The theme of this year so far seems to be, "Listen to the good advice you've heard a million times, and follow it for once."

One of those bits of advice that I begin with the greatest of intentions but never follow through on is the idea of tracking my writing in a spreadsheet to figure out when and where I am the most prolific. 

I SUCK at this.

The only time I'm ever able to record my writing on a consistent basis is NaNoWriMo, and even then, I only get the word count, I don't get any other information about where I was writing, or what time of day it was. Since I'm working on new habits and consistency, evaluating where and when I write best will be great information to have about myself. I kind of have an idea on this, but concrete evidence to back up my theory would be nice. 

Not to mention the fact that wanting to write "more" this year doesn't mean shit if I have no idea how much I wrote in the years prior. (And I seriously have no clue.)

So when I read the passages about tracking writing in The Miracle Morning for Writers...again...I realized I should shut up and figure something out.

I've tried a few different techniques over the years, so I thought I'd share some of my failed attempts, almosts, and gonna try nexts. They all kind of meld together, so here are my Top 3.

1. Put it in the Planner

I've been on a planner journey, and whether it was in my bullet journal, my traveler's journal, my Happy Planner, or a random notebook I deemed worthy of the job, I have used lots of paper in trying to figure out what works for me.

The most successful I've been included a few week streak with a sprinting buddy. I sectioned off one of the daily boxes in my Happy Planner and left it specifically for words. I wrote how long we sprinted for, and how many words I got in that time. Since we were racing, it was easy for me to take the total I reported in with and jot it down.

My problem was in that I didn't write every day. I broke the chain frequently, and that pretty little writing section sat blank and ate away at my soul. 

2. Excel Spreadsheets

I've created a few of my own excel sheets to track my writing. I love Excel and enjoy fiddling with the equations to make pretty graphs, so I was always able to enter totals with these, but again, the where and when weren't part of it.

If you've never made your own sheet, I found a blog explaining it by author Ava Jae. She does a much better job of explaining it than I ever could. So check out her blog. 

I also found a great looking chart made up for you with lots of tracking and time management and calculating capabilities. She's charging $10 for the file, but if you want to download and not deal, you might check out Jamie Raintree's tracker on her website.

I'm a tinkerer, so I'd probably try and customize someone else's template and screw it up anyway, but the options are out there.

I haven't been able to stick to this, because I tend to give myself a set amount of time to write, and then have to book it to the next place I have to be. Opening up another document and jotting down more info after I've just written to the point of my brain is oozing out my ears, isn't something I keep up with. 

That being said, I'm still going to try and set up one today. I'm thinking of setting aside time at the end of the week to input the data after jotting it down on sticky notes or in my planner. But I'm not going to beat myself up if it doesn't work.

​3. HabitBull

This is the app I'm using to help with motivation for my Miracle Morning too. I'm only a couple days into using the app and I'm not at the point where I automatically pick it up yet. 

The problem with any phone app for me is that it's not immediately visible. I have my calendar on the wall. I have postit notes in front of me. I keep my main planner open. Those things are visual and let me know what's coming up next, or what I still need to do for the day. Apps tend to disappear. Unless I turn on push notifications, but I'm trying to get away from that to be more mindful of what's going on around me.

The nice thing about this app in particular, is that there is a spot for notes to go along with word count. So you could totally include information like the when and where your writing time took place. All your data is exportable to CSV files from the app as well, which could make it more manageable. I'm not sure how easy it would be to manipulate in that form, though. I don't have enough to export yet. 

Below is the video that made me give this particular habit tracker a shot.

I'm trying to remember that change doesn't happen over night. I'm also trying not to add too much to my plate at once. I'm one of those people that keeps heaping on the To Do's to the point of needing a clone to complete them all. It's hard not to keep adding in new habits when you see such good things happening with the one's you've already implemented. 

What about you? Are you an author who tracks your writing in a spreadsheet? Or are there other habits you want to keep track of in the upcoming year? Tell me how you keep tabs on your own progress. I'd love to hear about it.

~Roxy

There are some people who despise NaNoWriMo, and I've already seen lots of people talking shit about it. Every year, I know the hate for the idea of fast drafting is coming, but it still stings a little. Mostly because some of the hate comes from authors whose work I respect.

