NaNoWriMo - Day 9

Some of you have told me that you're running out of words to say.  Welcome to Week 2.  The way I see it, we wait in great anticipation for NaNoWriMo to start, and when it does, we type (or write) furiously because we have so many ideas!  They flow from our fingertips like floodwater rushing over a dry riverbed (yes, I live in the desert).  But...there's Week 2.  Our words dry up and our fingers tap nervously on the table top.  Is this the end of my book?  Do I have nothing more to say?  Will I never make it to the NaNo finish line? 

To you worriers, I say "Pish Posh!"  Yes, pish posh!  (I think I heard that phrase from "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!")  Anyway, pish posh to you!  Nonsense!  Silliness!  You have plenty to say, you just have to dig deep.  DIG DEEP.  You've written the superfluous words that rolled off your creative conscience, bearing the deeper layers of your story.  The guts.  The pain.  The fear.  Your characters are exposed and they are nakee!

So - what's a writer to do? 

I urge you to use this time to contemplate your protagonist with the Five W's and H - who, what, when, where, why and how?".  Why does my character act as h/she does?  What happened to him/her?  What does h/she fear?  What does he/she want and why does h/she want it?

Then ask the same questions of your other characters.  With these questions in mind, just start writing. 

Here's an example:  "My character is angry at her brother because..." and then keep going.  Next, create a conversation between the character and her brother.  Throw an argument into the mix.  Soon a new scene will appear on your fingertips.  Just let it flow.  You'll be surprised where the conversation takes you.  Doors slam!  Dishes crash!  Tears are shed!  The new scene will have a deeper meaning than what you've written thus far because you dug deep.

Now, keep asking those questions and keep digging.  Your character will have more realistic, believable qualities.  Your reader will thank you.

146,000 and counting, Wrimos!