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NaNo Prep 101: A Six-Week Workshop and Resource Guide for Writers

Overview + Table of Contents

So you want to write a novel.

Well, you’ve come to the right place! NaNoWriMo (a.k.a. National Novel Writing Month) is a fun,

seat-of-your-pants approach to creative writing. Valuing enthusiasm, determination, and a deadline,

NaNoWriMo is for anyone who has ever thought about writing a novel. We challenge participants to

write a 50,000-word first draft of a novel in one month (traditionally, November).

Now, we know that sounds intimidating, but it’s a tried-and-true method that has helped thousands of

writers accomplish their creative dreams. Not sure where to start, or need some extra help? Our

NaNo Prep resources are here to inspire, challenge, and help prepare you to start writing.

Here, we’ve collected our favorite tips and resources to help you with your novel prep — and we’ve

divided them into a suggested six-week structure leading up to November 1 (or whenever you start

writing). You can choose to do one section, or all of them. You can do every activity, or skip around.

We’ll be providing additional resources this September and October that complement each session,

so check out our calendar for a schedule of events.

If you’d like to explore the NaNoWriMo community, you can check out our social platforms:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NaNoWriMo

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nanowrimo

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nanowrimo/

Forums: https://forums.nanowrimo.org/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/lettersandlightvideo

Tumblr: https://blog.nanowrimo.org/

We wish you the best of luck with your writing adventures!

— The NaNoWriMo Staff

Overview + Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Session 1: Develop a Story Idea You’re Passionate About

(That will take you all the way to 50,000 words) …………………………………….……………………. 4

Session 2: Create Complex, Believable Characters

(Strong enough to shoulder a novel and hold your interest) ……………………………………………. 9

Session 3: Construct a Detailed Plot or Outline

(That will keep you on track with your story) …………………………………………………………….. 19

Session 4: Build a Strong World for Your Characters

(That your readers will want to explore, too) …………………………………………………………….. 37

Session 5: Organize Your Life to Support Your Writing Goals

(And get your community involved) ……………………………………………………...……………….. 42

Session 6: Find, Schedule, and Manage Your Time

(So you can write as much as possible) …………………………………………………………………..48

Session 1: Develop a Story Idea You’re Passionate About

(That will take you all the way to 50,000 words)

Get started with: 4 Ways to Develop an Idea

1. Borrow a Plot: First, write a summary of 3 books or movies or stories you love. Include

important characters, major plot turns, and setting. Here’s an example:

Example: A teenage girl lives in a dystopian world where the USA has been divided into 13

Districts, and every year children are chosen from each district to fight to the death. The

teenage girl volunteers to fight in place of her sister. She tries to survive while also protesting

against the evil Capital and (maybe) falling in love. (Hunger Games).

Write 3 summaries:

Session 1: Develop a Story Idea You’re Passionate About

hen, choose one of the summaries and start changing around different parts - characters,

setting, plot turns, adjectives, verbs, anything else you like! See where those changes take you,

and keep writing when you get inspired. Here’s an example:

Example: A teenage girl lives in a future where the oceans have risen and everyone lives on

small islands. The water is controlled by pirates who demand a sacrifice each year to keep the

island safe. The girl is chosen, but in a storm, she’s rescued by a different kind of pirate ship -

one made up of former would-be sacrifices who act as pirates against the pirates. And…

Okay, so that idea isn’t done yet, but I’m already super into it. Also, dibs on that idea. I’m writing

it for NaNoWriMo because I liked it so much. You can look for it in hardback in 2021.

Change around the elements of one or all of your summaries:

Session 1: Develop a Story Idea You’re Passionate About

2. Borrow a Character: Invent a history or future for someone. Maybe it’s a friend you lost

touch with after college, a teacher you had, a family member you’ve heard stories about, or just

someone you’ve seen in photos or on the bus. I’d like to write a novel starring my great-

grandmother someday, inspired by the pictures I’ve seen of her (I’ve never really heard anything

about her!).

ho is the person that intrigues you? What was their childhood like? What did they dream of?

What was their greatest desire? What obstacles did they face? What was their greatest

triumph?

Finally (since most novels aren’t someone’s entire life story), you have to find the story. What

part of that imagined life has the most drama, the most ups and downs? A moment of adventure

or possibility or danger, when things changed? Remember, you’re INVENTING this person, so

feel free to go wild.

3. News You Can Use: Pick an event from the news. Imagine it from the perspective of different

people involved with it. So a story about a river flooding might include the single mother driving

her two kids on a camping trip, the park ranger called in to help, the farmer who lives down t

oad. Feel free to use the basics of the news story for inspiration, but make up your ow

det

ails—change the place, the time, the specifics of the people involved (age, gender identity,

personality).

Session 1: Develop a Story Idea You’re Passionate About

What news stories have stuck with you?

What kind of people might be involved? What are their lives like? How did they end up in that

situation? What will they have to do to get out of it? What might have happened years before or

what might happen years after?

4. A Whole New World: Scroll through these photos until you find one (or more!) that sparks

something for you, then pause and write your questions, wonderings, and ideas.

• https://www.boredpanda.com/abandoned-places/

• https://www.roughguides.com/gallery/20-seriously-weird-places-around-the-world/

• https://traveltriangle.com/blog/50-weirdest-places-across-the-world/

What kind of place is this? How did it get this way? Who might live or travel through it? How do

they feel? What is it like for them there? What challenges do they face?

Session 1: Develop a Story Idea You’re Passionate About

Extra Story Idea Resources:

• Sparking an Idea: To fill it out, click “File” in the top left corner, then select “Make a

copy.”

• Plot Generator: Silly… or brilliant? Or both???

