We're going to be running workshops which will be detailed more closer to the time, as well as this series of challenges that we hope will leave you with a body of work that you can rely on when it comes to NaNo.
After the success of Aley's Journal Making Challenge two years ago, we have decided to run this format again. This will involve making your own thread in this club forum where you can record an entry every time you complete a challenge. This can be done at your own pace and you can do as many or as few as you want. Whispers: there may be something special for anyone who finishes all ten within the month though!
The challenges for the month are as follows:
1. World-building! What world do your characters live in? A fantasy world? A sci-fi world? The real world? If in the real world--what place? What makes the world your characters live in unique? Describe in your thread what your world looks like.
2. Have a think about your opening scene. Write about what plot points will be hit and what information will be shared in your first scene, or first scene that you consider to be important.
3. Don't neglect your villain. We may spend less time with this character, but it is crucial to the existence of the plot that your character's opposition be as believable and interesting as possible. For this challenge, either write about your antagonist's aims, characteristics, flaws, fears etc or, if you're feeling musical, write a lament-style song for them.
4. Fill out the following questionnaire from the NaNo site about at least one of your side characters, though the more you do the more prepared you will be.
Spoiler
Name:
Age:
Height:
Eye colour:
Physical appearance:
Strange or unique physical attributes:
Favourite clothing style/outfit:
Where does he/she live? What is it like there? --
Defining gestures/movements:
Things about his/her appearance he/she would most like to change:
Speaking style:
Pet peeves:
Fondest memory:
Hobbies/interests:
Special skills/abilities:
Insecurities:
Quirks/eccentricities:
Temperament:
Negative traits:
Things that upset him.
Things that embarrass him:
This character is highly opinionated about:
Any phobias? --
Things that make him/her happy:
Family (describe):
Deepest, darkest secret:
Reason he/she has kept this secret for so long:
Other people's opinions of this character:
Favourite bands/songs/types of music:
Favourite movies:
Favourite TV shows:
Favourite books:
Favourite foods:
Favourite sports/sports teams:
Political views:
Religion/philosophy of life:
Physical health:
Dream holiday:
Description of his/her house:
Description of his/her room:
Any pets? --
Best thing that has ever happened to this character:
Worst thing that has ever happened to this character:
Superstitions:
Three words to describe this character:
If a song played every time this character walked into a room, what song would it be?
Age:
Height:
Eye colour:
Physical appearance:
Strange or unique physical attributes:
Favourite clothing style/outfit:
Where does he/she live? What is it like there? --
Defining gestures/movements:
Things about his/her appearance he/she would most like to change:
Speaking style:
Pet peeves:
Fondest memory:
Hobbies/interests:
Special skills/abilities:
Insecurities:
Quirks/eccentricities:
Temperament:
Negative traits:
Things that upset him.
Things that embarrass him:
This character is highly opinionated about:
Any phobias? --
Things that make him/her happy:
Family (describe):
Deepest, darkest secret:
Reason he/she has kept this secret for so long:
Other people's opinions of this character:
Favourite bands/songs/types of music:
Favourite movies:
Favourite TV shows:
Favourite books:
Favourite foods:
Favourite sports/sports teams:
Political views:
Religion/philosophy of life:
Physical health:
Dream holiday:
Description of his/her house:
Description of his/her room:
Any pets? --
Best thing that has ever happened to this character:
Worst thing that has ever happened to this character:
Superstitions:
Three words to describe this character:
If a song played every time this character walked into a room, what song would it be?
5. Two alternatives for outlining your plot: 1. Draw them as a graph, 2. Write a list of everything important that happens and in the margins make not of what happens in betwee.
6. Think of at least one way in which the structure of your story could be interesting. You don't necessarily have to use this in your story, but it can be useful to have a think about if it's something that just hadn't occurred to you.
7. Post a brief outline of your plot on the club wall then go around all the other posts asking questions and suggesting plot holes that the author might want to correct.
8. Give a rough outline of the key moment in your story so far. What is that one scene you're really, really excited to write?
9. Really dig into your main character. Write their motives and what is holding them back. What is the conflict in their way from reaching their desired goal?
10. Questions! Post some questions in your entry, then, since is the end of the journal, go round other finished journals answering questions with your thoughts. This month is likely to lead to different realisations for different people, or maybe some people are more experienced with NaNo than others. Either way, we are sure that if you ask a question of the YWS hivemind, the YWS hivemind will answer.
Any extra details and advice about these challenges will be given as wall posts as the month goes on, with one challenge being focussed on every three days. Also, feel free to check out the original journal challenge to see what the format works like in practice.
Most importantly, have fun with this, everyone. NaNo is a really strange thing to do but also extremely rewarding. One of my favourite things about doing it with a community is the support so if you're struggling to get through your 1667 words a day just remember that you have all these people here for you. This club is just the start of that.