But I want to talk about the process of NaNoWriMo and why it's so damn valuable. 

Everyone knows that having a thick skin is part of the publishing industry. At least, they say they know that, but come November, there will be blog after blog, and post after post, shitting on the idea that any good books can come from NaNoWriMo. People so pissed off and threatened by the idea that their techniques aren't the ones featured, that they feel the need to put others on blast. Here's the problem with that, just because it doesn't work for you, oh wise ones of the writing world, doesn't mean it's wrong. 

Here in the world of creativity, there isn't a right or wrong, there is finding what works for you. And just like I will swear up and down the world would be a better place if everyone was forced to work the holiday season in retail at least once in their lives, I will go to bat for the idea that every writer should try NaNoWriMo...and for more than just a week.

For those of us who do well fast drafting and editing the shit out of the manuscript later, NaNo shows us that we can do this. That it's hard, and it's frustrating, but there is a community to reach out to, and a way to write those glorious words..."The End."  I'd argue that there is just as much to gain from "Losing" NaNoWriMo. Or from going off script and setting a lower goal, or finishing up an already started manuscript, or even doing edits instead of writing new words in November. Because you have to find joy in what you accomplished, even if no one else does. There is always someone ready and raring to tell you that you're "Doing it wrong" or that you "Didn't really win" or that it "Doesn't count". 

You're going to get the wind knocked out of your sails at some point in the month. It could be from outside forces, or your own internal dialogue telling you that because you can't write 10k in two days that you're not as good as other writers. There are plenty of opportunities to compare yourself to others this month, because everyone who is participating likes to talk about it. (You're reading this blog, so you know I'm one of those people.)

Which brings me to another lesson NaNoWriMo taught me...No good comes from comparing your success to other people. 

You have to find strength inside yourself, and this month puts that shit to the test. Even if you don't sign up on the official website, you might be avoiding the internet for more reasons than the upcoming election. And it's a great reason to ask yourself why. 

There will always be someone better at something than you. Not being the best doesn't mean you should take the technique and chuck it out the window. It's a time to hone your craft, and practice your skills. Or maybe it's time to practice embracing the joy other people feel even if it's not your bag. Other people don't cause your feelings. That's all on you. So if NaNoWriMo makes you mad, it's time to do some real work and figure out what in your own mind is getting your panties in a bunch.

I've "won" NaNoWriMo for the last five years, but there were years I didn't feel great about it. I'd look at other writers clocking twice the word count I did, and feel bad. And that was my bullshit to work through. It wasn't easy admitting it was my own brain sabotaging me, but it was the fucking truth. 

I'd argue the biggest challenge NaNoWriMo offers isn't the 50,000 words it prompts you to write, but what you do after this month is over. Some of us will end up with a finished draft, others will have thousands of words to go until they hit the end, and still more will only have clocked a few thousand words, that they may have to trash all of. What you do with that information is up to you, and how you move forward is also completely in your court.

NaNoWriMo taught me I wasn't a quitter.

I didn't hit 50k the first year I wrote. I didn't hit the end of a book for a few more rounds. But the next year, I finished a novel. The year after that, I wrote a better one. Then I started editing. And soon enough I let other people read what I wrote. My first books sucked. Hell, there will be a lot of people who will tell you all my books suck. But I've also hit PAN status at RWA. I've been featured in magazines. I've been "Top Picks" on a couple blogs. All because I didn't stop trying. 

Now, fast drafting might not work for you. I'm not saying it will. I'm saying, talking about writing a book and never putting the words on paper is the only way you really fail. And if you go through the month of November, and realize you don't want to work on this book anymore, no one is going to come for you and point a shaking finger at you in shame. 

Picking yourself up and trying something else, is how you win. Writing another book is how you win. Taking the next step and editing your work, is how you win. Are you still writing? Are you still working on what you set out to do this November? Be proud. Power on. Whatever you're doing with your writing or your career, someone will tell you you're doing it wrong. Do it anyway. You might find out it doesn't work for you after all, but you won't know until you try.

NaNoWriMo taught me determination. It taught me to keep going. It taught me to try new things. What are you going to learn this month? You won't know until you sit at your computer and start.

