NaNoInspo

I’m already writing, so any participation of mine in NaNoWriMo will be more or less background noise. But then I thought:

What about the first-timers?

Peeps who are just sitting down for the first time to do something big and creative (I include the peeps participating in NaNoManGo, too, but I suck at art) and may be a little bit daunted. Or experiencing trepidation about the whole deal.

So I came up with NaNoInspo.

Inspirational messages, possibly including a brushtail possum, about starting writing and keeping writing. Why the brushtail? They’re cute, nocturnal, and used to dark places. Much like writers. They’re also capable of a lot of noise, a lot of mess, and will take your finger off if you’re not careful. Much like writers ;D

Things like:

  • Of course you can explain your world! In small doses.

  • Show us what your hero(ine) is like.

  • Every first draft is perfect. All it has to do is exist. (Thank you, Neil Gaiman)

  • Edit later. Write now.

  • Write now. Edit later.

  • All you could write was a paragraph? That’s great progress!

  • Stuck? Read it over.

  • Characters running away with the story? That’s a good sign!

  • You made yourself cry? Wow, you’re good.

  • Torturing your characters does not make you a bad person.

  • Torturing your readers does not make you a bad person.

  • Of course you can finish it after November.

  • Keep writing, you’re doing great.

  • TV Tropes is research.

  • Wiki walks are research.

  • Keep notes. Continuity is important.

  • Readers are smart. You can let them guess.

  • Write someone different to you. It’s great exercise.

  • Give them a problem that’s in the way of their current solution.

  • Need more words? Describe something.

  • Tired of ‘said’? Try showing us what they’re doing.

  • Don’t tell me what they look like right away.

  • All you could write was a sentence? That’s great progress!

  • You’re allowed to take a break.

  • Remember: Look after yourself!

And so on. I doubt I could do a month’s worth, but I can try. And that’s what NaNoWriMo is about.

And, yes, I have an enthusiastic-looking possum picture picked out.