A goal without a plan is just a wish.
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Autumn: the wafting scent of pumpkin spice, the fiery hues of turning leaves, and, of course, NaNoWriMo. As they'd say in Game of Thrones, National Novel Writing Month is coming.
In 2020, almost 400,00 ambitious writers endeavored to complete fifty thousand words during the month of November. Around here, we fondly refer to NaNoWriMo as the Super Bowl of the writing community. While hundreds of thousands participate each year, sadly, only between 10 and 20 percent actually hit their goal by the stroke of midnight on November 31 (I suppose the rest of the stories turn back into pumpkins).
Of course, writing a novel - or a good chunk of one - in a single month, is a herculean task. But I was curious as to what in particular causes so many initially zealous writers to fall short of their goals. I had a sneaking suspicion and went to the polls to either confirm or deny.
For those participating in NaNoWriMo this year, have you started planning yet?
Yes: 30%
No: 70%
Planning. It’s so important that I recently wrote a blog post (
"Are You Ready for Success?") about how to set yourself up for success before you even put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard. Novel Writing Month may officially start at 12:01 a.m. on November 1, over five weeks away, but the groundwork begins far earlier. Read: like
right now. October has been dubbed “Preptober” for that very reason.
What should your preparations for the November writing challenge entail? Simple. The best way to prepare for novel writing, is to complete a related short story. That's the short and the long of it.
Why you should write a short story before a novel
There are several reasons why a short story is the perfect training for novel-writing. Here are a few of the most essential ones, borrowed from my earlier blog,
“How to Get Your Book Published”.
In a rough way the short story writer is to the novelist as a cabinetmaker is to a house carpenter.
– Annie Proulx II
1. Short stories allow you to hone your craft in 10,000 words or fewer.
Alex Award and Shirley Jackson Award winner Kevin Wilson said:
I learned how to write by working in the short story form. It seemed an ideal way to figure out craft, because it offered great rewards without the soul-shattering grief of spending five years working on a novel that sucks. If I spent a month or two working on a story and it was bad, then I didn't feel like I'd ruined my life. So I wrote a lot of stories and tried to improve and, little by little, I did.
It’s easy to lose yourself, and a whole lot of time, in the wide-open space of a novel, without really improving. Short stories provide an opportunity to experiment with and hone your unique narrative style and voice within the confines of 5-10,000 words, rather than 100,000.
Simply put, it's just easier to change course, take risks and revise when you have less blood, sweat and tears invested in a project.
2. Short stories allow you to finish something, anything!
Writing an entire novel can be scary. Start with a short story instead. A few thousand words is far less intimidating than fifty thousand.
One poll respondent said that completing a story, and getting it published, gave them the confidence to keep working on their novel. Once you complete your short piece, let that accomplishment fuel you through to the end of your long-form writing project, secure in the knowledge that you have it in you to finish.
3. Short stories force you to practice word economy.
Some feel the short story form isn't roomy enough, but as Polonius says in Act II Scene II of Hamlet, “Brevity is the soul of wit.” I agree, as did one of our respondents, who commented that they love this form because it pushes them to compact their ideas into a limited space.
There is tremendous value in being able to distill a story to its essence in the short story form. Once you do, you will find it easier to write muscular, effective, long-form fiction.
Regardless of what you write, every word counts, and a short story is an ideal place to develop a habit of concision. For those who say they are too long-winded for short-form, I challenge you to say what’s on your mind in as few words as possible. Long doesn't have to mean long-winded. Your readers will thank you!
Going from a short story to a novel: two approaches
There are a few great methods for developing a short story that can later be adapted to a longer one. Both are conducive to a smooth transition from a more concise narrative to a novel. It’s all about what works for you.
Short stories for me are a lens on one corner of the world and novels are the world itself.
– Amelia Gray
Approach #1: Come up with your short story idea first.
So you want to write a novel, but aren’t quite sure what you want it to be about. That’s okay! Your short story is an optimal place to find out. When you start small and work your way up, you’re less likely to be overwhelmed.
Come up with an idea for your short story (stay tuned for tips on how to do just that in next week’s blog post), focusing only on this brief narrative for now. Then, once it’s completed, review it with a fresh eye (and goal), looking for threads you can pull into a novel. Maybe you realize your story is actually a single segment of a larger journey, or that the real story lies with another character you previously only considered minor.
Approach #2: Come up with your novel idea first.
On the flip side, some of us prefer to have a general sense of where our long-form narrative is headed. While you don’t have to have pin down the details in advance (super impressive if you do!), an idea of the broader plot points might help you to pull out a short story.
Once you have the basics of your novel laid out, look for places where a miniature plot structure could exist. Maybe it’s a romantic subplot, or a defining moment in a character’s backstory. An important note: your short story may not make it into your novel draft. Think of it more as a complimentary piece, or a study, which deepens your understanding of the characters, theme, world, etc. you’ve chosen for your novel.
It pays to be prepared for National Novel Writing Month—in more ways than one! Proper planning will help ensure you hit your goal this November, but it also might put some cash in your pocket.
Today we are excited to launch our
Pre-NaNoWriMo short story contest! The winner will receive $299 and a free six-month Elite Bardsy membership. Plus, all non-members will have the option of receiving professional feedback on their story for only $1. Members will receive feedback automatically. Click
here for all the deets.
Try this: Write a few lines of a story set in an apple orchard. Maybe two characters are on a first date, or one finds a talking worm poking out of an apple. Email your best response to
adam@bardsy.com for a chance to be featured!
