2019 11 04 NaNoWriMo 101 Session 1 – Exercise 2

❈@~~This is a series of exercises in the course to prepare for the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) event in November 2019.  The course is found https://www.nanowrimo.org/nano-prep-101.  My work will be in this color text.~~@❈

Session 1: Develop a Story Idea You’re Passionate About (That will take you all the way to 50,000 words)

2.Borrow a Character: Invent a history or future for someone. Maybe it’s a friend you lost touch with after college, a teacher you had, a family member you’ve heard stories about, or just someone you’ve seen in photos or on the bus. I’d like to write a novel starring my great-grandmother someday, inspired by the pictures I’ve seen of her (I’ve never really heard anything about her!).

Who is the person that intrigues you? What was their childhood like? What did they dream of? What was their greatest desire? What obstacles did they face? What was their greatest triumph?

My Mother.
From what she told me her childhood was chaotic. She went to 21 different schools in one school year. The family moved all over south Florida. She was a tomboy. She was one of those kids who was either in trouble or knew who pulled the prank which had just been completed.
She really never told me what she dreamed of being as a child. I know she was very happy as a mother and homemaker. I remember her canning food. I remember her selling Tupperware. I remember her organizing trips for us to go to museums and historical locations to learn about the history of the world around us. She took us to the zoo and taught us about nature. I remember her telling my Kindergarten teacher to teach me how to read because if I knew how to read I could do, learn, and be anything I wanted.
My Mother didn’t know it as she grew up she was dyslexic among some other issues which affected her learning abilities. She was ADD and had a mental illness which went undiagnosed and untreated till she was an adult in her 30s.
She raised two children and lived to see both married happily with children of their own. She got to see her great-granddaughter before she died.

Finally (since most novels aren’t someone’s entire life story), you have to find the story. What part of that imagined life has the most drama, the most ups and downs? A moment of adventure or possibility or danger, when things changed? Remember, you’re INVENTING this person, so feel free to go wild.

While a tomboy and rather mischievous child, the girl’s energy was eventually channeled into ice skating. Eventually, her energies were focused on speed skating as she tried to see if she could beat the boys in speed. She was 10 years old when she entered her first competition. By the time she was sixteen, she was a favorite for the ladies Olympic trails. It wasn’t surprising when she took first place for the team. This determination was to serve her well while she participated in the Olympics and after. However, this determination would be tested far more in ways she and no one else would ever know after a fatal car accident left her in a coma.

2019 10 23 NaNoWriMo 101 Session 1 – Exercise 1

❈@~~This is a series of exercises in the course to prepare for the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) event in November 2019.  The course is found https://www.nanowrimo.org/nano-prep-101.  My work will be in this color text.~~@❈

Session 1: Develop a Story Idea You’re Passionate About (That will take you all the way to 50,000 words)
Get started with: 4 Ways to Develop an Idea
1.Borrow a Plot: First, write a summary of 3 books or movies or stories you love. Include important characters, major plot turns, and setting.

Young man and his pregnant mother are forced into the deepness of a desert on an unfamiliar planet after the assassination of his father. They are taken in after proving themselves worthy by the planet’s native population of oppressed people. While cosmic political intrigue and plots get underway to deny him his proper place in the political structure as his father’s heir, he learns the native ways as well as strengthening the teachings of his mother, who becomes a religious leader among the natives while carrying his little sister, and falls in love with a native girl. It culminates in a showdown and duel in front of the intergalactic Emperor for justice for his father and his rightful title. Winning the duel, he takes his place replacing the current Emperor upon marrying his daughter in a political marriage.

『••✎••』

Noble man remarries after his wife dies leaving him with a very young daughter to raise. His new wife has two daughters of her own from a previous marriage. Several years later, he leaves on business and dies while abroad. While his daughter is too young to inherit from him, she is left in the care of her step-mother. Her step-mother, keen on advancing her own daughters more than her step-daughter. She squanders the girl’s inheritance in deference to her own daughters comfort and extravagance. Years pass, the girl who doesn’t know of her true status is now a virtual slave in her own home when the Prince of the land returns from schooling abroad. His parents eager to have him wed throw a ball inviting all the eligible girls. While promising to allow the girl to go if certain conditions are met, the step-mother makes sure her own daughters are ready and the girl is not. The girl manages to go due to the assistance of a “magical being”. However, in fleeing the ball to meat the conditions of the magic, she looses her slipper. A hunt through the kingdom for her is conducted by the Prince looking for the girl he met and wished to marry. Eventually, he finds her and they are wed, despite the efforts to prevent it by the step-mother and sisters.

『••✎••』

An actor is injured in an accident. This ends the actor’s career and future. The actor makes a deal with the devil to get his life back. At the end of the time appointed in the deal, the actor is a successful and prosperous actor. He begs to keep his life as it is instead of losing his life and his soul. The Devil refuses his offers and pleas. The actor’s family finds him dead the next day of mysterious circumstances as the Devil has taken the actor’s soul to hell.

Then, choose one of the summaries and start changing around different parts – characters, setting, plot turns, adjectives, verbs, anything else you like! See where those changes take you, and keep writing when you get inspired.

Change around the elements of one or all of your summaries:

The actor is now a 21 year old female speed skater, who was an Olympic medalist and a successful Professional. She was in an accident…car accident not of her fault. As a result of the accident, she is paralyzed from the waist down and loses use of her left arm.

The media twists the story tainting the reputation of the young woman while she is in a coma after the accident. When she awakens, she struggles to come to grips with her injuries and recover. She is questioned by authorities investigating the accident. While the authorities clear her of all fault, the media damage is already done.

While struggling to overcome trauma, depression, and her injuries, she finds out how the media has smeared her. She finds out how much damage was done to her reputation. She feels the weight of the lies told about her and believed by many people in the public.

She finds some ancient books. One of them has a “chapter” on summoning a being which can restore things within one’s life for one for a price. After studying and considering all the consequences and possibilities of what would happen if she summons this being. She resists performing the summoning for many reasons, not the least of which is the unknown cost.

However, finally hitting rock bottom emotionally, she summons the being. She makes the agreement with it Gradually, she regains use of her left arm then her legs. She is vindicated in the media for the accident while court proceedings reveal her innocence.
As she works to put her life back together with the “miraculous recovery” she achieves.

In the end, the being comes to find the athlete for payment. Of course, the young woman tries to get out of the payment. In the end, the being gives her one way to get out of it. She has to make a choice.