starting a new wip: preptober 101
with nano coming up next month, a lot of people are likely starting new wips (myself included). this is just a list of what i personally do when i start a new wip, because the nano checklist is way too structured for my incredibly chaotic brain.
i’m also a plotter (with kind of plantser tendencies) and keep in mind this is just what works for me - it may not be up your street! i’m not a professional writer either, i just do it for fun :)
your characters the the most important part of your wip. there are millions of character sheets and guides to writing characters, but the most important things that i focus on are:
relationships with other characters
once you have these, it’s really easy to form the basis of your plot and to carry it through. (i also have a bunch more posts on my instagram about crating characters!)
especially if you're a pantser, knowing your characters inside out is a lifesaver because characters kind of carry your plot. which brings me to my next point...
yes, i put story and plot as two different things. your story is essentially your main character's story or your character arc. or to put it very simply, the way that your character changes over the course of their journey. how do you establish a story, you ask?
write down what your character wants more than anything
write down what they're willing to sacrifice to get it
make them sacrifice as much as possible to finally get it
this would be the external story, or the outward plot (which i'll elaborate on a little bit more later). to determine the internal story, or character development, this is what i do:
write down your character's major flaws / things they need to overcome
write down obstacles to their overcoming it (these could be internal or external)
write down 3-5 events (or more) that could challenge these flaws
the plot is different from the story only because the plot has a structure. the nanowrimo website actually has a whole bunch of plot structures that you can use - i personally use Save the Cat! but any works! in essence, however, your plot usually has all of the following:
inciting incident: something that spins your character's world out of control
accept of adventure + rising action: your character starts their journey and tensions rise constantly, with multiple obstacles that they must overcome
failure + “all is lost” moment: just as they’re overcoming everything, something is thrown at them that makes them feel hopeless
climax: the big battle where you character uses everything they’ve learnt to defeat the villain
falling action + resolution: a final obstacle is overcome and a resolution is reached
not all plots strictly follow this structure, but this is quite common and gives any story a backbone.
even if you aren’t writing fantasy, you have to do some basic worldbuilding to set up your character’s life. it’s essentially the setting that your character lives in as well as the politics of that setting.
if you’re writing fantasy or a magic system, this needs to be much more in depth, but in essence, make sure you have:
existing power dynamics between people and organisations
education systems, healthcare, religions
structural or systemic or governmental restrictions that may or may not hinder your character’s progress
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