I'd love to hear about what you're trying. Or what NaNoWriMo is already teaching you. 

~Roxy

It took a lot for me to overcome years of bookmark addiction and carefully laid shelving all in avoidance of damaging books. I never wanted to deface the pages or covers. When the spines cracked from use, I died a little inside. 

Yes. I'm that type of book hoarder. But I'm working through my issues thanks to a book I'm only a couple chapters into but already insanely excited about. This is a book on writing, so sorry, for all the fiction scribblers, I still will never deface a book, unless an author is signing it for me.

Turns out, I wasn't the only novelist that was struck with the brilliance. When I went off looking for where to grab this gem, I found out there was a Save the Cat! book in the context of novel-writing. 

I was excited, because I had researched the author, (yes, I do that.) and she writes teen fiction. While her genre isn't the same as mine, I'd argue there are a lot of similarities between writing teen fic and writing romance. A couple of the themes are intensified, but many of the tropes have similar veins. Love, heartbreak, self-discovery...you see what I mean.

Jessica Brody, writes with a great conversational style for the introduction, which made me actually read the whole thing without realizing it. I tend to skip introductions to get to the good stuff, but this one, I was smiling through. 

Within the first couple pages of chapter one I found myself wanting to take notes. "I should write that down. I love that!" was uttered many many times. 

I eyed my highlighters sitting in my pen cup, in pristine condition from lack of use. I picked the yellow because it was the lightest color, and defaced the book a little less in my mind. I know, I'm nuts, but I'm fun at parties.

And I went for it. I highlighted. I stopped and thought about exactly how this author was taking the beats from Blake Snyder's books and adapting it. I was going along the same path myself with his books, but she put it succinctly, and in perfect short bits just screaming for highlight.

​I'm working my way through the book with the help of some Miracle Morning S.A.V.E.R.S. (minus the e, because that stands for exercise. Blech.), and my Forest app. I have been keeping the highlighter right next to it. Because I can't wait to dive into the next chapter!

Do you mark up your non-fiction? Do you take notes? Highlight? Any tips on how to effectively mark up a book for this newbie? I'd love to hear about it.

​~Roxy

This is a repost from a blog I did a few years back. It popped up in my memories and sadly, I realized the blog was no more. 

So I wanted to share it, because I think it's a darn good blog, even if I do say so myself. Although I am giving plotting (in the most basic of forms) a try for this year's NaNoWriMo, I am a pantser at heart. Every story I've started has come from a main character and a "Wouldn't it be cool if..." statement. And that's it. So although I'm dipping my toe into the plotter pool, I'm probably diving back into the pantser lifestyle soon after.

Without further ado...Here's a post about NaNo and my Top 4 NaNoWriMo Prep Tips for Pantsers.

For anyone who isn’t familiar, NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is an online gathering of people who are all trying to score fifty thousand words in just thirty days. There are forums, and regional meetups, and really cool little graphs to help get you to those two magical words… “The End.”

I am that writer who loves the blank page. I adore starting stories. Those first few thousand words are my favorites. When the characters are just starting to dance across your brain cells, it’s exciting and new and the possibilities of where their tales will go are endless.

Starting stories was always easy for me. I had notebooks full of plot ideas, thumb drives stuffed with story starters, and hundreds of thousands of words that I had to get out of my head.

Unfortunately, up until a few years ago, I didn’t have a single finished novel.

Then I found NaNoWriMo. I created a profile and signed up. Seeing all of these seasoned authors sprinting along with me was amazing. We were all there for the same reason…to create a story. It didn’t matter what we were writing, we all had to get words on the page.

This is a series about how to prepare for NaNoWriMo. But I’m going to let you in on a secret…

Not all of us plan. Like…at all. Not even a little bit.

NaNoWriMo taught me a new term. “Pantser”.

A “Pantser” is someone who does no or very little preparation before they start. They turn on their computer and write.

My name is Roxy Mews, and I am a pantser.

I open Word, and I go. Sure, I don’t write the neatest first drafts. (I owe my CPs and editors some serious chocolate.) Sometimes my characters change attitude, hair color, and eye color, or even name.

Preptober about NaNoWriMo prep, so let me give you some ways to prep if you too are in the Pantser Camp.

