is their story arc

Voluntary Homework

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Characters

Plot Farming

How you plot (or not plot) is up to you, but here are some things to consider when gearing up for a new WIP.

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

To Plot or Not to Plot?

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Homework

Researching Your Novel

Utilizing Lists

Where to Farm Story Ideas

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Plot Bunnies

Plot Farming

A Plot bunny is a random idea for your story or an "AHA!" moment you get that could throw your plot/storyline in a new or different direction. Plot bunnies can be great if you are stuck in the middle of NaNo season or you feel like you've written yourself into a corner. But they can also lead you off your plot plan if you are not careful enough. Either way, good or bad, when you have a plot bunny, write it down, aka put it in the plot bunny farm, to be saved for later.

You'll hear the term plot bunny throughout NaNoWrimo. So what is a plot bunny?

Plot Bunnies

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Plot Farming

New

Observe & Listen Okay, this isn’t a creepy as it sounds. “People watching” is a technique used by many authors. You simply go to a public place and watch people – NOT IN THE CREEPY WAY. Take note of mannerisms, movements and characteristics of what’s around you. You’d be surprised at what can spark that creative idea you’ve been waiting for. Art, Music & Media What is more inspiring than art, music and other creative expressions? Listen to music you normally wouldn’t listen to. Watch something new. Visit an art gallery or do some browsing online. Expand on the types of entertainment you take in. Inspiration could be lurking where you would least expect it. Sketch, Paint, Be Creative Just because you’re a writer doesn’t mean you can’t expand your creativity to other projects. Let that creativity out in other ways and find inspiration there. Expand your creativity. Create, create, create! There are lots of options.

All vibes and no plot

Use Writing Prompts The internet is on fire with writing prompts. A simple search will reveal thousands of prompts. This is one of my favorite methods to get a story going if I’ve hit writer’s block. Follow our Waukesha Wrimo Instagram account for daily prompts during the NaNo season (and the off season - I don’t delete them!) Mind-Mapping Start with an idea, or a word and simply expand on it, creating a chart. This can be a great way to formulate new ideas and even to expand on old ones. Theres a Mind Mapping page later in this packet! Revamp Other Ideas Have you ever read or watched something and thought, “Wow, this would be a lot better if it was done x way?” You may of thought that about your own work! Follow the “What if this happened” rabbit hole and write down those ideas to get inspiration sparking. Classic Story Retelling Take a classic story and retell it. Switch characters around. Maybe the prince will be rescued by the princess. Maybe the Queen isn't evil but the step-daughter is? Check out the origins of a story and see how you can twist them and turn them on their head. Make it contemporary!

Where to Farm Ideas

News StoriesRead the news and think of all the “what ifs” in specific news stories. Watch some Investigation Discovery or simply read some news headlines on either your homepage or – you know, an actual print newspaper. An idea could easily be built off of a real life event. Your Own Life A lot of character inspirations in particular can come from people who are part of your life. Have you ever noticed a random mannerism that one of your friends or family member has? Why not base a character off of someone you know – or, a mixture of people you know? Or use some of the following journal prompts, from your own life, to seek out story inspiration:

• When did you feel the most scared
• Has anything ever happened to you (or anyone you know) that can’t be explained?
• Have you ever seen an example of “karma" in real life?

Use significant events from your own life to brainstorm a story idea. You can even use stories that people have told you, (sometimes even REALLY unbelievable stories from acquaintances can be excellent story inspiration).

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Plot Farming

Utilizing Lists

As mentioned in the previous slide, keep a list or log of your plot bunny ideas to use at a later time. If you are ever stuck or something isn't working in your story, this list could potentially help you.