• Video: Get Ready to Write a Novel

• Adoption Society Forum: Hop into any “Adopt a Plot” threads to get inspiration from

other Wrimos.

Session 2: Create Complex, Believable Characters

(Strong enough to shoulder a novel and keep your interest)

Get started with: Character Development and Questionnaires

(adapted from the Young Novelist Workbook)

Most people think that an intriguing plot is what makes a story good, but the truth is that exciting

plots are made up of original and well-developed characters.

at Characters vs. Original Characters

Not only are characters with hidden depths and secrets more fun to read about, they're also

more fun to write about. Though you'll end up writing about a bunch of different people in your

novel next month, most of them will fall into one of three categories: The protagonist, the

supporting characters, and the antagonist.

The Protagonist

he protagonist is the character with the starring role in your book. In most novels, the

protagonist is on a journey to get what they want more than anything else in the world, whether

it's fame, revenge, reuniting with a long-lost sibling, or something much more elusive, like

overcoming poverty or cancer.

The Supporting Characters

upporting characters are characters in a novel that have an important role in your protagonist’s

life. Some may be around for the protagonist’s entire journey, some for only part. Supporting

characters can be friends, close relatives, love interests, you name it. These characters also

have dreams of their own, and their adventures will add even more excitement to your novel.

The Physical Antagonist

physical antagonist is a living, breathing character in a novel that is standing in the way of the

protagonist achieving their goal. This does not mean that all physical antagonists are evil

monsters. Some antagonists stand in the way simply through jealousy, or misunderstanding, or

by having a set of goals that differs from that of the protagonist’s.

Flat character: Steve was a good kid. He got good grades and was never late to class.

A better-developed character: Steve Goodhold was a good kid. He got good grades and was

never late to class. Little did everyone know that he spent his nights working as an internet

hacker for a modern Mafioso who he met through his older cousin, Peter.

Steve didn’t need much sleep, which was a good thing. He slept maybe two hours a night, and

spent the rest of his time stealing identities, wiring funds, and making more money than both

his parents combined. He told himself he was saving for college, but the thrill of his secret life

of crime was steadily eroding his interest in an Ivy League education.

Session 2: Create Complex, Believable Characters

If Fernando is your protagonist and he wants to recruit Jill for his dance crew, but Greg asked

her first, this doesn't mean Greg is a “bad guy.” He's just another guy who admires the same

kind of pop-and-lock style.

Then again, there are those antagonists that are just plain evil. It's up to you to decide who's

going to stand in your protagonist's way, and how they are going to do it.

The Abstract Antagonist

Though a lot of antagonists are living, breathing beings, some are not. Some protagonists face

off against illness, or grief, or the powers of a corrupt government. We like to call these kinds of

antagonists abstract antagonists because they don't take actual physical form. If your novel’s

antagonist is not a living person/animal/entity, you have an abstract antagonist.

It may be easier think of it this way: if your protagonist cannot physically kick your antagonist in

the knee, it's probably abstract.

It's a great idea for you, the author, to try and get to know your characters before you begin

writing. Enter the character questionnaire!

Physical Antagonist

Abstract Antagonist

A racist or intolerant character

Racism/intolerance in a community or in

general

A character who is working to make sure your

protagonist lives a poverty-stricken life

Poverty or the economy in a community or in

general

A character who is forcing your character to

struggle against nature (e.g. someone who has

left your character stranded in Antarctica)

Nature as an entity (e.g. a natural disaster or

an extreme climate)

A character whose beliefs oppress your

protagonist

A belief system, religion, or the concept of

either

A government official such as a dictator who

has it in for your protagonist

A corrupt government

Your protagonist's evil boss

A corporation/company

A character whose sole mission is to make sure

your protagonist becomes ill (e.g. though

poisoning or exposure to a deadly disease)

Disease/illness in general

Session 2: Create Complex, Believable Characters

Character Questionnaire

opy the questionnaire below for as many characters as you want to fill it out for, and fill it out

as described below.

Section One: All Your Characters

omplete Section One for every character you'd like to. If you have an abstract

antagonist, try to answer as many questions as you can from this section for them, then

move on to Section Four.

ection Two: Questions for Your Supporting Characters

omplete Section Two just for your supporting characters.

ection Three: Questions for a Physical Antagonist

omplete Section Three if you have a physical antagonist.

Section Four: Questions for an Abstract Antagonist

omplete Section Four if you have an abstract antagonist.

Section One: Complete this section for any of your characters!

1. N

ame:

2. A

ge:

3. H

eight:

4. E

ye color:

5. P

hysical appearance:

Session 2: Create Complex, Believable Characters

6. S

trange or unique physical attributes:

7. Fav

orite clothing style/outfit:

Where do they live? What is it like there?

9. D

efining gestures/movements (i.e., curling their lip when they speak, always keeping their

eyes on the ground, etc.):

10.

Things about their appearance they would most like to change:

11. S

peaking style (fast, talkative, monotone, etc.):

12. P

et peeves:

13.

Fondest memory:

14. H

obbies/interests:

15. S

pecial skills/abilities:

16. I

nsecurities:

Session 2: Create Complex, Believable Characters

17. Q

uirks/eccentricities:

18. T

emperament (easy-going, easily angered, etc.):

19. N

egative traits:

20. T

hings that upset them:

21. T

hings that embarrass them:

22. T

his character is highly opinionated about:

23. A

ny phobias?

24. T

hings that make them happy:

25. Fa

mily (describe):

26. D

eepest, darkest secret:

27. R

eason they kept this secret for so long:

Session 2: Create Complex, Believable Characters

28. Other people's opinions of this character (What do people like about this character? What

do they dislike about this character?):

29. Fav

orite bands/songs/type of music:

30.

