Don’t Quit NaNo | Tips For Week 3
Are you participating in National Novel Writing Month? In this post, we give you tips to help you get through week 3 of NaNo.
By now you are almost done with week 2 and you are about to reach the midpoint in your novel. Halfway is a huge milestone. Well done, writer.
Don’t Quit Nano | Tips For Week Three
In my previous post, we broke the novel writing process into quarters. You are currently busy with the second quarter and gearing up for the third. I mentioned that you should try to end your novel on a surprise at the end of each quarter.
Remember, the surprise is a big plot point that influences the story goal, by either changing it or by raising the stakes and making it harder or more important for your character to achieve the goal.
Download the image here: NaNoWriMo Breakdown
What Happens Now?
In week three, you will be dealing with the repercussions of the second surprise and you will be racing towards the third surprise.
Did you reveal a secret? Did your characters find something they were looking for or did they find something that was supposed to remain hidden?
It’s good to keep in mind that the second surprise should be bigger than the first surprise and third surprise should be bigger than the second surprise.
Read: 3 Surprises You Need In A Story
This helps to increase the pace and tension and keeps the story moving forward. Your characters have to deal with the situation that has been created. This surprise can be a result of the actions of another character or an event that is created by the setting.
Did the antagonist take something/hide something from the protagonist? Or did the setting change and force the characters to change locations? Think weather or a law that may have been implemented or enforced. Try to reduce the number of options the characters have and try to increase the odds.
It’s Still Hard
You are still writing the middle. It is still hard. This is the part where you just keep showing up and you keep putting those words down. Try not to judge anything about your work at this point. Just keep going. You need to get it on the page. Nothing more.
Don’t Quit
Remember what I said last week about quitting becoming a habit? Don’t quit. Keep going. You will have something to work on when you reach the end, but if you give up now you will simply have yet another incomplete manuscript. Just get to the end. That is your only goal.
Stuck?
Here are some more scene ideas to get you going if you are feeling a little wobbly. It’s not writer’s block. Put your butt in that chair. Louis L’Amour said, ‘Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.’ Turn on that tap and get going.
Scene ideas. (Adapt according to story and genre):
- They need gas.
- Someone lodged a complaint with…
- Storm’s brewing.
- The phone rang and ….
- ‘I’m not supposed to tell anyone, but…’
The Last Word
Reaching the halfway point in a novel is a great achievement. You can be very proud of yourself. Don’t stop. It is going to be hard, but keep it up. You are showing up every day. You are putting the words down. That is all you need to do right now. Use these tips for week 3 of NaNo to help you persist.
Top Tip: Find out more about our workbooks and online courses in our shop.
by Mia Botha
If you enjoyed this post, you will love:
- A Quick Start Guide To NaNoWriMo
- A Quick Start Guide To Writing YA Fiction
- A Quick Start Guide To Writing For Children
- The Importance Of Paper When You Plan Your Story
- 6 Important Things About Flash Fiction
- Help! My Protagonist Is A Bore
Top Tip: Find out more about our workbooks and online courses in our shop.