Plot Bunnies

A few different plot structures utilize this method before actually structuring your plot, but even for pantsers, this could be useful. Once you have an idea of your plot. Write down a literal list all the scenes that pop into your head. List all the potential what if's that come to mind. List all the questions that come up in real time. For example, if I was writing a romance story I would start a list like this: - Meet cute at bookshop - He buys her a book and leaves his business card in it - she doesn't find the business card for months - She dates all the wrong guys - moment of desparation she calls him to be a date for her best friends wedding Etc etc, these are all potential scenes. Once you have a list, you can organize it into the plot structure of your choice or even just have it as a reference while writing or use it as a road map if you get lost mid-season

Lists of Plot Scene Generation

This was an exercise from a Sci-fi writing course from AutoCrit. So the example is in the context of the Scifi genre: Step 1: Make a list/find a list/generate a list of all the topic, themes, elements of Scifi you love, all the current real world scientific research/topics/events you are interested in, current or futuristic technology, etc. Step 2: Pick 3-4 items off that list Step 3: Construct an elevator pitch for a story based on those 3-4 elements Step 4: Expand that Pitch into a Plot As writers, we are often told write the story you want to read. However sometimes we end up trying to write EVERYTHING. It ends up feeling "everything but the kitchen sink" and that's hard on both you the writer and any future reader. So utilizing this list excerise could give you a clearer vision of what you want to focus on for your plot.

Lists for Plot Idea Generation

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Plot Farming

Researching Your Novel

The Importance of Research

Authenticity vs Accuracy: How to Ace your Novel Research

How to Research Your Novel Effectively

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Plot Farming

• Figure out what story ideas you want to pursue

• Start farming plot bunnies and scenes - put them into Lists, categories, or Acts

• Do any necessary research

Voluntary Homework

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Plot Farming

Structure

No matter what type of writer you are, you should know how you want to structure you novel. We were talk a few basic ways back in days of elementary school - but there's way more options than you realize....

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Plotter, Pantser, Plantser, what are you?

New Info added

Homework

Make a Scene

Story Types

Different Types of Story Structure

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Plotter vs Pantser vs Plantser

Structure

A plantser does a little bit of both. They build some kind of road map of key plot elements and then pants other aspects they just see how they get from point A to point B.

Plantser

A pantser is someone who “flies by the seat of their pants,” meaning they don’t plan out anything in their story, or plan very little.

Pantser

A plotter is someone who plans out their novel before they write it. There are various levels of plotters. Regardless, outlining their novel before writing is extremely important to these writers.

Plotter

Waukesa Wrimo Preptober

Structure

When we say plotting or outlining, we mean organizing our thoughts and ideas into a story structure. Back in grade school, we were taught one or two common story structures - typically the story pyramid of inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution; or the 3-Act structure. But there are so many more options to explore.

Different Types of Story Structures

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Structure

The Heroine's Journey

Save the Cat

The Hero's Journey

The Plot Pyramind

Dan Wells 7 Point Plot Structure

The Snowflake Method

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Structure

The W-Plot

Kishōtenketsu

The Morcei Structural Template

Kat O'Keefe's 27 Chapter Method

The 9-Step Plot Dot

Jot, Bin, Pants

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Structure

11 Narrative Structure Tools to Build Your Plot

9 Story Structures to plot your next novel

3 Act Structure

Outline Your Story Like a Subway Map

4 Act Structure

15 Ways to Plot a Book

Mirror Structure

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Structure

I’ve had the pleasure of listening to a few webinars by Pages & Platforms, and one thing they like to talk about is the Seven Story Types and how they can not only help you with marketing your book, but actually writing the book too! When you are starting the plotting and brainstorming of a new WIP, maybe take a minute to consider these as you work. Here is how they break down the Seven Story Types:

Horror Horror stories are plot-driven and remind us ofthe persistence of evil and that only courage and eternal vigilance keep it at bay

• What’s at Stake: eternal torture. life, survival, escape.
• Wants & Needs: The protagonist is a victim who wants to escape a fate worse than death at the hands of the monster. Sometimes they need to become cleverer than the monster in order to do so, and that shift will require an internal change based on a Worldview, Validation or Redemption arc.
• Essential Premise: Ordinary people can keep evil at bay with courage and vigilance, whereas cowardice allows the monster to win and for evil to thrive.
• Audience Emotion: The Horror reader wants to experience terror, and feel courageous in the face of it.
• Variations: The monster may be natural, supernatural, or a force of society.

CrimeCrime stories are plot-driven and teach us that social order & justice depend on clever people who outsmart chaotic wrongdoers.