#1 Get acquainted with the “Review” tab in Word.
When I am writing and I know I need to research something for a plot point, or I am putting in a crucial tidbit where a character needs to act differently, I make a note. I click that lovely “New Comment” box in the Review tab, and remind myself what I need to do.

Killing someone with a gun? Google model descriptions later.

Have to find a regional food? Ask the twitterverse when that part of the world is awake.

Need to see if humans can bend that way while getting intimately acquainted? Just make sure your safe search is off, and the internet will reveal all.

Make your notes and move forward. NaNoWriMo is all about turning off your inner editor and finishing the story.
 
#2 Stock up on a stash of bribe items.
There are days when you won’t want to write. The dreaded week 2 blahs strike many of us hard. Pick your favorite treat and keep them under lock and key until you put your butt in front of the computer.

You only get that piece of chocolate when you reach your word count goal.

That fancy coffee you love to treat yourself with? Only order it when you have your first ten thousand words under your belt. (I highly recommend Death Wish Coffee for this bribe)

You can also arm yourself with a special playlist, or a great smelling candle. They don’t have to be pricey or full of calories, but chocolate and caffeine tend to be what keeps me moving forward.
 
#3 Easy meal prep
The most exciting part about being a Pantser is when the muse sits on your shoulder and starts screaming the story in your ear. Those moments are not ones you want to stop in the middle of. If your muse is anything like mine, you can’t get her to start again when you’re ready.

Have easy meals ready to go.

Put the local pizza delivery place on notice, and let them know when you call them grunting into the phone it means you want a large bacon and pineapple. Tell them you’ll leave the money on the porch when you sprint for the bathroom break you’ve been putting off all afternoon.

I suppose you could cook things ahead of time too, but you’re about to write 50k in a month. If you’re anything like me, you don’t have time for that kind of thing.
 
#4 Get a buddy
One of the best things about the NaNoWriMo website is the buddies feature. You can add buddies to your page and the NaNo site will let you peek into their word count. You can see when they’re slacking and guess what…they can see when you are.

Having that accountability is one hell of a motivator.  Find a buddy. Find a group of them, and push each other. When I see I am only a hundred words from topping one of my buddies for the day, I always get another cup of coffee and push ahead.

If you want to be my buddy, you can find me HERE.
 
At the end of the day, if you are a Plotter or a Pantser, we all start with zero words on our boards. We all start with nothing and work to create a complete story. It’s not meant to be perfect, it’s not meant to be pretty, it’s meant to be finished.

If you’re waffling on joining up, and think you missed your time to prepare, you’re wrong. You don’t need a perfected outline. You don’t need character charts. You just need to write. Why not do it with millions of other people? 
 
Are you a Plotter or a Pantser? I'd love to hear about it.

~Roxy

This came up in our local RWA chapter recently, and frankly...it's fucking hard to explain!

An author "voice" as I try to explain it, is kind of like an accent for your book.

Imagine a southern drawl, or a wicked good east coast vocabulary. You know that even though someone from the south and someone from the northeast might have the same speech to convey, the two of them will have very different word choice and sound. Now imagine those same people were writing books. They would have their own slants on the storylines, and their own takes on current events framed around the culture and demographics in their areas. They would tell the same story from different view points, with different words, and focus on different subplots. They would have a different voice.

The way I write a book is very different from the way others write books. I love reading good BDSM books, and am intrigued by the power exchange and great communication that happens between the couples. But when I take my snarky joke-loving writing style into a book...well...let's just say it doesn't work. I tried it and I learned quickly that I shouldn't ever write BDSM. My characters were laughing at each other instead of getting it on.

How did I find my voice? Reading. Lots and lots of reading. And after that? LOTS AND LOTS OF WRITING. And this isn't writing that has ever or will ever see the light of day. This is writing I did to get my style under my fingers. I don't even remember how many nano novels I wrote under my old persona before I switched my account to my pen name. (I'm Roxy Mews on the NaNoWriMo website if you want to buddy up this year.)

And here's the real kicker. I'm not sure if you can teach voice. Voice can definitely be developed, or edited out of a manuscript if a new writer encounters a bad editor. My voice has changed from my first book to my current WIP. Mainly because my voice is me. I've changed a lot in the last few years. So my work will have a different accent now. That's not a good thing or a bad thing, but you'll be able to see a change in what I'm writing.