Favorite movies:

31. Fav

orite TV shows:

32. Fav

orite books:

33.

Favorite foods:

34. Fav

orite sports/sports teams:

olitical views:

36. R

eligion/philosophy of life:

37. P

hysical health:

38. D

ream vacation:

39. D

escription of their home:

Session 2: Create Complex, Believable Characters

40. D

escription of where they sleep:

41. A

ny pets?

42. B

est thing that has ever happened to this character:

43.

Worst thing that has ever happened to this character:

44. S

uperstitions:

45.

Three words to describe this character:

46.

If a song played every time this character walked into the room, what song would it be?

Section Two: Supporting Character Questions

1. Relationship to the protagonist:

2. Fav

orite thing about the protagonist:

imilarities to protagonist:

Session 2: Create Complex, Believable Characters

4. D

ifferences from protagonist:

Section Three: Antagonist Questions

1. W

hy are they facing off against the protagonist?

2. A

ny likeable traits?

3. W

eaknesses:

ection Four: Abstract Antagonist

What is your abstract antagonist? Is it a disease like cancer, a social ill like poverty, or

something larger than life, like grief?

2. H

ow is this antagonist affecting the protagonist?

3. D

o other characters notice? How does this antagonist affect the other people in your novel?

Session 2: Create Complex, Believable Characters

And don’t forget: The Three Big Character Questions

1. What does your main character want more than anything in the world?

What do they need to grow as a person (not necessarily the same thing as what they want)

What major flaws (internal problems) and obstacles (external problems) will stand in their

way?

Session 2: Create Complex, Believable Characters

Also, just a note: It’s totally normal to not have a sense of who the heck

your characters are

until after you finish writing your first draft. So don’t worry if you feel like you don’t have a hold

of your characters yet, or if they start changing on you as you write. That’s part of the process!

Extra Character Building Resources:

• Webcast: Games to Develop Your Characters (with the Society of Young Inklings)

• Adoption Society Forum: Hop into any “Adopt a Character” threads to get inspiration

from other Wrimos

• Blog post: 51 Questions You’ve (Probably) Never Asked About Your Characters

• New Character Generator

Session 3: Construct a Detailed Plot or Outline

(That will keep you on track with your story)

Get started with: Figuring out which plotting method is right for you.

hat kind of plotting method will work best for you and your story? Take our quiz above to find

out, or explore all five methods we suggest below:

Method 1: Stay loose! Jot, Bin, Pants

ou’ve got the seed of an idea—a character that calls to you, a world to discover, maybe a few

plot ideas. Now it’s time to explore that idea, but not on the page… in your head! Okay, that

sounded weird. Here’s what we mean. Instead of writing a whole novel to find out which twists

end up getting you stuck, or to realize that it would’ve been a more interesting choice for your

character to do A instead of B way back in the beginning, we’re going to do all that story

imagining at the level of scene instead of sentence. (Inspired by

Cassandra Lee Yieng’s blog

post).

1. Jot down your scene ideas.

et yourself in a creative space, whatever that means for you. For me it’s my bed in the

morning with a cup of coffee. Use index cards or a notebook or the next page. Close your eyes

and start imagining your way through your novel, as if you were reading it inside your head. Jot

down every single scene that comes to you using just a few words. Take different paths on

purpose to see what happens, and write down scene ideas even if they contradict each other.

Examples:

Katniss goes hunting.

Katniss volunteers.

Katniss remembers Peeta giving her bread.

Peeta confesses love on TV.

Do this every day until you’ve thought through and collected around 50-100 scene ideas

(depending on the length of your novel).

Take our plotting method quiz!

Session 3: Construct a Detailed Plot or Outline

MEGA BRAINSTORM OF SCENE IDEAS (unordered)

Session 3: Construct a Detailed Plot or Outline

2. Sort your ideas by where they should go in your story.

Time to sort! Spread your index cards on the ground or flip through your notebook or digital doc.

Group the scenes into beginning, middle, and end piles (or docs, files, bins, etc). Don’t

throw away any scene ideas yet - add them to a “Maybe Not” group.

BEGINNING

MIDDLE

END

Session 3: Construct a Detailed Plot or Outline

3. Organize your scenes.

Now

fine-tune your piles. Look at your beginning pile, figure out what your first few scenes might

be, and put them in order. Use your instinct to guide you—what makes sense? What feels

right? If you want more guidance with plot structure, check out our other plotting guides. If you

realize a scene is missing, add it! Eventually, your goal is to have a list of scenes in the

order they might happen in your story.

Use your list of scenes as a rough guide to keep you on track and moving forward throughout

the month, but pants your way through all the actual writing. You’ll discover new things about

your characters and world as you write, but the general story structure might not change too

much. Or it might! You can always return to the dreamstorm stage if you realize you need to

imagine your way down a different path.

GRAND LIST OF SCENE IDEAS (in order)

Session 3: Construct a Detailed Plot or Outline

Method 2: Give me the basics: Plot Rollercoaster

Session 3: Construct a Detailed Plot or Outline

You're all about the essentials—nothing too complicated or specific. The Plot Rollercoaster is a

good outlining structure to start with. You might even remember learning about it in school!

Whether you stop here or use it as a starting point for more in-depth planning, it’s a good tool to

have in your writing bag (box? knapsack? treasure chest?).

