No Plot No Problem My Ass

     

T-minus 9 days and counting

Word Count - 0

First, let me just say...Welcome to The Nuttiness that is NaNo 2012, and more importantly, NaNoWrimo 2012. Yes, it is that wonderful time of year again. French Vanilla Cappuccino, Reeses Peanut Butter cups and...oh I almost forgot, thirty days and nights of literary abandon. 50,000 words in 30 days, licence to write absolute  shit without guilt. That is exactly why NaNoWriMo is a perfect fit for me - I quite often write shit.

There is a book that anyone who has ever done NaNoWriMo is familiar with, written by Chris Baty - No Plot, No Problem. 

Sorry - but, no plot no problem my ass!  With only nine days to go, I have no plot and I am finding it to be quite problematic. I refuse to bow to writing Fanfiction this year as I have the past two years. It was the easy way out, required very little to no actual mind power on my part, and I am not going there this year. At my age, it is time to either crap or get off the toilet. 

Which brings me to my current dilemma. As mentioned above - I have no plot. I have a basic idea, I have a few characters with sketchy personalities. They are a bit like the people you watch on the bus - vague shadows of human beings with faces you won't remember as soon as they step out of your vision. I need more - I need clarity. 

I have always been a pantser, I've never done an outline - I've never needed to. But I have been in a bit of a rut creatively since February. That is the last time I did any serious writing. Even my fanfiction writing has ceased to exist. Yes, it is mostly due to the high stress spring and summer I had (and am still having).  

I have one story that is waiting for an ending before I pound in the last nail on my fanfiction writing career. I haven't looked at it in months but today  I took the plunge, and to my surprise I actually pounded out a few paragraphs before real life intruded and I had to stop. My hope is that I can get going on it this week and get the final four chapters written on it before next week, killing two birds with one stone. Ending my Fanfiction life, and getting myself back into writing before NaNo. 

Hopefully it works, because if it doesn't - I just may be in trouble this year.