• What’s at Stake: Social order and justice.
• Wants & Needs: The protagonist wantsto see justice done, and needsto learn something previously unknown in order for that to happen. Usually that learning will require an internal change based on a Worldview, Validation, or Redemption arc.
• Essential Premise: Criminal activity results in chaos, whereas the pursuit of justice restores social order.
• Audience Emotion: The Crime reader wants to feel the intrigue of solving a puzzle or the safety of seeing order and justice prevail.
• Variations: Crime stories may center on solving a puzzle, investigating a crime, or planning a caper or heist.

The 7 Esstential Story Types From Pages and Platforms

Action Action stories are plot-driven and teach us the importance of individual heroism in the face of danger.

• What’s at Stake: The lives and safety of others, survival, safety, danger, the defeat of the villain.
• Wants & Needs: The protagonist wantsto defeat the antagonist and save the victims. They need to unleash their inner gift. That unleashing will require an internal change based on a Worldview, Validation, or Redemption arc.
• Essential Premise: Heroic action leads to saving lives, whereas a failure to take heroic action leads to loss of life (or danger) and moral failure.
• Audience Emotion: The Action reader wants to feel excitement and a sense of bravery in the face of danger.
• Variations: Action stories may center on escape, chase, adventure, rescue, rebellion, revenge, or rivalry.

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Structure

CONTINUED

Validation Validation stories are character-driven and remind us thatthe ultimate definition of success is remaining true to honorable values.

• What’s at Stake: Character’s place in the social order, money, external esteem, honor; success, satisfaction, self-esteem.
• Wants & Needs: The protagonist wantsto succeed according to external measures of success, but needsto redefine success for themselves. They are incited to change by an external threat to their existing success, or by an external opportunity to rise in status.
• Essential Premise: Ethical choices create true success, whereas unworthy goals lead to the betrayal of one’s true values.
• Audience Emotion: The Validation reader wants to feel admiration at the character’s success, or pity at their failure.
• Variations: Validation stories may center on the protagonist’s successful search for success and the esteem of others, or their failure.

WorldviewWorldview stories are character-driven and demonstrate thatthe world is not a binary place, and that we need to accept a spectrum of viewpoints.

• What’s at Stake: Comfortable beliefs, status quo; wisdom, deeper understanding, knowledge. The struggle is usually triggered by some variant of an Action external story.
• Wants & Needs: The protagonist wantsto remain safe in their status quo, but needsto become willing to see the world in new and more nuanced ways.
• Essential Premise: Open-mindedness leads to wisdom, whereas avoiding the truth results in self-deception. Or, a binary view of the world gives way to a more nuanced understanding when new information is allowed in.
• Audience Emotion: The Worldview reader wants to feel hope and satisfaction, or compassion.
• Variations: Worldview stories may center on naivete, revelation, disillusionment, or meaning.

The 7 Esstential Story Types From Pages and Platforms

Love Love stories are both plot- and character-driven, and show us how to earn the intimacy, love, & togetherness that help the human community thrive.

• What’s at Stake: Comfortable status quo, safety from rejection. Love, togetherness, the benefits of marriage/partnership.
• Wants & Needs: The protagonist wantsto attain (or avoid) romantic love, and needs to mature or become willing to sacrifice for the beloved. Maturing will require an internal change based on a Worldview arc. Sacrifice will likely involve an internal Redemption arc.
• Essential Premise: Overcoming internal flaws makes committed human connection possible, whereas an unwillingness to be vulnerable results in loss of love.
• Audience Emotion: The Love story reader wants to feel romantic excitement, compassion, or relief.
• Variations: Love stories may center on courtship, a forbidden union, partnership, intimate friendship, or familial love.

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Structure

CONTINUED

The 7 Esstential Story Types From Pages and Platforms

Redemption Redemption stories are character-driven and show us thatforgiveness is possible, but persistent wrongdoing will end in personal moral failure.

• What’s at Stake: Character’s comfort, livelihood, and coping mechanisms; connection, relief from guilt or shame, forgiveness.
• Wants & Needs: The protagonist wantsto remain selfish, but needs to transcend selfishness through an altruistic act. The protagonist is usually incited to embark on this internal change by an external threat to their self-satisfaction.
• Essential Premise: Altruistic action results in redemption, whereas selfishness leads to moral failure. OR Redemption results when the protagonist atones for past wrongs by abandoning selfish goals and sacrificing for the greater good.
• Audience Emotion: The Redemption reader wants to feel satisfaction for the redeemed character, or pity or contempt for the unredeemed.
• Variations: Redemption stories may center on a protagonist seeking forgiveness or attempting to make amends for their wrongdoing, or on a protagonist who surrenders to their weakness.

