In his book No Plot? No Problem!, Chris Baty has a few suggestions on how to leverage the adrenaline rush of the first few days and maintain the momentum.

1. Ride The Momentum
2. Don’t Delete. Italicize.
3. Start A Novel Notes File
4. Keep The Story To Yourself

The best plan, Chris suggests is to keep the novel moving forward.

Happy Day 17 of NaNoWriMo!

ThinkBLink by Shilpa Raikar.

The fact of the matter is we all get into a rut. And, routine starts to bog down our thinking! We get comfortable. Our ideas become linear. Our work becomes acceptable. Sure, we can go about the rest of our days in this robotic state, but do we really want to?

So the question becomes how do we break from this spell of boredom and start thinking creatively? The answer is simple: start using a pink pencil.

When we become comfortable, we start taking things for granted. Whether it’s driving the same route to work every day, or going to the same coffee shop simply because it’s convenient, routine can hinder our creative outlook. You probably won’t see too many new items on the menu in the coffee shop, which means your day will start off like the last miserable day you had. And your mood will as well.

Using a pink pencil will help you break out of that routine. Every time you use it, it will make you pay attention. When you go into a meeting, you’ll think about what you’re writing down. Your colleagues (or clients) will comment on the pink pencil. It will start a discussion. The pink pencil is the stimulus for you to stand out in a small way, and mark my words, you actually may start to like it. And when you make one small difference in your day, you just may start making a bigger difference in your life.

Happy Day 16 of NaNoWriMo!

ThinkBLink by Shilpa Raikar.

How are you doing on your NaNoWriMo 50,000 word challenge?

Here’s a checklist to help you keep track of your progress from Chris Baty’s book.

Page 53:  No Plot? No Problem!
By Chris Baty

Happy Day 14 of NaNoWriMo!

ThinkBLink by Shilpa Raikar.

“If you give yourself too much time to plan, you may end up stumbling across a brilliant concept for your novel.”

There is a danger that you may get sidetracked by a brilliant idea. Yes, the last point is not a typo. Chris Baty found that some folks who started NaNoWriMo gave up without completing because “they’ve found a story they love and want to work on it slowly enough to do it justice”. When Chris checked up on these people six months later they’d inevitably stopped working on their book altogether.

The lesson here is don’t give up what you’ve committed to do. Starting NaNoWriMo is easy; staying through the course and completing your 50,000 word novel is hard. But when you’ve done it, you will achieve a sense of accomplishment and love of the writing craft. So, when you have that brilliant idea, make sure you write it down and come back to it after National Novel Writing Month is over. Better yet, try using the idea in your current noveling journey. It just may help you discover if your idea has legs.

Happy Day 13 of NaNoWriMo!

ThinkBLink by Shilpa Raikar.

I’m not one to sit in one spot on the same chair and write. Personally, I like to change it up. For me, different things (however small they may seem) make a difference. If you’ve been following the blog you remember the Pink Pencil post for boosting creativity.

In his book No Plot? No Problem!, Chris Baty also discusses quirky places for writing. Whether it’s on a treadmill, or on a park bench, it is surprising the unexpected places that creativity can hit you on the side of the head.

“However questionable the results can sometimes be, one of the joys of the noveling journey is applying your creativity to some conventionally uncreative spaces.”

Happy Day 12 of NaNoWriMo!

ThinkBLink by Shilpa Raikar.

Every Image Tells A Story

Yesterday’s NaNoWriMo Day 10 post focused on writing prompts. While short writing exercises are an excellent way to get that spark and keep your fingers moving, there are other things that will keep the bees in your head buzzing with creativity. In fact, I’ve always found that engaging in different pursuits (whether seemingly creative on the surface or not) helps to ignite the creative synapses.

So here’s another avenue to explore. Instead of just writing books, have you considered looking at design books? Gorgeous visuals, typography books, etc., these all give the brain a nudge and spark a connection that is not just ordinary.

Here’s a few that I just picked out of my bookshelf. You can walk to your local bookstore and peruse through the design rack for your own inspiration.

Collage by Danielle Krysa
From the writer of The Jealous Curator, comes a collection of artwork by contemporary artists as they hunt and gather, cut and paste, mash up and transform. In your own writing, these principles also apply. You may think as you write NaNoWriMo “I’ve heard of this story somewhere. I’m sure it’s been done before.” But, the process of creating something new from what already exists has been done since the beginning of time. After all, wasn’t it Picasso who said “good artists copy but great artists steal”? In Collage, you’ll see the way artists give existing images an entirely new purpose, and create something fresh from images and ideas that were already established in their meaning.