As you can see, the Plot Rollercoaster consists of six sections:

Section 1: Set-Up

ost novels begin by showing a little bit about the characters, the setting, and the conflict before

jumping fully into the action. The set-up of a story is like the start of a rollercoaster: you get

hints of the exciting, scary stuff coming up ahead, but for the most part, you're just looking

around and getting to know the people on the ride with you.

ection 2: Inciting Incident

he inciting incident launches your protagonist into the adventure whether they're ready or

not. It can be a pretty exciting moment for your main character. Once it happens, there's no

turning back...

ection 3: Rising Action

Session 3: Construct a Detailed Plot or Outline

The rising action is the longest section of a novel. It's made up of many events, each of them

building up to the most exciting part of your story: the climax. It's where you develop your

characters, deepen their relationships with one another, and lay out everything that happens to

them before that big finish. Think of the rising action as the biggest hill on the rollercoaster—

the higher you go, the more suspenseful it gets.

Section 4: Climax

he climax is the “gasp” moment. It's the moment at the very top of the rollercoaster, right

before the high-speed drop. This moment doesn’t last long, and neither does the climax in your

novel. It can be as short as one paragraph—just enough to make your readers hold their breath

in suspense and ask, “What’s going to happen next?!”

ection 5: Falling Action

he falling action is what happens next. It is the fast-paced, action-packed part of your novel.

You’re finally speeding down the tracks of the rollercoaster with your hands in the air! Does the

antagonist get defeated? Do the protagonist’s dreams finally come true? If so, how?

ection 6: Resolution

he resolution is how things work out in the very end, after your protagonist gets (or doesn’t

get) what they want. It's also a place to show how your character and their life have changed.

This change happens little by little as your protagonist faces their fears, defeats villains, and

builds relationships with a cast of amazing characters. All these adventures will end up

changing the way your main character sees the world and their place in it. Try to use the final

scenes of your book to highlight those changes.

Now it’s your turn to outline your plot. You don’t have to describe everything that will

happen in your novel—some things you won't discover until you start writing! This is just

to help you get an idea about what will happen in the beginning, middle, and end of your

book

f it helps you structure your plot, you can use the blank "Plot Rollercoaster” on the next page.

To get an idea of how to use the blank rollercoaster, check out the

in-depth example in our

Young Novelist Workbook. If you’re feeling really stuck, it might be because you need to spend

more time just dreaming up your idea. In that case, take out a blank sheet of paper or open a

new doc and spend some time freewriting about your story. Try thinking “What if?” or go back to

your character and conflict exercises.

Plot Rollercoaster

See the “Plot Rollercoaster” section of our

Young Novelist Workbook.

Session 3: Construct a Detailed Plot or Outline

Notes:

Session 3: Construct a Detailed Plot or Outline

Method 3: I <3 Plot! 9-Step Plot Dot

“Beginning, middle, and end” just doesn’t cut it for you - you want more! You’re not making any

100-point outlines, but you do appreciate a well-structured, well-planned plot. Why not try t

egant yet simple, detailed yet accessible 9-Step Plot Dot (adapted from the Hero’s Journey

model)?

s NaNoWriMo participant Derek Murphy said in his Plot Dot blog post: “Nearly all fiction follows

some version of the classical hero’s journey: a character has an experience, learns something,

and is consequently improved. There are turning points and scenes that need to be included in

your story—if they are missing it won’t connect with readers in an emotionally powerful way.

And it’s a thousand times easier to map them out before you write your book.” We couldn’t have

said it better ourselves. Follow this 9-Step structure to discover the tentpoles of your story, and

read the whole blog post here

for more details and guidance.

1. Ordinary World (start with lack) – Show your main character (MC) and their normal life,

including friends, family, job/school. What flaws do they have? What’s missing from their

life? What do they want more than anything in the world?

Session 3: Construct a Detailed Plot or Outline

2. Inciting Incident (call to adventure) – Boom! Something big changes. Maybe a

stranger moves to town, or a family member dies, or there’s an earthquake. Whatever it is, it

kicks your story into action. What happens? How does your MC react? Do they accept this call

to adventure right away, or try to ignore/deny what’s happening so everything can just go back

to normal?

3. First Plot Point (point of no return) – Your MC may have tried to avoid the call, but

now things are getting weirder/more intense, and they’re forced to make a choice to join the

action. Everything changes - there’s no going back now! How does the situation escalate? What

forces your MC to choose? How do they feel about it all?

4. First Pinch Point (first battle) – Your MC has been exploring their new situation -

meeting people, learning new things....and discovering new dangers and tensions. This all leads

to the First Pinch Point, which is the first major interaction with the antagonist (in some form).

What happens? What will happen if your MC fails to defeat this challenge at the end of the story

(the stakes)?

Session 3: Construct a Detailed Plot or Outline

5. Midpoint (shift from victim to warrior) – Your MC continues to face new challenges,

but they’re on the defense - mostly reacting, waiting, making things worse. Then, halfway

through the novel, something happens to shift their perspective and spur them to take action, to

stop reacting and start winning, no matter what it takes. What does your MC try when they’re on

the defense? What shifts them into offense? What new plans do they make?

6. Second Pinch Point (second battle) – Your MC has their second confrontation with the

antagonist (in some form). Maybe their plans lead to this, or maybe it was an attack they had to

respond to. Either way, this second conflict eventually leads to things being much, much worse

than they were before… What happens? What does your MC try to do? How do things get

worse?

7. Second Plot Point (dark night of the soul) – At this point, everything the MC feared

could happen, has happened. They’ve lost the battle (usually because of their flaw or lack of

knowledge) and there have been serious consequences. They feel terrible and give up all

hope… until something forces them to change their mind, to have a revelation about themselves

and their battle. With this new knowledge, they rise up from the ashes. What terrible things have

happened? What does your MC do? What revelation do they have, and what new plans do they

make?