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Structure

+continue reading...

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Structure

As you read the 7 different story types, you can see that you can make your novels more deep and complex. But they are a little intense. Here is another way to add more layers to your story structure but in a simpler way. Click to find out about the 5 dualities that can replace common Good vs Evil themes.

More to the story than Good vs Evil

New

Write Scenes that Balance Plot & Character

What is a Scene & How to Write One: 9 Simple Steps

How to Write a Well-Structured Scene

Some people write scenes as whole chapters, others write multiple scenes PER chapter. Either way its good to know how to write a well crafted scene. Check out these great articles about scenes.

Make a Scene

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Structure

• Figure out if you want to be a Plotter, Pantser or Plantser this year

• No matter if you are plotting or plantsing, choose a story structure to help you plot or build your road map

• Start making a scene list that HAS to be included in your novel (this can go for pantser too)
• Don't forget to pull from your plot farm!

• Start Plotting

Voluntary Homework

Waukesha Wrimo's Preptober

Structure

Worldbuilding

No matter the genre, no matter the plot, you need to worldbuild. Worldbuilding can be as big as creating literal worlds, planets and cultures, to as complex as creating a magic system, to as small as simple rules you want to follow in your world or plot.

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

What is a plot & characters without a world to play in?

New Info added

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Creatures

Maps

Technology

Magic Systems

Worldbuilding

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Using Genres to Worldbuild

Homework

Worldbuilding

Skip the Example, take me to the Genres!

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Worldbuilding

If you are unsure of the story you want to tell or are the type of writer where you need to build the world first, perhaps picking a genre first can help. By knowing the genre you are writing it, it already gives you writing perameters to follow including setting, characters, and potential plot devices. For example: Romantasy. If I chose this subgenre of fantasy to focus on, these are the things I know to write....

How can it help you World Build?

Genres, first and foremost, a distinctive type or catgory of literary compositions. Common ones are Fantasy, Science Fiction, Mystery, Horror, and Romance. Genres are NOT to be confused with demographics in the writing community. Demographics are statistics that describe populations and their (the readers) characteristics. Common demographics are Middle Grade (ages 8-12), YA (young adult, ages 13-18), NA (new adult, ages 18-30), and Adult (ages 18+)

What is a Genre?

As you can see, by picking a genre first, I will know what to promise the readers, what expectations need to be met, and a huge chunk of the prep work is already done, I just need to fill in the blanks.

Romantasy Example

Romantasy's are classified as romance is the driver, fantasy is the passenger. I know I need to create a fantasy world. For me, I can choose to make a world. similar to medieval times, but with more magic and more fantasical creatures. I know with romance being dominant, I need at least 2 characters to fall in love and the story needs the typical beats of a contempoary romance: the meet cute, the fall, the breakup, the redeeming moment, and happily ever after/for now. BUT some of these beats/obstacles will need to be based on my fantasy world. I would then make a list of fantasy based ordeals to put my characaters through. Things like a feast or festival, a ball, a high gamestournament, a quest to free the last unicorn or gryffin, a curse, potions gone awry, etc.

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Worldbuilding

The mystery genre is a type of fiction that involves a crime being committed and then solved, usually by a detective or other professional. The purpose of a mystery is to create a feeling of resolution for the reader by solving a puzzle

Mystery

Romances focuses on the romantic relationship between two or more people. Primary focus is the love story between the characters and working through their relationship. The couple is rewarded with unconditional love and emotional justice.

Romance

Science fiction (sci-fi) is a genre that explores imaginative and futuristic concepts, often centered around technology, space, time, and alternate realities. It's a type of speculative fiction that's sometimes associated with fantasy, but it's distinct in that it uses technology to consider how it might change our existence.