I found this video by a YA author, and while I'm not in agreement with all her videos, I do think this one on voice is pretty spot on. And she chats about "Teen Voice" and "Character Voice". Each corner of the fictional genre market is going to have a different tone. And if you don't match it, or do something completely different because you're not familiar with it, you're likely to alienate readers. (You can check out the sales on my #ROBOSEX books for a prime example of that. I don't think my voice works well for the Sci-Fi market. But I still love the books, so click over on the side bar if you want to read about a sexy nonagenarian's adventures.)

​Anyway...check out this video for more info on "Voice."

Do you have a strong grip on your own author voice? Or are you still looking for it? Or do you have a totally different view on "voice" than I do? I'd love to hear about it.

~Roxy

There are a lot of #PREPTOBER blogs out there, and yes...this is another one. "Preptober" is what those of us who are old hats at National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) refer to when we're talking about October. Because October is the month where we prep for a full thirty days of creating or working on refreshing our writing habits.

Many people want to get into the habit of writing every single day, and NaNoWriMo is a great time to get into that habit. Because if you can write every day in November in the United States during Thanksgiving, Daylight Savings Time, school parties and projects if you have little ones, and general overtime and extra work for those of us in the retail game, then you can write all year round.

Well...I know writing every day isn't realistic for me as my current schedule sits. I work a twelve hour shift every Sunday, and dealing with all that time on my feet and interacting with people means I come home and I know I won't be able to touch my WIP.

So part of my #Preptober every year is to find out what my actual word count goals are.

I threw together a quick calendar with the NaNoWriMo word count milestones on it. The image and the PDF file for download are available below if you need something basic too.​

But I know that those Sundays and Thanksgiving are no-word-count days for me. 

So what I do, and what I encourage you to do, is sit down with this calendar, and your planner or your digital calendar app, and figure out how many days you have where you can actually write. 

1. Cross out any days where you are traveling, working overtime, or know are not writing days. BE HONEST.
2. Count your number of days.
3. Divide 50,000 by your number of days and round up. (You can't write 2/3 of a word.)

If I write absolutely every day I can, I'll have 22 days in November where I can add to my WIP. Meaning instead of the 1667 words NaNoWriMo tells me I need to get daily, I actually need to clock in with nearly 2300 words when I sit down at my laptop. 

I'm aiming for 2500 words per day to allow myself a buffer if I have a hard writing session. Meaning IF I stick to plan, I'll hit 50k on November 28th. *fingers crossed*

Are you participating in NaNoWriMo? Make sure you add me as a buddy. (I'm Roxy Mews on NaNoWriMo.org) If you want in my super secret NaNoWriMo group where I'll be posting daily, send me a message on Facebook telling me to get your ass in there. I posted a link to the group, but I don't think it's able to be found, so just drop me a message and I'll invite you in. Or you can fumble around Discord with me using this invite ( https://discord.gg/ftZE94x ) and you can probably teach me a few things about that platform as I try and figure it out with out using the nearest teen to answer questions for me.

What are you doing to get ready for next month's frenzy of literary abandon? I'd love to hear about it.

~Roxy

While I was waxing poetic about my critique partner yesterday, I mentioned that we learned a new technology to connect with for our sprints. 

After watching my friendly neighborhood teen connect through Discord, I was intrigued by the app for use with writing partners. It could do video, audio, and text chat on both a computer, and a phone app. And the ability to separate convos by chat room made it very appealing to me. 

Skype may do all of these things too, I'm honestly not sure, but I've had so damn many skype calls dropped that I wanted to check into something else. While I and my critique partner stumbled around on the site until we figured out how to make it work for us, here is a video that walks you through the basics quickly.

Now that I've been using the platform for a couple weeks, I can tell you there are a few things I love about it.

1. Ease of connecting and disconnecting voice chat.

During our writing sprints, my CP and I can pop on and off with a mouse click. We report in on what we did. Decide on a time to start the next sprint and click back off. There's no weird dialing or waiting for someone to answer to connect. We pop on when we're done and we can see if the other person is there with us.

