NaNoWriMo 2018

It's been a long time since I have written anything for this blog. I can't promise to post something on a daily or weekly basis, but I am going to try to post monthly.

Last November, during NaNoWriMo, I started working on a new idea for a story. November was not ideal, but I got some scenes and backstories written. I got a good start but found I was lacking understanding of how events connect to each other and how the relationships of the characters. So I decided to take a step back. Well, it was more like 10 steps back.

The story idea is not new to me, but rather, a growth from something else. It started off as part of a 52-week writing challenge I participated in 2013.

The original challenge was: "Write the thoughts in a man's mind as he hurried to ask his mother's forgiveness.

I completed the challenge, but I was not satisfied with the one-shot. So I decided to expand upon the idea and make it a longer story. I also felt my heroine was slighted as it was from the hero's point of view only. In the expansion, it will be from multiple point-of-views.

I am currently working through the First Draft 60 as outlined by Kaye Dacus. While I am following the First Draft steps, I am using worksheets created by Eva Deverell to create my story bible, characters, scenes, etc. The worksheets are found under The Coterie. You will have to sign up to gain access to The Coterie. The good news is that it is free and you will get two emails each week from Eva (a new worksheet on Wednesday and a short story on Sunday).

It is my hope that by following the advice of these two ladies, my own writing will benefit. Outline/Planning my next story might take longer than 60 days, but in the end, I will understand my characters motions and how the story should develop from one scene to the next and chapter to chapter.

My working title is: Reaching for Love

The next step for me is writing the story's synopsis. That might be my next post.

Until next time.