That awkward moment when you realize that you actually want to write something outside of school. You're pretty sure nobody's ever thought of an idea like yours, and you'd love to see it in fine print one day. But maybe, just maybe, you're a little fuzzy about just how to make that happen.
Don't worry. All writers have been there at some point. Maybe you don't even consider yourself a writer. Maybe you're just a regular person who'd like to try their hand at writing. But whoever you are, I'd like to invite you to join me next month and write a novel.
That's right! Next month is National Write a Novel Month, and the birth month of two of our most beloved authors, C.S. Lewis and Louisa May Alcott! Normally, this sort of a competition is hosted by NaNoWriMo, (National Write a Novel Month), but as this association has been having some serious issues that make it unsafe to use, lots of individuals, especially young Christian writers, are simply making a personal commitment to write a certain number of words in the coming month. On top of schoolwork and regular activities, we'll be writing 50,000 words. That's about 1,612 words every day. Sound intimidating? Well, maybe it is, a little.
And it's OK if all you want to do is scribble down a short story. For myself, I'm planning to write about 21,000 words instead of 50,000 to finish up the first installment in my duology.
The best part? The first two people to email me at lelevens129@gmail.com with proof off meeting their goals (a screenshot of having reached 20,000 words or more on a word doc) will be able to receive feedback on the first chapter/part of their story! (Please note that the feedback probably will not be immediate, but you can expect to have it by the end of December and I will be in touch with the winners to help with setting this up).
So grab a spouse, a friend, or even a sibling and get brainstorming. Everyone has a story deep down inside that begs to be written down. Maybe it's a true story. Perhaps you need to write down the story of you're family's past. Or maybe it's the tale of a brave explorer who loves narwhals.
Need some more inspiration for your story? Try Googling clean writing prompts in your genre of choice! Browse Pinterest (but don't get sucked in for hours), or start watching some documentaries and learning about unique situations from real life!
Still needing some help to get inspired and stay on track? Here's some favorite ideas I use all the time to help myself stay excited and focused on my writing!
Make a playlist of background noise/music. This usually works best with a mixture of songs you love from movies you like, and some YouTube suggests that are unfamiliar, but similar. Also, finding music in your genre can be pretty helpful!
Making Pinterest boards for your projects, characters, and locations!
Using the pins from your Pinterest boards to make awesome story and character photo collages on Canva. This can be a bit tricky to figure out at first, but after a few tries you tend to get the hag of it. (An important thing to note is that random pics off of Pinterest are not just free images to be used on your blog or posts you make about your story, but they are fun for informal stuff like a screensaver on your computer).
Finally, read some stuff in your genre! If you're a Ydubber, skim the snippet series space or go do some editing and feedback! If you're not, and still would like some new ideas on reads to inspire you, check out my shelf on Goodreads for ideas!
So, have fun and good luck! Lastly, I realize I used a lot of online stuff as ideas for helping you write, and sometimes the internet can be a scary place. I advise great caution whenever trying anything different or new online, even if it's just a new song from a band you love. If something doesn't feel right, by all means, please do not keep on with it. I am not endorsing either Goodreads, Pinterest, or YouTube. These are simply things I have found useful when used cautiously and correctly. As always, Ad Lucem.
-L.E. Levens
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