2. Integrated chat and voice. 

We can send each other links, pictures, and although we haven't used the feature yet, we can share our screens. All of this we can do with the audio live. We did video too, but honestly, we're writing at the end of the day, and no one wants to see me sans makeup glaring down at the computer.

3. The ability to shut off social media. 

​I already turned off most notification pushes to help me with my productivity. And this extra step allows me to completely shut down my browser and focus on the task at hand. No more little red numbers telling me there's been activity on my Twitter or Facebook to pull me away from what I'm doing.


I'm not going to jinx what's been an awesome run so far, so I'm saying this knocking on wood, but this has made voice chat as easy as texting for me, and I'm excited about all the different ways I can use this platform in the future. 

Usually I have a Facebook group to do my cheerleading on during NaNoWriMo, but I'm thinking this year, we might also have a Discord server. In fact...I'm gonna go ahead and start one just to see if anyone wants to pop on there. So if you want to give it a try and connect with me come November use this Invite

https://discord.gg/ftZE94x​

I'm super excited about using this platform for connecting with writers and readers. If you're on Discord, do you use it just for gaming? Or are you using it for something else as well? Are there any servers you spend all your time on? Tell me how you use the app.

I'd love to hear all about it.

~Roxy

I'm working on "AFFL20" and "Shadow Shop Story" right now, but I also have "DMA #3" and "HCH #4" on my computer. If it's something new I'm working on or a new world, you might also see "Blind Date PNR" or "Contemp Friends to Lovers". Basically I put my titles to work so I don't have to think too hard on it. 

Once I get a few rounds of writing or edits in, I'll put the book in it's own folder and give that bad boy a name. I'm stingy. I don't want to take up brain space remembering a title if I'm not dealing with it for a while.

​2. Consider Series and Individual Themes.
When I sold my first trilogy to Samhain, we came up with all three titles right away. We wanted to have a cohesive feeling and make sure all the titles worked together. If I'm starting a series, or writing a one off, this is only pertinent if the story has series potential. 

3. Come Up With Lots of Options.
The more titles I have to pick through and consider the better. I'll ask my buddies in my various brain trust circles, and see what they think. Usually the list morphs and changes through brainstorming sessions, and I lock it down to a favorited title.

4. Search For the Title on Amazon.
There are tons of other bookselling sites, but because the market on KU is so large, I prefer to search on Amazon to see if the title is already being widely used. Just because a title is already on another author's book doesn't mean it's off limits. No matter what some people think. (*cough*Cockygate*cough*) But if the book's title is on a best selling Inspirational Romance and I'm writing hard core erotica, I might not have the right market with my title. I adjust from there.

5. Consider How the Title Looks on Coverart.
I'm not saying some talented artists couldn't make damn near anything work, but a title should be short enough to read in a large font without obscuring the entire cover image. Also, I need room for my name. I prefer my name to be fairly large and at the bottom of the book cover. I want to make sure my title goes well with my name.


If a title doesn't pass inspection against any of those five checks, I'm headed back to brainstorming. As I'm gearing up for another round of querying, I have to get my title game back in play. I doubt "Boss With A Banging Booty" will make anyone request a full manuscript. 

What are some things you double and triple check before you finalize a title? Or if you're a reader, tell me titles that made you pick up a book without even reading the blurb. And then tell me one you passed on without a second thought because you couldn't get past what the author named their project. Bonus points for pictures. 


~Roxy​

That's it, you guys. I have to confess something. I've cheated on my pantser brethren. Yesterday, I finished up my first ever plot.

I know. I'll give you a few moments. Anyone who has been with me for the long term knows the vast majority of my plot lines are developed on the fly. My characters tell me the story and I go with it. They yelled so loud at points that I practically needed ear plugs to shut off the storylines. 

Which was awesome. It was. But then when writer's block came knocking, I wasn't prepared for it. I could start. No problem. Because there's something exciting and inspiring for me about a blank page no matter what my brain is going through. But when I'd get to that first beat where stuff would need to go wrong...all that inspiration and character driven story line was just gone.

Call it writer's block, or just a general muting of the HEA's in my mind because of the way the world is, whatever caused it, I was completely unable to finish a story. As in...there are at least 3 manuscripts over 50k on my computer right now that need an end. I had to put them aside.