Session 3: Construct a Detailed Plot or Outline

8. Final Battle (triumph-knowledge) – With their new knowledge, and maybe a pep talk

from a close friend, your MC goes to battle with their biggest, baddest enemy (whatever that

means in your story). Make it dramatic! There’s a back and forth, things seem dark, your MC is

going to lose, oh no! And then, victory. What will that final conflict be? What will be the most

exciting, tense, drama-filled part of your story?

9. Return to Ordinary World – Your MC returns home, changed. They see their old life in

a new way. How have they changed? What do they do? How do they feel?

Session 3: Construct a Detailed Plot or Outline

Method 4: More Structure, Please: Save the Cat! 3 Acts / 15 Beats

Some people like to write their way through the wilds of a first draft and then figure out where

the story is later. You are not one of these people! You enjoy figuring out how the pieces of a

story work together, and planning out the specific plot beats of your story ahead of time make

you feel confident and ready to write.

The Save the Cat! Beat Sheet was originally developed by Blake Snyder to help screenwriters

plot movies, but it works just as well with graphic novels and, of course, novels. It breaks down

the three-act structure into small, specific sections (sometimes just one scene long!). Each

section pushes your story forward in its own way. The exact word count/page count of each

section depends on how long your novel is and what type of story you’re telling, but you can use

the colored chart below and the percentages we’ve included in the instructions as a kind of

guide.

Fill in each block below with your ideas for each section. Don’t write you whole novel

here—just jot down general ideas for sections and scenes, like “Javiar’s in elevator when

earthquake hits” and “Molly fights with sister—chases down taxi.”

Session 3: Construct a Detailed Plot or Outline

ACT 1

1. Opening Image (0-1%) – Show a “before” snapshot of your protagonist and their world.

What is life like before the adventure begins?

2. Set-up (1-10%) – Keep showing that ordinary “before” world. Explore your protagonist’s

life, including the internal flaws and external challenges they’ll have to overcome in order to

change for the better by the end of the story. Also introduce important supporting characters.

3. Theme Stated (happens during the Set-up) – Somewhere in your set-up, include a

scene where a character says something that hints at what the protagonist’s big life lesson will

be - how they’ll have to change and grow by the end of the story. The protagonist won’t

understand the lesson until later, though.

4. Catalyst (10%) – This is when life-as-they-know-it changes forever! There’s no going

back to the “before” world from here… What is the inciting incident that pushes the protagonist

into the next phase of the story?

Session 3: Construct a Detailed Plot or Outline

5. Debate (11-20%) – But change is scary! Show the protagonist questioning themselves

and resisting the path ahead - wondering whether they have what it takes, or whether or they

should just run home and hide under the bed. This is their last chance to chicken out. “Should I

just…?” “I really shouldn’t because…” “But what about…”

ACT 2

6. Break Into 2 (20%) – Your protagonist answers the call! They make the choice to begin

their adventure/transformation/journey/new thing. Show your protagonist deciding to plunge into

Act 2.

7. The Promise of the Premise/ Fun and Games (21-50%) – This is when the reader

thinks “Ah, now we’re getting to the good stuff they hinted at on the back cover of this book!” It’s

also one of the longest sections in your book. Show your protagonist getting used to their new

world - loving it, hating it, making mistakes or doing well, meeting new people (see more below)

and keeping the reader entertained.

Session 3: Construct a Detailed Plot or Outline

8. B Story (happens during The Promise of the Premise) – Introduce a new character

or characters who will eventually help the protagonist learn their life lesson. Friends? Mentors?

Love interests? Nemeses (nemesi?)? Who are they? How will they help?

9. Midpoint (50%) – This moment is when everything seems “great” or everything seems

“awful,” depending on your story. Either the Fun and Games section has lead to a false victory

for your protagonist (they think they’ve been doing great so far) or a false defeat (they’ve been

having a hard time so far). What happens in this moment, halfway between beginning and end?

10. Bad Guys Close In (51-75%) – Get ready for a bumpy ride. If your Midpoint was a false

victory, now things start to go wrong for your protagonist. If the Midpoint was a false defeat,

well, things seem to be looking up, but the bad guys are getting closer and will have something

to say. Note: Bad guys can be actual physical enemies, but they can also be emotional

enemies, like doubt or jealousy or fear. Show the protagonist’s newly-built world beginning to

unravel. (This will also be one of the longer sections in your novel).

11. All is Lost (75%) – Oh, dear. This is when something happens to make your character

hit rock bottom. It’s the absolute lowest part of your novel. Maybe someone or something dies

(either literally or figuratively). What does this moment look like for your protagonist?

Session 3: Construct a Detailed Plot or Outline

12. Dark Night of the Soul (76-80%) – Your protagonist now has time to react to their “All is

lost” moment, to mourn what they lost and wallow in hopelessness. Yeah, it’s not pretty. They’re

worse off than they were at the beginning of the novel. Show how low things have gotten.

ACT 3

13. Break Into 3 (80%) – The “aha!” moment; the “lift yourself up and try again” moment.

Show the protagonist realizing what they need to do in order to tackle their problems, both

external and internal.

14. Finale (81-99%) – The protagonist does what they decided to do in the Break Intro 3

beat, and (because of all the learning/growing they’ve done and the support or insight from the

B Story), their plan works! The Bad Guys are defeated, the world is changed for the better.

What are the battles? How will the protagonist triumph (or not)? This is another longer section,

so you’ve got the space to make things dramatic and intense!

15. Final Image (99-100%) – This is the opposite of the Opening Image, the “after”

snapshot instead of the “before.” Show the reader how the protagonist and their world have

changed!

