With the start of a new month, I thought it would be a good time to introduce some changes to our Twitter activity. While the blog has been wonderful for reaching out to all of you and answering your questions, it doesn’t provide us with much opportunity for back-and-forth and engaging with you during the writing process. Since this is the part of the writing community that I love the most, I knew there had to be a solution!
I know what you’re probably thinking right now:
Oh my gosh, I totally agree! How can I get more of Penney yelling excitedly at me about stories?
That’s so sweet of you! If that’s what you’re looking for, you’re in luck.
If you’re already following us (@plotlinehotline), you’ve probably noticed a slight increase in our Twitter presence as far as retweets and general threads are concerned. You’ve likely also come across the occasional prompts we’ve been posting.
This has been one of my favorite parts about working with our Twitter account for the past month— I’ve always loved working from prompts, and the chance to share those and talk with people about their stories has been amazing!
It has been a little sporadic, though, and with April’s Camp NaNoWriMo coming up, I’d really like to make March a great planning month in terms of prompts and story starters. To this end, I’ll be posting new prompts daily with a different theme (and corresponding hashtag) for each weekday to help spur our creativity and get a few scenes under our belt before the new month starts.
The PLHL’s Daily Prompt List
Miscellaneous Monday— Anything goes! These prompts don’t have a consistent theme to them, but will instead offer different challenges to keep in mind as you’re writing your scene.
Character Trait Tuesday— Tell us about your character! All of these will be related to certain qualities about your character that you can exemplify in your scene.
Workup Wednesday— Practice your planning skills! We’ll be posting a final line for you to consider, and the goal will be writing a scene that builds up to that line.
Theoretical Thursday— Change things up a little! These prompts posit a “What if” scenario that challenges you to look at your story/character from a new angle, offering perspectives that you may not have considered otherwise.
Photo Friday— They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and we want you to write them! Each prompt will consist of a single picture (with no dialogue or writing) that you can use as a basis for the scene you write.
Worldbuilding Weekend— It’s exactly what it sounds like! Each weekend, we’ll ask a new question about your world to help you build and develop the universe your characters live in. This doesn’t necessarily have to be a scene, but should help to get the ball rolling to save you a bit of time later!
I’m very excited to be introducing these prompts, and I’d very much like to hear about what you’ve decided to write and your thoughts on the process. As such, I’ll be regularly monitoring all of the above hashtags, as well as our NaNoWriMo-specific tag (#plhlsuperscribes).
I look forward to talking to all of you! Good luck with your planning, and happy writing!
April marked the first month of using my bullet journal, and I’ve really enjoyed it! Designing the spread helps me prioritize each month’s goals and focus my time, as well as reflect on my accomplishments (or the things I didn’t do). While I still feel like I’m in a period of transition and reorganizing, I’m feeling much more positive this month. Maybe it’s that the spring sunshine has finally…
March was a month just for me. After finally recognizing my burnout in February, I set aside all “non-essential” activities and focused on de-stressing and enjoying life. Between a trip home to visit family and friends in Kansas, my birthday, and lots of support from Daniel, it was easier than I expected to relax and recharge.
While I’m recommitting to some goals in April, there are others that I…
I’ve got a group for my podcast and I’d like to fill it with some lovely writer friends if anyone’s interested. Come discuss your projects. I’m writing a fanfic, as per usual. Message me your NaNo username if you are interested.
The best way to power through any writing challenge or project, like NaNo, is to have a group of friends that can support you and cheer you on. R.L. Merrill, a long-time NaNo Participant, writes this article in honor of her writing friends, and encourages you to find them in little pockets of the world.
I’m Ro, I live in the East Bay, and I’m a People Collector. That’s right, I collect rad folks with special gifts and talents who make this world a better place. It’s not nearly as creepy as it sounds, I promise, although I do write horror stories from time-to-time when I’m not working on a romance to make you swoon or shiver.
