#rmasilang

[suddenlyprompts]

I need a prompt for a YA Novel that focuses on depression and dark stuff like that? Can you help me out?

Hey there, that’s some heavy stuff

Every look they gave me told me they knew. Every glance just screamed at me; ‘we know. We know and we don’t care’.

I was so used to it being about the charcoal around my eyes and the tears in my non-regulation jeans, I barely even noticed when it became something so real it hurt.

Goodluck

Kate :)

[thewritershelpers]

Hey, I really love your blog! But, I'd like to ask something. I'm nervous about how my character would dress. I mean, I live in a tropical country so it's not really cold here, but maybe, in the country that my character would live in is cold and I don't know which kind of clothes would be enough. And, is it okay that I'd write my character in a different place that I've never been into? I just don't want to make my character a Filipino because she might need to speak in our language...

Your characters should dress appropriate to their setting — unless there’s a specific reason for them not to. For example, if they recently moved somewhere with a very different climate than they are used to, it can take people several years to fully adapt to a new climate. (I used to live in Michigan, now live in California and after over eight years I still almost never wear a coat here when the ‘natives’ tend to bundle up anytime it gets below sixty.)

As far as setting your story or characters in somewhere you’ve never been — go for it. If you’re going for something akin to realism, then do some research on your setting (both location and time). Google is your friend. If you’re going for fantasy and/or sci-fi, the universe is yours to create and no one can object to the details of that place. Has anyone ever been to Neverland? Oz? Westeros? Gary, Indiana? (OK, the last one yes, but you get the idea.)

Hope this helps!

- O

[thewritershelpers]

Can you give me some tips on how to prepare for NaNoWriMo? I'm planning on joining this year, but it'll be my first and I'm only 13 years old. There's no age limit in NaNoWriMo, right?

From their FAQ:“You must be 13 or older to have an account on NaNoWriMo.org and CampNaNoWriMo.org. But all ages are very welcome to take part in National Novel Writing Month, and we encourage younger writers to sign up over at NaNoWriMo’s Young Writers Program website. It’s a similar challenge for participants 12 and under, as well as those participating as part of a K-12 classroom group.NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program participants get to choose their own word-count goal for November, and also have access to great noveling workbooks and fun, kid-oriented writing activities. Like NaNoWriMo, membership in the Young Writers Program is free.”

So 13 is the minimum requirement. The NaNoWriMo FAQ gives some really helpful general tips for preparing and getting started. Also, once you sign up, the forums on the site are a great resource. Additionally, if you live near any area that has a local or regional group, I suggest joining that as well. You get more info, pep talks, and depending on the group access to local/regional contests, write-ins and more.

Hope this helps!

- O

[thewritershelpers]

May I ask what you do before starting a novel? I've read Rick Riordan's Advice For Writers page on his site and said that writers should plan ahead and make a road map. My problem is though, I get nervous easily and wonder if I'm doing it right. I need someone to elaborate the 'make a road map' part but I hardly believe that Riordan would do it for me. I was hoping that maybe you could? Or at least, tell me what you do before starting your novels?

Omg I love Rick Riordan! His new book is out soon, I can't wait :).

I think he's meaning creating a timeline for your story. 

How to make a plan

"I would make a mindmap of everything you already know about your novel. This can be the amount of characters, personality of them and where your story is heading. It isn’t that important to have all the names of characters sorted but it is useful to jot some names down you could use."

Brainstorming and mindmaps

Planning

Mindmaps are brilliant for planning as are timelines. Don't worry too much about doing it 'right' because everyone does it differently. As long as it helps you then it's all good. 

-S