Session 3: Construct a Detailed Plot or Outline

Method 5: I <3 Outlining SO MUCH: Katytastic’s 3 Act / 9 Block / 27 Chapter

Outline

GIVE ME ALL THE PLANS! GIVE THEM TO ME! For those of us who love spreadsheets, who

enjoy step-by-steps, who like to understand all the nitty, gritty little pieces of how something

works, or who just feel like they could use some detailed and specific support around how to

plot, enjoy! 3 Acts, 9 Blocks, 27 Chapters...one well-structured story.

ACT 1 (Set Up)

ACT 2 (Conflict)

ACT 3 (Resolution)

1 - Introductions

10 - New World

19 - Calm Before Storm

2 - Inciting Incident

11 - Fun and Games

20 - Plot Twist!

3 - Fall Out

12 - Old Juxtaposition

21 - Darkest Moment

4 - Reaction/ Rebel

13 - Build Up

22 - Power Within

5 - Action

14 - Midpoint

23 - Action/ Rally

6 - Consequence

15 - Reversal

24 - Converge

7 - Pressure

16 - Consequence

25 - Battle

8 - Plot Twist!

17 - Trials

26 - Climax

9 - Push -->

18 - Dedication

27 - Resolution/ The End

Extra Plotting Resources:

• Blog Post: When You Begin to Plan Your Project, Start Small

• Blog Post: Outline Your Story Like a Subway Map

Watch Katytastic’s how-to video.

Fill out the full spreadsheet.

Session 4: Build a Strong World for Your Characters

(That your readers will want to explore, too)

Get started with: Exploring Your Setting

Part 1: Settings That Create Moods

ow that you have an outline of your plot, it's time to explore some of the settings for your

novel. The setting of a novel is where and when the story takes place. As you know, most

novels have more than one setting. Usually, the author decides to have one large setting (like

Los Angeles in 1995), and then many smaller settings (like the laundromat where the characters

hang out on the weekends, or the classroom where they get in a fight).

Settings do more than serve as a backdrop to the action in your novel. They can also create or

enhance the mood of your novel.

Mood means the feeling of your novel; its emotional quality. You can also think of the mood as

how you want someone to feel while reading your novel.

xamples: playful, serious, mysterious, tense, warm, dangerous, joyous

escribe the settings that would help create each of the moods listed below. Try to write

two or three sentences for each mood. Include specific details about the sights, sounds,

sensations (and maybe even smells) of the settings you choose!

Creepy (something different than the example we gave on the previous page):

If you wanted to create a creepy mood for a scene in your novel, you could start with something

like:

"A one-eyed crow blinked from the branch of a dead tree in the yard, while a three-legged

dog howled at the moon."

These images remind us of dark, disturbing things, and show the reader that the scene of the

novel is “creepy” without having to tell them directly

Session 4: Build a Strong World for Your Characters

Joyous:

Suspenseful/tense:

ow make up 2-3 of your own moods and describe a setting that would go along with

each one.

he last step is to apply your new skills to your upcoming novel. Think of a scene from

each section of your novel. Then, write or list details to describe a setting that will help create

the right mood for each scene. For example, you might set your climax on the edge of a

crumbling cliff at sunset in the middle of a thunderstorm.

Mood #1:

Mood #2:

Mood #3:

Session 4: Build a Strong World for Your Characters

A setting from your beginning:

A setting from the middle:

Another setting from the middle:

A setting from the climax:

A setting from the end:

Bonus setting:

eat! Now you have settings to enhance the different moods that will be in your novel. You

may want to keep this page handy and use it as you write your novel.

Session 4: Build a Strong World for Your Characters

Part 2: Settings That Reinforce Characters

nother advanced writing trick is to show things about your characters just by putting them in

specific settings. If you were writing about a mysterious person, you might place them in a dark

mansion on a hill outside of town; if you were writing about a musician, you might place them in

a messy room filled with instruments, speakers, and microphones.

For

each of the following characters, try to come up with a setting that will reflect or

reinforce what you imagine about them. As you write, try to be as detailed as possible. Don’t

forget colors, sounds, and even smells. Focus on where the character is.

The shy new kid in town:

A secret scientist superhero:

Here's us just telling you about Jasmine:

Jasmine was having a hard time. She felt sad and lonely. Her older sister had just left

for college and she missed her every day.

And here's us showing all that about Jasmine through the setting we put her in:

Jasmine used to think her bedroom was small, but ever since her sister left for college,

it felt too big, like she could get lost inside it. She bounced on the bottom bunk, then climbed

the ladder and stretched out on the top. No one told her to move.

She rolled to her side and looked around. "You're my room now," she said to nobody in

particular, and the sound echoed around the walls. Her sister had taken the poster of their

favorite band with her, and the space where it had hung looked sad and blank. Everything

looked sad and blank. Her sister's dresser was swept clean: no necklaces or curling iron or

teddy bears cluttered the wood. The closet was half empty.

"Good," said Jasmine. "I'm glad to finally have my own room. It's about time." She

pulled the blanket up to her chin. It still smelled like her sister's vanilla perfume. She curled up

into a ball and tried to fall asleep, but the room was too quiet, and it took a long time.

Jasmine doesn't even have to speak for herself; her room speaks for her!

Session 4: Build a Strong World for Your Characters

A character from your novel:

Another character from your novel:

Extra World-Building Resources:

• Webcast: Build Your Fictional World with Games! (with the Society of Young Inklings):

Get out your notebook and follow along to this webcast.

