NaNo Prep in 4 Simple Steps - Step 3
Check out the previous steps:
Now that you're all caught up, let's move on to Step 3.
Step 3 - Setting the Stage
Knowing the ins and outs of where your story (scenes) takes place is equally important as knowing your characters (concepts), and not so surprisingly, for the same reasons.
If you know the location where the action takes place down to some pretty minute details, you can describe it and use it in your storytelling to great advantage. And no, the place doesn't have to exist for you to get to know it well.
There are plenty of examples of locations that were pulled out of the writer's imagination. The trick here is that your "world-building", as it's most commonly called, needs to include all the details important to your reader, your character, and the plot. Ground your setting in some measure of reality - for example, when designing a planet for your sci-fi novel, be sure to do enough research so you can ground your reader in the size of the planet, its gravitational pull (if it exists)...the weather if any, etc. Having enough relatable detail keeps your reader engaged and helps the action taking place make sense.
As with the other two steps, you can set the stage using written descriptions, and pictures you print and stick in your notebook like a vision board. Of course, Pintrest, Canva and the like provide you with a digital canvas on which to put imagery. You can use music here as well in the form of a song or playlist that helps you visualize various locations in your story.
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Alright y'all, we are one more step and one more week away from the start of NaNoWriMo 2022. I hope you're finding these tips helpful as you prepare for the madness, I mean, prepare to write your draft.
Let me know in the comments below if you've decided to join the fray this year. I'd love to cheer you on. Also, I'll be hosting virtual writing sessions via my YouTube channel so hop on over there if you're interested and subscribe :-).
That's going to do it for today. I'll "see" you back here next Wednesday for Step #4 - where I show you that yes, you really do have time to write.
Until next time, sending light & inspiration,
Dana