Last month I decided I needed to get myself excited about something again. So I looked back and tried to remember the last time (sales or not) I had fun. It was when I worked on my April Fools For Love collection. (All the books are still available if you need a smile too.)

We wrote books that were funny, and had all kinds of pranks and misdirection surrounding April Fools Day. Every damn book I read by the talented people I worked with made me smile. So we're doing it again. (Look for an expanded collection in 2020, folks. *shameless plug*)

But all of that happy brings me back around to my very real fear of not being able to get to the end of a book. So I decided I'd give myself a month to plot out a novella-length story. My due date was yesterday, so of course I was still working on it yesterday. That's exactly why I need deadlines.

I had some basic notes and a premise for the story, but I didn't have a big moment or an ending. Which...are kind of important. 

This pantser then got on her ice-dancing Bambi baby legs, and skated around the internet to figure out what plotting meant to her. Her is me, by the way. I need to stop talking in third person. It's weird. But this moment was so epic for me that the drama kind of called for it.

So right now you're probably saying, "Get to it, Roxy. How did you plot?"

Alright, alright. Geez. I needed to set the scene, okay?

I made an excel spreadsheet. Because spreadsheets are awesome. I made 7 columns, after a little fiddling and adding some when I found I needed them. And I filled out the form.

The 7 pieces of information I gathered were...

1. Scene Number. 
This is just your basic 1,2,3...etc to show me the order, and when I need to be at the halfway point word count wise.

2. Characters.
Who is in each scene? And if I have a few characters that come into play later, I altered earlier scenes so they didn't pop up out of nowhere. This also let me tally how many players I was putting in this thing. With a novella, I need to keep the team slim.

3. Main Event.
This was a one sentence fragment description of what the scene was really about. Each scene has something important that happens, and this way, I'd know what the end goal was.

4. Setting.
Where is everyone for this scene? What place will they be interacting inside of? Just like the characters, I wanted to keep the settings to as few places as possible. That way I have familiarity and I don't have to spend as many words placing people in the world. 

5. POV (Point of View).
This was one of the columns that got added in, and became important when I was looking at how the story was progressing. I didn't want to spend five scenes with my hero and then bump over to my heroine for a single scene before bopping back to my hero again. So I put the name of whose point of view the scene would take place in.

6. Timeline.
Because the book I was plotting had a specific holiday it needed to take place around, the timeline was extra important, and I put the specific date (MM/DD) in for each scene. It let me figure out where the bulk of the action needed to take place, and gave me some scope of how long ago important events happened. 

7. Why it Matters.
This was one of the first things I wrote down along with the Main Event column. Because there is no point in having a scene if it doesn't add something to the story. If the Main Event is filler, or just gets a character from point A to point B, it's not worth writing down. I know I need this book to be a novella, and extraneous scenes have to get the ax. If I can see that something isn't worth having in, it gets cut.

So even before I had everything down in note form, I started filling in what I did have into my handy dandy spreadsheet. And the end practically wrote itself. You could have knocked this pantser over with a feather. 

My other worry about plotting was that I'd never want to write the story if I already knew what happened. But I was more excited than ever to get started, and had to force my feet to carry me away to get the chores done I'd been putting off all morning. And I think that was all because I didn't do what everyone else told me to. I didn't have an epic ten page synopsis detailing every scene. I didn't have a beats page lined up that broke each section down into the standardized beats of a story. Nope. I had my little old spreadsheet. 

And while I thought it might be interesting for some people to see how I broke my story down, I'm not at all saying you should totally do this my way. I'm saying explore what's out there, and explore how other people work. Try some things out. If they don't work, it's not because you failed, it's because you haven't found the right fit yet. 

I think I found my plotting glass slipper, and I'm about to rock that bitch on a killer night out. 

Or I'm heading into work and already thinking about the next book on my list to plug into my new template. 

Either way, I hope you find something that works well for you. Or just ride the pantser wave. I'll be writing this story, and another, since they are both novellas during NaNoWriMo this year. So make sure you add me as a buddy. I'm over there as Roxy Mews. Just look for the purple hair. Let's see together what happens in November when a pantser plots.

~Roxy