• Blog Post: Ready, Set, Novel! A Guide to Grow Your Novel's World

• Blog Post: 20 Questions to Ask Yourself When World-Building

• Blog Post: 5 Ways to World-Build

Session 5: Organize Your Life to Support Your Writing Goals

(And get your community involved)

Get started with:

Pre-NaNoWriMo Non-Noveling Checklist

Everyday chores, tasks, and responsibilities can pile up quickly. While you’ll never be able to

control all the variables, sometimes you may be able to clear a little space in your busy

schedule (and your busy brain!) by taking care of things ahead of time. Here’s a suggested

checklist of things you might want to try to feel prepared for the month ahead. Of course, some

of these may not be possible or apply to you, so feel free to only use what’s useful! We’ve left a

few blank spaces in each section as well in case you want to fill in your own checklist items.

Stock up on writing fuel! Consider planning out your meals by week or by month and

buying all your non-perishable groceries in one big trip.

Bookmark a few quick and easy recipes (crock pots are your friend!), or consider

making and freezing meals ahead of time.

If you can, divvy up your chores with other people. Promise to make up the balance

later.

Deep clean the spaces you’re responsible for (whether that’s your house, your room, or

even just your computer files) before the month begins.

If you have any big work/school items due in November, see if you can extend the

deadline or get as much as possible done in October.

Designate a special writing place for yourself. Try not to make it the same place you do

work or chores; but if it is, how can you make it special for writing? (i.e a candle, a

picture, certain music. Whatever helps you feel creative!)

Make a “Do Not Disturb” sign, or choose some other obvious signal (a hat?

headphones?) to let the people around you know they should leave you alone.

Inform your friends and family that you’ll be writing this month. Tell them how important

it is to you and let them know you might have to prioritize writing over socializing.

Ask someone if they’ll be your accountability buddy. They don’t have to read your

writing, but even just a “Hey, have you written yet today?” text can help keep you on

track.

Session 5: Organize Your Life to Support Your Writing Goals

e there other non-noveling things you’d like to get done to prepare for NaNoWriMo? Add them

here, and look forward to that sweet sensation of crossing them off later…

_____________________________________________________________________

Session 5: Organize Your Life to Support Your Writing Goals

How to Explain NaNoWriMo to the Important People in Your Life

Having the support of your friends, family, or other important people in your life can help you

accomplish your creative goals. But the truth is, sometimes they just don’t get it. They might not

understand why you want to prioritize your writing over other activities this month.

The best way to get people on your side is often by being open and communicative about your

motivations, although we realize it’s not always the easiest thing to do. That’s why we’ve made a

few resources that should help you navigate these conversations:

1. Create a “Do Not Disturb — Writer at Work!” Sign

Let your friends and family know that you’re in the writing zone! Use this sign

that we’ve

made (here’s one for our YWP writers!), or get creative and make your own.

Session 5: Organize Your Life to Support Your Writing Goals

2. The Care of NaNoWriMo Writers

We’ve also made this infographic

to show writer-adjacent people how they can best support

the NaNoWriMo writers in their lives.

3. Write a letter

As a writer, you may find it easiest to communicate through the written word. On the next

page, we’ve included a letter that you can use to tell the people close to you how important

your writing is to you:

Session 5: Organize Your Life to Support Your Writing Goals

Dear Important Person,

This November, I will be taking part—along with over 300,000 writers around the world—in

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). It's a wild, fast-paced creative writing event where

the challenge is to write 50,000 words of the first draft of a novel in just 30 days. That’s 1,667

words (or about 6.5 double-spaced typed pages) a day! For comparison, The Great Gatsby by

F. Scott Fitzgerald is 50,061 words and The Giver by Lois Lowry is 41,905 words.

You might be thinking to yourself, “Why??? Why are you doing this? Won’t it be hard? Won’t

you get frustrated/bored/overwhelmed?” Thank you for your concern, dear Important Person!

NaNoWriMo is an intense event. It’s about committing to a creative project for a month, even if

that means staying up late or waking up early; even if it means the laundry piles up or I don’t get

to spend as much time with family and friends. It’s a month to challenge myself and explore all

the dark, dusty corners of my imagination. So, yes, it’s probably going to be hard, but I hope it

will be energizing and fulfilling, too. And who knows? I might not do anything else with my draft,

but some novels, like Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl, Sara Gruen's Water For Elephants, and Erin

Morgenstern's The Night Circus, began as NaNoWriMo projects!

Besides just being your awesome Important Person self, here are some ways you can support

me during the month:

• Cheer me on, and celebrate with me when I reach milestones!

• Take on some of the chores I’m normally responsible for.

• Feed me! Unlike wild animals, writers love being fed.

• Ask me how my novel is going (but don’t push too hard if I don’t feel like talking

about it).

• If I give you something to read, treat it like the gift it is! First drafts are precious,

messy, delicate things that mostly need encouragement and praise. Editing (and

constructive advice) is for later.

• Be understanding of why I’m spending so much time alone (and maybe

unshowered?).

• If I’m writing, try not to interrupt me. You wouldn’t walk in on a surgeon in the

middle of surgery! Well, hopefully you wouldn’t. Unless you’re a nurse or another

surgeon. But back to the point: please give me space to write without distraction.

• Write with me! NaNoWriMo is more fun with a buddy. You could sign up at

nanowrimo.org or, if you’re under 18, you can sign up on the Young Writers

Program site at ywp.nanowrimo.org.

Thank you, Important Person. I’m glad to have you in my creative corner, and hope I can do the

same for you someday soon!

A Writer

Session 5: Organize Your Life to Support Your Writing Goals

Extra Organizational Resources:

• Public Declarations of Accountability: Share these on social media to rally your

community!

