Starting To Get The Plot Together – The Climb #615

Thursday 29^th October 2020

I’ve been continuing to work on the outline for my NaNoWriMo novel. Having got a sense of the plot from a 50,000 foot view, it’s now time to start diving into chapters.

I made good progress today. I’d say I have about two thirds of the main plot worked out chapter by chapter.

The plan still feels a little loose but I normally plan each chapter out (using the beats I’ve got noted) just before I write it. This gives the story some room to breathe. I’m a little at odds as to whether this is sensible or whether I’m breaking my own experiment. Should I maybe not plot out every chapter ahead of writing?

I’ve told myself that the aim is to experiment as to whether I can put together a first draft quickly or not. I don’t have the prep time needed to intricately plot out each chapter ahead of writing. That would need more prep time… and would that really save me writing time? I have to accept that the story will change slightly in the telling. I’m just trying to set the goalposts.

There’s probably a lot of nerves involved in this as well. I’ve done a load of rewriting in recent years, and this is my first major new project in a long time. I don’t feel prepared, as much as I’ve worked this past week.

Things I am aware of: I had a plot beat where the sidekick gets captured, and the main character would have to step up to save them. There’s a similar plot beat later in the novel and as a result I’ve taken out the original. Instead of a two stage step up, I’m going to take the first and use it as a bit of character tension. Instead of the protagonist having to go to a location in order to rescue the sidekick, the story leads them to the location. One character wants to go, the other doesn’t.

I’m also aware that there are no no secondary plot lines in this yet. The supporting characters are all a bit passive. Even the main bad guy has only a vague aim. I don’t suspect that this needs a lot to flesh it out….but it’s still stuff that needs to be done.

For having only started on this plot at the start of the week, I feel I’ve made massive progress. But I still have a lot of work to do.

If I make some good progress tomorrow and Saturday, I *might* just be ready for Sunday’s NaNoWriMo start.