Let’s back up to June 2014 when I first attended a meeting of the San Francisco Area RWA chapter. I was greeted by two vivacious women who invited me to sit with them, which up until that point had been a rare occurrence in my life before joining the writing community known as Romancelandia. See, I was an educator for twenty-seven years, but I was always the one who tried to radicalize the staff to better meet the needs of the students. I’m usually that one weird mom at the PTA meetings who the others are nice to as long as I bring the right cupcakes to the party.
Okay, I’m exaggerating slightly, but before I found the incredible folks at the SFARWA (now the Bay Area Romance Writers group) I never truly fit anywhere. Finding other writers was sort of like meeting the goth kids the first month of high school—or “mods” as we called them—and feeling like I’d found a safe group to hang out with when my fellow cheerleaders were sick of my straight hair and lack of makeup (I went to high school in the latter half of the 1980s). Writers are a diverse group by nature, and they are always willing to take up the shield when another is in peril (don’t believe me? Check out Twitter).
But back to SFARWA, I knew I’d found my place when I met Shannon. At one of the meetings in the early fall, she started talking about an intriguing enterprise known as “NaNo.” I had to ask her what it was all about.
“Oh, sit with me and let me enlighten you.” I was told of this magical community online who support each other through the month of November as they attempt to complete a 50k novel in 30 days. I love a good challenge, so I followed the link she gave me to the NaNoWriMo site and beheld the beauty that is this community.
During all of the Camps and NaNos I’ve participated in (16 and counting), l was supported by the many folks I’ve collected along the way. There’s Rachael and Sophie, the two SFARWA members who greeted me at my first meeting, Shannon, Karysa who coerced/coaxed me to join the board for our local chapter, Annabeth’s Rainbow Cabin members, the Bay Area Sexy S’mores, and members of the Inclusive Romance Project to name a few.
Just as I collected these folks, they embraced me with all of my tattoos, pink hair, and heavy-metal-loving ways. Together we whined and “wahooed” each other and then celebrated completing our projects. My “collection” of people is vast. I’ve taken classes from some, invited some to share their experiences on my blog or on my Clubhouse chat with Amy Z. Chan on Friday mornings at 9 PDT (Yep, Amy is another friend I collected). I even have a “crew” of folks I chat with on Tuesday nights on Zoom to discuss the latest news in Romancelandia, the newest marketing/promotional strategies, and the bonkers plot bunnies that happen when I’m challenged…I love a good challenge. I love pushing myself to be a better writer, better friend, and better cheerleader. One of the things I always recommend to the newbie writers I work with is to check out the NaNo site. Whether it’s prompts you need, or some accountability, or maybe it’s knowing someone else is out there sitting behind a blank screen desperately wishing for those words to come, all of those things can be found through the NaNo community.
Who are the people you’ve “collected” along your journey to becoming a writer? Have you told them how much they mean to you? This post is my way of honoring my people, and a reminder that there are people I’ve lost track of who could use a check-in. We need our people more than ever, and we need to let them know how much they mean to us. So find your people and get to NaNo-ing!
R.L. Merrill writes contemporary, paranormal, and supernatural tales to make you swoon and/or shiver. You can find her on social media, advocating for America’s youth, writing music reviews for HorrorAddicts.net, or headbanging at a rock show near her home in the San Francisco Bay Area! Stay Tuned…
As Camp NaNoWriMo is drawing to an end, author and NaNoWriMo winner, MenteMelan, reflects upon her first NaNo experience, and gives some tips to people who might not have joined this time, but plan to in the future.
Excitement. Joy. Fear. Apprehension.
These are some of the numerous emotions I experienced a few days before the 2021 NaNoWriMo began. After weeks of prewriting, seminars, and strategizing, I eagerly sharpened my pencils and cleared my workspace as I awaited the beginning of the 50,000-word challenge.
I first heard about NaNoWriMo during the pandemic in 2020. Before then, I had participated in several writing challenges, written a few short stories, and produced the first draft of a novel. I was psyched by the challenge the NaNoWriMo proposed.