Science Fiction

Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre of literature that features magical and supernatural elements in imaginary worlds. Fantasy is a type of speculative fiction, and is distinguished from science fiction and horror by its lack of scientific or macabre themes

Horror is a genre of literature, film, and television that aims to frighten, shock, or startle its audience. Horror often explores dark themes and subject matter, such as monsters, apocalyptic events, and religious or folk beliefs.

Horror

Common Genres and their Subgenres

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Worldbuilding

Fantasy & Scifi Genres

Hover over any of the icons next to the genre names for a little more info!

Scifi and Fantasy are usually grouped together because they can fall under the speculative fiction genre banner. And as you can see sometimes fantasy and scifi to share common concepts and sub-genres. Even within their own genres, it's common to "genre blend".

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Worldbuilding

Just like the other genres, these can be blended together to make your romance story a little more unique.

Current Popular Romance Genres

Hover over any of the icons next to the genre names for a little more info!

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Worldbuilding

Top Mystery Genres

Hover over any of the icons next to the genre names for a little more info!

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Worldbuilding

Common Horror Genres

Hover over any of the icons next to the genre names for a little more info!

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Worldbuilding

If you are crafting a complete world from scratch, consider using a worldbuilding chart like this one or a worldbuilding checklist. Worldbuilding can be fun but also daunting. Build as much as you need to in order to write your book. You can always come back after NaNoWriMo to flesh out the worldbuilding areas.

Where to start?

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Worldbuiling

Not in the mood for GRAPES? Try HERMETICS. HEMETICS is a little more indepth or expanded view of world creating. It stands for History, Economy, Religion, Magic System, Executive, Topography, Inhabitants, Culutre, Society

H.E.R.M.E.T.I.C.S

GRAPES is an acronym tool for six aspects of all civilizations: Geography, Religion, Achievements, Politics, Economics, and Social Structure.

G.R.A.P.E.S

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Worldbuilding

ocial Structure

eography

eligion

chievements

olitics

conomics

Who's Who- Who are the most "important" people? - Who are the least imporant people? - How do theses classes live together

Who controls the society and how do they control it?- System of governments (socialist, democratic, fascists, etc.) - How are laws created and enforced? - How is power exchanged? Who is in power?

What do your characters believe in?- Names of God(s)/Goddess(es) - Rites of Passage - Worship practices - Primary tenants and ideals - Myths and Legends - How do religions clash? Do they clash?

Resources and money- What are the most valuable resources? - How are those resources bought and sold? (Barter, coin, paper, etc.) - How "wealthy" is this society compared to others?

What has this civilization created that has withstood the test of time?- Works of art / Literature - Agricultural stability or other resource allocation - How are these achievements honored/maintained

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Worldbuilding

How does the region and climate affect the characters in the story?- Primary exports and imports - What natural resources do the people have at their disposal? - How does the society's placement effect their chances of survival?

What effect does the social scale have on your characters and story?- Who are the most important people - Who is the least important - How do these classes coexists/clash

How does your character's culture affect the story?- What are the most important features/difference of your culture? - the main works of art/literature/construction - What conflicts do your societies have? Big conflicts? Current? - What effect has/have it had on the world?

The biodiversity of your world- How many intelligent races live in the world? How do they interact with each other? - How do these races live? Do these races have subgroups? - Any special traits? - Any new animals or plants? What interactions do they create?

How does the region and climate affect the characters and the story?- How does your world map look? - what natural resources are available? - How does the location of society affect its changes of survival/culture?

An infinity of possibilities for the magic system of your world.- What are the limits of your system? Hard system? Soft System? - What has magical abilities? How can this be achieved? What can be achieved with magic? How does magic affect and interact with your society?

The States of the world. Who controls society and how is it controled?- Systems of government - Who has the power? How is it exchanged? - How are laws created? - Law enforcement and law enforcement systems?

Resources and Money- How does the economic system work? (Trade, money, currency, inflation, etc.) - What are the most valuable resources - How are these resources bought and sold? (Freedom of exchanges, strict prices, regulations. etc.) - How can one society be considered "wealthier" compared to others?

Economy

History

What has this civilization created and withstood?- Periods of time/Eras of your world - Main historical events - Current state of the world - How is stability and balance of power maintained? Current status? - How does time work in this world? What does this imply? (Daytime, Years, Months, etc.)

