November 29, 2016

 

 

Note From Rochelle

 

 

Dear Writers,

 

Are you hoping to write a book or start blogging in 2017?

 

I know you can create a plan for accomplishing your goal on your own, but it’s so much easier—and more effective—to work with a coach. For that reason, I’m offering a special $95 rate for a one-hour planning conversation. You’ll receive:

+A welcome letter and assignment to complete before we meet.

+A one-hour consultation with me.

+A recording of our conversation.

 

If you’re interested in claiming one of the remaining spots I have available for this conversation, email me.

 

Today’s tip will help you rescue your #NaNo project and cross the finish line on time!

 

Happy Writing!
Rochelle,

The Write Now! Coach

 

 

#NaNoWriMo Rescue

Use these writing exercises to cross the finish line!

By Rochelle Melander

 

Can you see the finish line? You’re almost there. If you’ve run out of ideas and words, here are five writing exercises to help you finish quickly and easily!

 

Add drama!

Recall a physical or verbal fight you’ve had. Give it to your character, but make it larger than life. If possible tell the whole thing through action or dialogue.

 

Give them stuff

Find an unusual item online, on the sidewalk, or in your house, and use it in your novel. Consider:

*What happened to the people who owned this item right before it was dropped here?

*Who is desperately searching for this item and why?

*Why is your character delighted to find this item?

 

Try genre mash-up

After author Seth Grahame-Smith wrote Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, the blogger Caroline Keller called it, “novel as mashup.” Thus was coined a new genre—when a novel combines a classic work of fiction with a new genre like horror. Try it in your novel by adding scenes or charactrers from classic literature or by mashing in a different genre.

 

Dream Theory

Jot down some of your recent dreams. Choose one and give it to your protagonist, as either a dream or a real-life event.

 

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?

Many great stories have been built around dinner events or parties, like in the movie The Last Supper, where a group of liberal, educated friends invite a series of conservative guests to dinner and murder them after the meal. Let your characters throw a holiday feast, and then make sure it does not go well. Write in surprise guest, allow the guests or hosts to get wildly drunk, or burn the Tofurky—and reap the rewards with several conflict-laden scenes!