How to Find a Story Line Without Really Trying
A story line is non-essential.
Okay, now breath. It's true. A story line is non-essential, because this is a challenge of numbers, not plots. Writing in the month of November should be about word count, not plot, but so many authors get trapped in the necessity of character and plot, without realizing that if you simply just start writing, the rest will follow.
That's the beauty of story lines; they find their way into your paragraphs, without your knowledge. And before you know it, while you are stressing over your word count, and whether or not you will achieve 50,000 words of what must be the absolute biggest pile of drivel (at least in your mind) one person could produce, a story line appears. And everything is right in the world.
So, just breath. Start typing words, even if they don't make sense. And keep typing. Type recipes. Write a drabble about your favorite toy as child. Take a situation from that very day and rewrite it, so that it now plays out to suit your fancy. But most importantly, just type.
Writer's block can be painful, but it's not as painful as not writing that story you have in your head. It can be stifling, yes, but it can be managed. When you are writing for the National Novel Writing Month, yes, story lines are not essential, but they can find their way into your writing. Rather you are writing because you are inspired, or you're writing because you're in the November competition, writing is enjoyable and rewarding.
Now story lines are only non-essential during the National Novel Writing Month competition only! Otherwise, your story will not get off the ground, and you'll end up frustrated. Not that writing 50,000 words in the thirty day time frame you isn't frustrating enough.
Actually, most writers find their storyline within their paragraphs, and don't even realize that they have one. So just breathe, turn on that desktop or laptop and start typing. I guarantee that you find your story before you realize it. It sounds silly, I know, however, it works for me every time.
Want more information on the National Novel Writing Month and the November Challenge, visit their website at www.nanowrimo.org
Published by Carolyn Lawrence
I have been writing and taking photographs for as long as I can remember. View profile
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