What do your characters believe in? What effects does this create?- Actual divine Entitiees present on the world - God(s)/Goddess(es) - Myths and Legends - Primary tenets and ideals - How do religions clash? Do they clash?

Culture

Topography

Religion

Magic System

Executive

Society

Inhabitants

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Worldbuilding

Creating Cultures

How to Start World Building

Worldbuilding Part One — Brandon Sanderson

Hard Worldbuilding vs. Soft Worldbuilding

Worldbuilding 101

How to build a fictional world - Kate Messner

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Worldbuilding

Tolkien Tuesday: Making Your Fantasy World Feel Old

World-Building Tips From An Editor

New

Building Your Fantasy World: Natural & Man-Made Laws

Tolkien-Inspired Worldbuilding Template for Fantasy Fiction

The Worldbuilder's Toolkit from Eledris

The Ultimate World Building Template & Questionnaire

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Worldbuilding

Magicial Realism

Magic Systems

Let's Talk about Magic

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Worldbuilding

According to the The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Folktales and Fairy Tales, magical realism is defined as "a mode of writing that seamlessly fuses a realistic representation of everyday phenomena and events with fantastic or magical elements." Examples: Midnight in Paris Pan's Labyrinth One Hundred Years of Solitude Like Water for Chocolate The Wizard of the Crow Beloved Mignight's Children

What is Magical Realism?

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Worldbuilding

+info

On Writing: hard magic systems

Hard VS Soft Magic Systems

18 Ways to Write Unique Magic Systems

Non-Genetic Magic Systems

Magic Systems

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Worldbuilding

What is a “magic system.” Simply, a magic system refers to the rules, abilities, restrictions, and other details which determine how the magic in your world works. A magic system is not just the source of magic or how it came to be in the world. It’s not the politics or some mystical council that creates a magical legal system to be enforced. A magic system is the framework that you and your magic-wielding characters abide by when putting your spells and charms to work.

Fantasy World Building Template: Magic System

Five Branches of Magic Systems

How to Create a Magic System in Six Simple Steps

7 Ways To Create A Spectacular Magic System For Your Novel

How to Create a Believable Magic System

Creating Magic Systems

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Worldbuilding

C. R. Rowenson - Helping all kinds of storytellers craft and repair magic systems

New

Hopefully these articles and videos gave you a start on thinking how to build your magic system and how complex you want to make it. Regardless of the complexity this is one area (plotter or pantser) you should know and have written down before you start drafting.

CREATING A MAGIC SYSTEM FOR YOUR STORY

Building Your World: Magic

HOW TO EXPLAIN TECHNOLOGY AND MAGIC IN SPECULATIVE FICTION WITHOUT DRAGGING THE STORY

CREATING MAGIC SYSTEMS IN FANTASY

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Worldbuilding

How To Write About Technology in Sci-Fi

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Depending on your genre, you may need to create technology, similar to magic systems you should know the rough mechanics of your tech, the rules around them, and how they are used (for both good and bad).

World Building: Androids, Cyborgs, and Robots

4 Tips For Science Fiction Technology Ideas and How to Name Them

An Analysis of Futuristic Technologies in Science Fiction in Science Fiction Novels

Technology

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Worldbuilding

Mythical Creatures a-z

How to Describe a Fantasy Creature

How To Create Unique Fantasy Creatures

A Guide to Creating Fantasy Plants and Animals

All worlds have creatures of all kinds, so why would yours be any different. Depending on your genre and your story, you could utilize already exisiting creatures, normal and/or fantasical, or maybe you'll venture into creating your own unique creatures for your characters to encounter

Creatures

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Worldbuilding

Maps are not a necessary item to do in Preptober but they are a fun thing to do! They can also be useful if your story involves a lot of travel and you need to realistically describe how long it would take to get from one city to the next and which direction they are traveling and potential obstacles they could encounter Click the map for articles about making world maps for your novel!.

Maps

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Worldbuilding

• Play around with blending Genres and subgenres to kick start world building
• Build a World

• Build a Magic System (if it applies)

• Find some creatures for your novel

• Develop some tech (if it applies)

• Set the Rules for your World

• Draw a Map

Voluntary Homework

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Worldbuilding

Life WhileWriting

And with challenges, life can become chaotic and stressful. Here's a few things to help you during the Month of November.

