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.

Writing a synopsis is difficult for me until I learned what it should contain.

1. The Story Problem(s) - yes, some stories have two problems (major and minor). Or, the heroine and hero help each other overcome a situation.
2. Who is in the midst of the problem?
3. Who or what caused the problem?
4. Some include the resolution in the form of a question.

Reaching of Love synopsis:

Bella finds herself homeless and jobless with a baby on way. Her ex-boyfriend, Jacob, lies to her father, Charlie about how he didn't her pregnant. Jacob claims the guy before him knocked her up. 

Not knowing what to do, Bella cries outside Palisade, where she used to work. A stranger, Edward, offers to protect her. He'll even marry her. Will Bella take Edward up on his offer to protect her and marry him? 

Edward has not had luck in the love department so when he comes across Bella crying outside Palisade he goes to make sure she's okay. As soon as her eyes connect with his, he's a goner and he knows it. The more he learns, the more he wants to help her, to protect her. Before long, he's formulating a plan on how best to protect her and her unborn child. The only way for him to do so is to marry her. 

Will Edward's parents forgive the spur-of-the-moment marriage? And will Bella and Edward fall in love?