I've Decided Not To Attempt NaNo

I’m going to delay the Nano attempt another year.

Since I had never fully outlined a novel before, I underestimated the amount of work it was.

I am compiling all of the bits that I had previously written and any plotting that I had created, and I am attempting to go beat by beat to connect them. While I have written more than I thought I had, there are also an incredible number of gaps that need filling. Somehow, I thought this would be easy.

It might have been easier if I was less obsessed with finding even the smallest of beats for the story and giving them their own little text block in Scrivener. But if I have a scene in one city and the next is a scene in a new location, I need at least some mention of the characters travelling between the two. So, things that might only take a sentence are getting their own beat in the outline because otherwise, it might create plot holes.

My intention wasn’t to do nearly that amount of work.

My plan was to create a five-act outline that followed the hero’s journey and then copy and paste what I had already written into the places where they best fit. Then, I would have a rough idea of what I needed to write this November.

But the more I filled in, the more small notes of things I needed to set up there were. The more small beats needed to connect two things I had already written. The outline got longer and longer and more detailed. It’s been over a week of outlining, and I’m not done.

So, I won’t be writing my book this year.

Apparently, I’ll just be writing the world’s most detailed outline.

I guess I’ll Nano next year.

It should be much easier to write now that I know what scenes need connecting or what needs to be set up for future events in the book. It will be even easier to do it when I’m done with this insane thing. Honestly, it might just be like filling in a form at that point.

That’s a problem for next year, Blue.

This year, I’m just going to attempt to finish out the outline and identify any additional world-building I might need over the course of the current month. (Yes, I know I said I was done with the world building for now - I lied.)

Then, next year, I can use NaNoWriMo to help me focus and keep me accountable.

This blog will go out tomorrow, which is Halloween. So, no more writing about writing for now.

I’m off to make sure my costume is in order.

Hope you have an amazing Halloween wherever you are.