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Writing 50,000 words in 30 days is a challenge

Line Up Your Ducks

Homework

Writer's Block & Imposter Syndrome

Self Care

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Writing with a Full Time Life

Life

Life

This step is going to be hard. You gotta think big first to break things down into manageable bites. My mom taught me this “trick” when I was dealing with one of the hardest moments in my life. It’s come in handy multiple times when life is overwhelming and just don’t know what to do or where to start: Pick 3 things to focus on and only 3 things. Accomplish those first before anything else. Everything else you get done that day, is a bonus. You can adapt this concept to almost anything. For example, this November my priorities will be: Keep my family alive, keep me alive, keep my house clean, keep my 9-5 job 9-5, and writing. Those are the things that will be a priority every day. Those are the only things I need to focus on. If I get all of those done, then I can focus on other things. By making your priorities simple and clear, you have less of a chance of spending too much time on things that matter less and not enough time on things that matter more. Think about everything in your life that you’re currently juggling and decide what matters most.

Know Your Priorities

One of the hardest things about writing and writing challenges, is trying to write around a full-time life. Maybe you are working a 9-5 job or are going to school full time, then you get home and have to do the chores, take care of family members... and on and on it goes. So where/when do you find time to write?! Here are a few things that can help you prep for writing with a full-time schedule.

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

We all have 24 hours in a day and 7 days a week. One of the most helpful things to decide and make after you determine your top priorities is a schedule. It can be a simple daily schedule, it can been a weekly schedule, it just needs to be a schedule or system that is centered around your top priorities. For me time blocking was a game changer.

Decide When You’ll Work on What

Are there too many tabs open in your brain / on your computer? Do you find yourself jumping from idea to idea? Are you constantly checking and scrolling on social media? Did you hop on google to look up ONE thing for your WIP and then three hours later you are watching cat videos on YouTube? Those are your distraction dragons.Identify them and find ways to deal with them. Write your novel on paper, get apps/software that blocks social media for set times during the day/night, turn off your WiFi, don’t write with the TV on, join a word sprinting or accountablity group online, use the pomodoro technique... Preptober is the time to identify your top dragons and experiment with how to handle them.

Deal with your Distraction Dragons

We all know that November's Writing Challenge is about writing 50,000 words in 30 days. And we always hear about NEEDING to write 1,667 words/per to make it to the 50K. For some that works. But let’s be realistic, life is going to get in the way of that word count. There is absolutely no way of avoiding it. So be open to breaking down your word count to fit your schedule/life. For example: 1667 / 4 = 417 words. You could totally write 420 words in four, 15 minute sessions every day. If you are like me and only have real energy to write during the weekends, there are 8 weekend days in November. That’s 6,250 words per Saturday and Sunday.

Break Down the Word Count

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Life

Figure out the when, there where, the how, and the feel of your writing routine in Preptober so that by the time November 1st rolls around, you are ready to write. Try other's writing routines - Click the picture for a video playlist

Establish a Writing Routine that Works for you

This one may be the easiest of all. Think about all the time you spend waiting in line at the coffee shop, or in the school drop off/pick up lane. What are you doing during this time? Most of us whip out our phones and check our email or social media or play games. But you can use this time to brainstorm writing ideas. I can’t tell you how many dialogue snippets or scene ideas pop into my head when I don’t have paper near. Rather than wasting the opportunity or trusting that I’ll remember the idea (let’s be honest, we all tell ourselves we will remember and hardly ever do), I’ll use my phone to write down that sentence or idea. Taking notes and brainstorming like this will pay off later on when you sit down to write.

Turn lost time into writing time

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Life

5 Acts of Self-Care Writers Should Practice Daily

The 5 Areas of Self-Care + Examples

Self Care is a priority. Please read these articles when you start thinking about how to incorporate self care into your NaNo life. Some of these may seem like common sense or basic, but truly think about how you do or do not prioritize them during chaotic times.