Thought On Design by Paul Rand 

“Graphic design…
is not good design
if it does not co-operate
as an instrument
in the service of communication.”

Use that towards your NaNoWriMo writing. As you write, try to get to the point, without using wasted words. Everything should seamless integrate. There should be a rhythm a thought that should stay with the reader long after they have left the page.

Grafica della Strada: The Signs Of Italy by Princeton Architectural Press New York

“The Butcher, The Baker, The Ravioli Maker (which sounds infinitely better as la macelleria, il forno, il pastificio): in Italy, the sign for everyday business is everyday business is anything but ordinary.” This is what you must think about as you write: How do I not make it ordinary. How can I make each word bounce off the page and create a memorable experience in the reader’s mind.

NaNoWriMo is a long commitment and to keep your attention and ideas fresh, try out different things, including the one suggested on Day 9 – Reconnect With The Books You Love.

Happy ThinkBlink to all the NaNoWriMo writers!

Go ahead, keep staring at that blank screen. You’ll be inspired. Maybe. Perhaps.

Or, you could just take a break and try writing something different. Sometimes a writing prompt is just what I need get my creative juices flowing. Then, I can get right back into what I really want to write about — my NaNoWriMo masterpiece.

So, here’s a prompt I’ve taken from a lovely book I use for writing:

Sit and think about your childhood room. What objects do you remember? Write down as much as you can. Then pick one, and describe where you think it is right now.

——————————————————————————————
——————————————————————————————
——————————————————————————————

Create your “stranded on a desert island” list.

The Five Books you’ll want to have:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

The Five Movies you’ll want to have:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

The Five Foods you’ll want to have:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

The Five Photos of Loved Ones you’ll want to have:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

The last one is one of my faves. Especially as you continue on your NaNoWriMo journey, it’s one that is sure to put you in a positive mood.

Happy Day 10 of NaNoWriMo!

ThinkBLink by Shilpa Raikar.

712 MORE THINGS TO WRITE ABOUT, is published by Chronicle Books, and distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books.

PURCHASE THE BOOK

Let’s take a short break from #NaNoWriMo writing to ponder about why you got into writing in the first place.

What was that book that got you hooked? The one that made you think, “One day I want to write a book just like this!”

During National Novel Writing Month we get so wrapped up in the ebbs and flows that comes with the writing process – some wonderful breakthroughs, other heartbreaking disappointments – that we forget the true reason we write. Because we love to read.

If you are like me, sometimes it’s hard to remember the all the books you’ve read. Once a new book becomes the love of your life, you tend to forget the first love…the one the made you who you are.

Recently I came upon a book that helped me keep track of my mind of titles. Literary Listography My reading Life In Lists by Chronicle Books is the ultimate fill-in journal for the book lover. It is dedicated to all the Brave Writers Who Have Helped Move Humanity Forward.

“A BOOK MUST BE AN ICE-AXE TO BREAK THE SEAS FROZEN INSIDE OUR SOUL.”
~ Franz Kafka

“Finishing the last page of a great book is bittersweet: It’s like saying good-bye to a good friend. You live a myriad of lives, make many friends and visit a great deal of places, if you read.”
~ Lisa Nola

So, as you take a short breather from NaNoWriMo writing, think about your top 10 most beloved books and your top 10 favourite authors. These are the building blocks that will help give you the boost you need to complete this goal you’ve set for yourself.

If you’d like to check out this book that will hold all your treasured books, memorable stories and favourite characters, here’s the link:

ThinkBLink by Shilpa Raikar.

LITERARY LISTOGRAPHY, is published by Chronicle Books, and distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books.

Wise words again, from Chris Baty, the founder of NaNoWriMo.

“Here’s the thing: However attractive the idea of a writer’s retreat may sound, having all day to poke around on a novel actually hampers productivity.”

When you find yourself having nothing to do but write, sometimes the last thing you may want to do is write.

“A rough draft is best written in the steam cooker of an already busy life. If you have a million things to do, adding item #1,000, 001 is not such a big deal.”

“It may feel frustrating at first, but having daily writing periods curtailed by chores family, and other distractions actually helps you get things done. This is partially because the hectic pace forces you to type with a fleet-fingered desperation. But it’s mostly because novelizing in the midst of a chaotic life makes “book time” a treat rather than an obligation. It’s a small psychological shift, but it makes all the difference in the world.”

Excerpts from Chris Baty’s new revised edition of No Plot? No Problem!