First Draft November, Days 6 & 7
Progress: words: 4,520. Total word count: 13,778.
Day 6
Today’s word count: 2,667. Total word count: 11,925.
Today’s lesson from The Novel Writing Workshop is on plot! And it came with a case study of Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. I’m always happy to talk about a classic.
The first exercise was to brainstorm the story’s main “dramatic question.” I’ve never heard that term before, but it’s so self-evident. This was fun, and helpful.
The second exercise was to sketch alternatives for plots using the three-act structure. Not a fan of three-act, but it’s a great starting point.
Ok.
Now that I think about it.
I always follow the three-act structure.
I think.
More or less.
Anyway, we now have a plot!
More or less.
The third and last exercise was to outline the plot of one of my favourite books. I chose a comic, of course. Mostly because I didn’t have anything at hand, and that novel was the only one I could remember well enough. I outlined the structure by issues instead of chapters. They’re the same, no? It was a lot of fun. And, as always, a great exercise.
Hey, this week’s milestone is 12K, and we’re almost there! Only 75 words away. (Watch me struggle to write the first 75 words tomorrow.)
I took off from yesterday’s mid-sentence and I’m pleased to say it’s witchcraft. I don’t think I’ve ever written this many okay words in such a short time. 2,667! one thousand words over the goal! Thank you, person who shared this trick.
Of course, I stopped mid-sentence again.
Day 7
Today’s word count: 1,853. Total word count: 13,778.
Today’s guiding question from Frist Draft November is:
What moment shatters your protagonist’s world, and why can’t they go back?
This was an easy one because this scene has been on my mind early in the writing process. Before any writing got done. I don’t plan to include it in the novel itself. But I hope it’s clear from the other scenes that this catalyst moment happened, even if outside the manuscript.
We also got three additional questions to double-check that this really is THE inciting incident. I found those helpful and reasuring.
Edit: I started second-guessing myself because if my “inciting incident” happened before the novel, have I started my novel in Act 2? And, if so, why does my now Act 3 feel like an Act 2? Can I even have two inciting incidents? Help 😭
Edit 2: Ofc I can. Why wouldn’t I have two inciting incidents? But are they really two if one of them isn’t in the novel? 🤔
I’m never completing a sentence again. Not until the story feels somewhat done. Or I’m tired of looking at it.
Or maybe stopping-mid sentence has nothing to do with these past few days being such awesome writing days. But I think it has everything to do with it. I’ve said this already, but it makes it incredibly easier to sit down the next day and start writing immediately. Because you know what comes next.
And, hey, 1,853 words is evidence enough for me to continue this practice. And we’ve reached 13,778 words!
This is insane! I’m going insane. I don’t think I’ve ever made this much progress in a single project so quickly since my Wattpad days. Oh how I miss those days! Or do I?
Anyway, can’t wait to see how tomorrow goes.
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ugh this is the type of consistency I was supposed to have during the first week but I FLOPPED im here for your updates tho! keep it up!