NaNoWriMo Day 14 – 2021

Today’s writing prompt has more of a DIY approach. Try using this random sentence generator to inspire a scene in your story.

It’s also really good to laugh at. My personal favourites from playing with it today were “The wooden spoon couldn’t cut but left emotional scars.” and “At that moment I was the most fearsome weasel in the entire swamp.

Both are bizarre, but make me want to know the story behind them.

Comment some of your favourite randomly generated sentences below!

NaNoWriMo Day 13 – 2021

Sorry for the late prompt today, but here it is! Just having a lazy day after a busy week.

For day 13, here is another photo prompt!

Image by LuisValiente from Pixabay 

What struck me about this photo is it made me think about all the details of a person. Whether that’s clothing, body language, or nuances in their expressions and speech. Everyone is unique, including our characters. Thinking about defining features or differences in how our characters talk and act can make our stories feel more alive.

So today, try to think up some unique features or descriptions of your characters. Or just write a scene about a young girl with laughter in her eyes.

NaNoWriMo Day 12 – 2021

Week 2 is nearly over and the halfway point is within our grasp. Week three is often one of the most challenging of November–the fatigue and over caffeination start to take their toll and the idea well can dry up.

But don’t be discouraged by that. You have a story that is worth telling and you’re doing great no matter what your current word count is. Remember, we’re nearly halfway!

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NaNoWriMo Day 10 & 11 – 2021

Yesterday was very busy, so I decided to prioritise my own writing instead of doing a writing prompt. As per usual, here are two writing prompts to make up for it!

In other news, I’ve been making a Spotify playlist for my nano novel. Lots of fun, spooky classical music if you want to check it out.

Writing prompt day 10:

Your main character’s emotional wound: What is the lie they believe about themselves?

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NaNoWriMo Day 9 – 2021

Hello writers. I’m going to be honest with you–I’m not sure applying for jobs at the same time as writing a novel was the best idea, but here I am. Still unsure if the post-interview adrenaline helps or hinders my plot.

Today, I thought I would give a writing prompt based on the emotional journey of our stories:

Write a letter from your main character at the start of the story to their future self. Then write a letter from you MC at the end of the story, aimed at their past self.

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NaNoWriMo Day 8 – 2021

Welcome to week two!

The experience of week two can be wildly different for everyone. Maybe you’ve hit a good stride and are overflowing with ideas. Or maybe you are struggling to coax a story from your initial idea and find yourself boxed in.

My suggestion for the latter experience is to let yourself breathe a bit more. If you’re writing a serious period drama but really want to go on a tangent about gnomes, then do it. It may not fit the story, and it may not help the plot, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t let yourself write it.

Who knows, maybe it will give you the inspiration to write the crucial scene in your story. Or maybe it just needed some gnomes all along.

Remember, this is draft 0. Whatever happens can stay between you and the novel, because this isn’t about perfection. This is about ideas and words.

If you only have one–ideas or words–then just keep going with what you have and the other will come in time.

And if you don’t have either and don’t want to write anything, try a writing prompt.

Today’s writing prompt:

Cellar, drama, temperature, breeze, jaw

Use these 5 words to come up with a scene for your novel. Bonus points if you can use every word!

Hope you’re having a good Monday!

NaNoWriMo Day 6 – 2021

Today we are 1/5th of the way through.

It’s the first weekend of the month, and I’m really glad for the rest. I’m currently applying to jobs at the same time as doing NaNoWriMo, so the pressure is definitely on and my brain is very dead.

The 10,000 mark is always exciting though!

Today’s writing prompt:

Use the weather to advance the plot.

Did heavy rain drive your characters to find a discovery? Did the sun burn a mark into your MC’s character growth? Did the snow bury a plot hole? Or maybe there’s just a tornado they all have to run from now.

Have fun!

NaNoWriMo Day 4 & 5 – 2021

Good news! I wrote something last night that I clicked with. I’m still not sure where my novel is going next, but at least I have a semi-interesting inciting incident.

If you’re still struggling to click with anything, then don’t worry. Just keep brainstorming and you’ll get there. And if you’re already at +10,000 words by now then go you! All experiences are valid this month.

Due to the missing writing prompt from yesterday, today you get two!

Writing prompt 1:

Write a scene using ONLY dialogue.

Dialogue is great because it can help move the story along, break up lines of description, and show the dynamics between characters. But dialogue can also be difficult to write, especially during nano when I often have to force myself to write something other than endless pages of world description.

Writing prompt 2:

Write a scene inspired by this photo!

Photo by Dustin Humes on Unsplash

Hope you’re having a great day 5 ❤

NaNoWriMo Day 3 – 2021

Good morning writers. A new day, a new page–what will you be writing today?

To be honest, I woke up feeling a little discouraged. I know, I know–it’s only day 3. But it’s okay if you feel like that too. Right now I can’t seem to think of a goal for my main character. All she does is stare broodily at the wall and tell me to do all the work.

Maybe I just need to approach my story from a different angle?

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