Self Care is a Priority

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Life

+info

Now, if you have been floating around the writing community for a while, there is some debate if Writer’s Block is actually real. I’m not going to get into that debate. If you are in that camp, I invite you to skip to the next section. But Writer’s Block, at it’s base level is the inability to write productively and it typically falls into two camps:1. You are completed blocked and can’t write anything 2.) you are paritially blocked. You can write but the words feel like sludge or doesn’t mesh with your early work But essentially something is creating an internal or external obstacle that is preventing your writing ability to be at peak performance.

Writer's Block

+info

So you’ve probably heard of imposter syndrome and/or you’ve might have experienced it without realizing it. But for those who aren’t sure what imposter syndrome is, I’m going to share a snippet from Elise Murrell on Empowered Papers LLC that sums it up:“Imposter syndrome is loosely defined as feeling like you don’t belong, or like you aren’t worthy of your accomplishments. You might be experiencing imposter syndrome if you feel inadequate even though there is a mountain of evidence to the contrary. As an example, you might be scared to call yourself a writer, even if you love writing. You might feel you haven’t done enough to ‘earn’ the title, or that you don’t measure up to others’ standards of what makes a ‘true writer.’ A writer is not defined by the volume of work they have written or whether they’ve been recognized by a fancy publication. Anyone who loves to write, in any form or capacity, IS A WRITER. This is true even if your writing has never seen the light of day (yet!). And I guarantee that some of your favorite writers have also experienced the same feelings.”

Imposter Syndrome

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Life

• Create your novel soundtrack and/or listen to writing playlists.

• Create inspiration and a reward system to stay motivated, happy, and sane (such as pretty posters, coffee/snacks stash, or a new Kindle book to read in December)

• Plan to track your productivity in some way. Some like to go old school and print out a calendar of November. For every day the make word count, they get a gold star sticker

• Stock up on your favorite writing snacks and drinks.
• Breathe and tell yourself you are ready for NaNoWriMo and you can 100% do this.

• Bookmark useful sites and hashtags for quick reference (either for writing inspiration or novel research)

• Figure out a Writing Routine that works for you

• Update your calendar with everything: times you want to write, Write-Ins, important things like family events, friend get-togethers, and holiday celebrations. It’s going to be hectic and having a written schedule/calendar can give you a sense of order and control.

• Let your friends and family know about your writing times and writing events to minimize interruptions and over-booking yourself.

• Take care of any work you can do in advance. E.g. schedule blog posts, clean house top to bottom, do homework, finish freelance projects.

• Put together a Writing Survival Kit. This is personal to each individual. In mine I have a geode, a stash of chocolate and lemon drops, a kitchen timer, extra ear-buds, a small notebook, and a fancy pen.

• Get any Writing profile or platform ready and updated with your current information and Writing Project.

• Gather your tools. Notebooks, pens, sticky notes, index cards, writing books, crystals, a mini fridge, coffee pot, whatever helps you get through your daily word count.

• Set up your work space. You might not always be able to write in the same place everyday, but it’s nice to have a dedicated novel-writing area to spend time in.

• Decide what writing program you’ll use. Will you pen your masterpiece in Microsoft Word, a Google doc, Scrivener, or some other program? It’s best to decide on one so that all of your writing is kept in one place.

• Do any software/hardware updates. The last thing you want is to be trying to research or write and your computer is constantly yelling at you to do the updated.

• Clean up your hard drive and writing folders for quick and easy access to your documents.

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Get Your Ducks in Line

Life

• Figure out a Writing Routine

• Get all your ducks in a row for a successful November

• How are you going to incorporate self care into your writing routine

• Come up with a Writer's Block plan

Voluntary Homework

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Life

Resources

Here is where to find some resources for your Month of Writing, writing in general, editing, and more!

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

No gatekeeping here!

Word Tracker Excel

Resource Document

Writing Prompts

Worksheets

Goodie Folder

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Resources

We have had a "Secret Goodie folder" for a number of years now. It's a Google Drive folder where we try to share everything to help our fellow writers. It is always available to you and we try to keep it as updated as possible.

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Resources

click seals to enlarge

Fall Writing Schedule

Waukesha Writer's Preptober

Resources

Happy Writing!

Wauekesha Writer's Preptober

The End

Hidden Rules Among Classes