• NaNoWriMo Helpful Resources forum

• What should I expect at a write-in?

• A (Somewhat) Binding, Magical(ish) Writing Contract

Session 6: Find, Schedule, and Manage Your Time

(So you can write as much as possible)

Get started with: What’s the best NaNoWriMo writing schedule for you?

Not sure how to build time for NaNoWriMo into your life? We've got you covered. Take our quiz

for suggestions on how to structure your writing time, what kind of writing goals you should set,

and methods to get you writing. Or, explore our suggestions below.

1. If Time Is Your Friend…

For one reason or another, you're able to dedicate a lot of time to your creative writing right

now. That's awesome! But fair warning: this can be a double-edged sword. Your first step is to

structure that time.

Reserve two blocks of focused writing time during your day: i.e., an hour in the morning and an

hour in the evening, or two hours in the morning and an hour in the evening. Choose blocks of

time during which you know it's unlikely for you to be interrupted and likely for you to be able to

focus.

If you use a calendar app, block out your proposed writing times now. If you don't use a

calendar app, set a recurring alarm for the start of both your writing blocks.

• The Structure: Two blocks of uninterrupted writing time a day.

• The Goal: 1,667 words a day if you're writing 50,000 words.

• Try This: Use the Pomodoro technique: 25 minutes of writing, followed by a 5-minute

break, then repeat.

2. If Weekends Are for Writing…

Your weekday hours are claimed by work, school, or related tasks. How to make this writing

thing work? Find smaller chunks of time to write from Monday to Friday, and then stretch into

more writing time on the weekends. (Did you know that the weekend was only formally adopted

in the US in 1940? Thanks, unions and the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938!)

Fit in a few writing bursts every weekday, then split 6 hours of writing over the weekend. Make

Saturday an abbreviated writing workshop day from 9—3; or structure your Saturdays and

Sundays to include 2 3-hour writing sessions, or 3 2-hour sessions.

If you're used to lazy Sunday mornings, remember that you're only sacrificing them for a month

so that you can push yourself creatively. You can do this!

Take our “What’s the best writing schedule for

you?” quiz to find out!

Session 6: Find, Schedule, and Manage Your Time

• The Structure: 2 40-minute writing sessions every weekday, 6 hours of writing every

weekend

• The Goal: 800 words every weekday, 4,250 words every day of the weekend. (If you're

shooting for 50,000 words.)

• Try This: Leave a hook during your Friday writing session. Stop in the middle of a

scene, or even a sentence, so that you can dive right into the thick of things when you

begin again.

3. If You’re Full Speed Ahead…

It can feel daunting at first to create some room for this creative writing thing. Remember: you're

just asking for one month to push your creativity toward the top of your priorities.

How to make the most of it? You can still write 50,000 words of a novel in 30 days, but you're

going to make a few sacrifices: the most important of which is going to be the idea that your

manuscript is going to be ready for readers at the end of the month. For you, this month is about

spitting out the raw material for a book. You are a words and ideas machine. This month only,

you are viewing every blank page through rose-colored glasses.

You will accomplish more writing than you ever have before. You will end the month with

concrete ideas, scenes, and characters, ready for structure and editing. You will unlock a new

ability to forge through your weakest creative days. Full speed ahead.

• The Structure: 2 30-minute writing sessions every day.

• The Preliminary Goal: 840 words for every 30-minute writing session if you're shooting

for 50,000 words.

• Try This: If you're feeling particularly tempted to read back over your writing and are

writing on a computer, match your font color to the background color (turn your font

white, for example!).

• Focus on the goal: a writing habit, and a mound of words and ideas for you to shape at

your leisure after this month.

4. If You’re Writing in the Margins…

You are making things work, even with a boatload of responsibilities on your shoulders. And this

month, you're planning on doing something for your creative self. We're here to help you do it.

This month is all about maximizing any time available to you. Fifteen of the minutes you have for

lunch. The ten minutes while the kids are in the bath. Those last fifteen minutes before you fall

asleep. Now, you may be tempted by the following thoughts:

"This isn't enough time to write anything." Or "There's no point in jotting down two sentences

right now." Or even "Anything I write will be too disjointed and slapdash to be of value."

Don't invest your five minutes in indulging these whispers! Put words on paper instead. The goal

is 50,000 words in 30 days: not 50,000 perfect words, not even 50,000 readable words. Fifty

thousand words of practicing your voice. Some of it will be understandably bad. Some of it will

be shockingly good. It will be worth doing.

Session 6: Find, Schedule, and Manage Your Time

• The Structure: No amount of time is too small. 15 minutes every night, and then any

spare time you can cobble together.

• The Preliminary Goal: 30 minutes of writing a day.

• Try This: Get a small notebook to carry in your pocket, or if you have a capable phone,

write using an app. Jot down any stray sentence or piece of dialogue as prompts for the

next time you have five or ten minutes to write. Focus on progress instead of perfection!

Writing Progress Sticker Calendar

If you need a little extra incentive to reach your writing goals, use our handy-dandy sticker

calendar! Plan out your writing goals by day, assign stickers to different goal landmarks, and

keep on track with your writing! Download the full-sized image here.

Session 6: Find, Schedule, and Manage Your Time

Extra Time Management Resources:

• Webcast: Find the Time to Write

• Blog post: Do you rule your habits, or do they rule you?

• Blog post: How to create a morning writing routine

• NaNoWordSprints on Twitter

Congratulations, Writer!

Yay! You did it! You’ve dotted your i’s, crossed your t’s, and completed our NaNo Prep

101 Workshop. We hope you’re feeling ready to start writing your next masterpiece!

Celebrate your official preparedness by downloading this certificate

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