I'm doing it. NaNoWriMo; one month, 50,000 words. I've never attempted it before, but I've had an idea kicking around in the back of my head for some time now, and I thought this might be the opportunity to see where it may lead.
Since I'm flying without a net, I've decided to really raise the height of the tight wire. After all, if the fall is going to kill you anyway, what does it matter how high you are to begin with? Here's what I'm doing differently for this NaNo project.
- No outline. I know the beginning and the end, but have absolutely no idea about the middle.
- Identity of the victim. No idea. Although I think there might be two. We'll see.
- Identity of the murderer. Again, no idea - although I can just discern someone lurking in the shadows. I think I know who it is, but I'm not sure.
- Location. It's not England. It's a town here in British Columbia I've actually been to.
- Time. It's not the past. It's now.
- Sub-Genre. I usually write historical mysteries - this one appears to be a cozy, with a generous helping of humour.
So, wish me luck. Wish me clear skies and smooth sailing.
I just hope I'm not on the Titanic.
How fun! A humorous contemporary cozy sounds like the perfect genre for NaNo. And pantsing it is so much more exciting than knowing what's going to happen. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteWishing lots of luck. I'll be cheering for you from the sidelines.
ReplyDeleteMason
Thoughts in Progress
Anne; Let's hope you're right. I don't know if it's going to be exciting writing like this, since terror is the first word that pops to mind!
ReplyDeleteMason; Thanks! Every cheer helps. Send cookies.
Elspeth - Good for you!!! I know you've got the talent. You've got great, creative ideas, too. I will be very eager to see what you come up with, and I want you to know I admire you greatly for doing this. And without a net, too!!
ReplyDeleteMargot; You're a great support system - thank you! Let's hope you're just as supportive if (more like when) I ask you to take a look at it at the end of the month!
ReplyDeleteThat would be my outline if I were doing the NaNo thing. I wish you smooth seas and a following wind.
ReplyDeleteTerry
Terry's Place
Romance with a Twist--of Mystery
Go NaNo! Why not? Worth more than a try!
ReplyDeleteTerry; Thank you. I may need a life jacket in a few weeks. We'll see.
ReplyDeleteBook Bird Dog; That was my thought exactly.
You'll do just fine. Wine at the end of the day :)
ReplyDeleteCarol; Two minds with the same thought.
ReplyDeleteWill be cheering the whole way.
ReplyDeleteHumor? You, Elspeth? Go figure! LOL
Go, Elspeth, go! I'm also doing NaNoWriMo this November. It's my fifth time, so I'm not afraid. One of my novels in the past was a mystery, and I didn't know who the killer was until I was well into the book. It can be done! This year I thought I was starting without any idea at all. Then I woke up this morning drowning in my characters' stories and am still trying to catch up. NaNoWriMo is loads of fun, so enjoy yourself!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with NaNo! And...your mystery sounds like the way mine all start out!
ReplyDeleteGood luck, Elspeth. I bet you'll find writing without an outline is fun.
ReplyDeleteperfect - welcome to my world. The first mystery I wrote I didn't even know was a MYSTERY until I got almost a hundred pages in. I thought it was a literary novel. Jeesh. I definitely didn't know who did it or what it was they did for awhile. It's fun - you'll like it - afterall it isn't like you can't go back to the other way of doing things come December, huh?
ReplyDeleteThere should be a nano that encourages us Pantsers to try outlining. not sure how it would work. Alright - LASH NOISE HERE - I have to get back to revising...
Good luck with NaNo! Have fun with it.
ReplyDelete