Since I stumbled upon the creative writing challenge several days after it began, I decided to bid my time and participate in 2021. However, I never anticipated any of the things that occurred in the months preceding the NaNoWriMo.
As the lockdown restrictions gradually eased last year, the world slowly tried to heal from the turbulence which occurred in 2020. Like many others, I struggled to adjust for several months and was forced to come to terms with the fact that the world could never be the same.
I have never been a big fan of change, so as you can imagine, I battled with so many emotions, never finding the right avenue to vent everything I’d been feeling. For me, the 2021 NaNoWriMo was highly therapeutic. I can still remember how I picked up my laptop on the first day and poured out all the pent-up emotions I had experienced during the year into the different characters I had crafted.
By the end of the first day, I’d written about 3000 words, albeit with several typos and sentences that eventually needed fine tuning. However, none of that mattered. For the first time in months, I felt relieved. The moment I updated my profile and earned my first badge, it felt like I’d just won a million bucks!
Each day came with a different challenge and every second of it was fantastic. The goal wasn’t to create the perfect novel in 30 days but was to create an undiluted first draft, knowing I would still refine it all at the end. As I unlock each badge, I felt fulfilled and excited, waiting to see how long it would take to finally hit my goal.
On the last day of the NaNoWriMo, I finally hit 50K words and unlocked my winner’s badge. I can honestly say no words can describe how amazing I felt that day.
Experiencing the joy that comes with being able to meet a challenge head-on is something I believe everyone deserves to feel during their lifetime. Although, there will be moments where the thrill of the chase might fade, and your characters might not speak to you as frequently as they used to.
To overcome this, my advice would be to surround yourself with fellow writers who share the same goal and vision. If you can’t think of anyone who might be interested in the journey, then you’re welcome to join any of the NaNo regions. You’d receive a lot of support and encouragement from fellow writers and get chances to vet your work.
Finally, always remember you can edit it later. It’s your first draft, so it’s not meant to be perfect. It’s pretty easy to edit the first draft but impossible to edit what you’ve never written.
Enjoy every second of the challenge and take pride in what you’re doing. By deciding to participate in the NaNo, you’re already a winner. So, my fellow writers, sharpen your pencils, raise your pens, clean your typewriters, charge your laptops, and let the creative juices flow!
MenteMelan is a diverse award-winning African writer who believes in communicating her views and perspectives of the world through her books. It helps her foster connections with people across the world, create communities with kindred souls, and spread awareness about mental health.
Exam season is coming up, which means that writing often takes a backseat. However, Liv Will, university student and writer, has some advice to make the best of both!
Spring! The weather gets warmer, the flowers bloom - and of course, Camp NaNoWriMo begins. But for many people at school or university, the spring season is also a time of exams. Just taking part can seem daunting. Fitting writing in is hard at the best of times, but committing to a new challenge alongside studying can sound impossible.
Last November I completed NaNoWriMo alongside a grueling schedule of law school exams - and yes, my Mum did disapprove. While it was a huge learning curve, I definitely learned what worked (and what didn’t).
Block off time
Have a study plan and stick to it. When I was revising, I kept to office hours, and refused to work before 9:00 am, or after 6:00 pm. Having a set amount of time made me far more efficient with my studying, and helped preserve my sanity. Don’t beat yourself up for taking care of yourself; it is absolutely not healthy to study 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When I came to writing after a long day of revising, I could think of it as a time for my mind to relax and be creative.
Create separate habits
Everyday I tried to write for 20 minutes in the morning, and 1-2 hours in the evening. To make this as painless as possible, I created really strong routines to signal to my mind that we were being creative now, not studying. For my morning sessions, I sat down at my kitchen table at 8:30 every morning, with a cup of tea, put my headphones on and put on my writing playlist. In the evening, I would write sitting in the same place, with the same music, and a cup of herbal tea. Crucially, I never wrote at my desk - that was for studying, only. Creating separation is so important in exam time, to avoid feeling like work is taking over your life. Keep your studying, writing and sleeping as separate as possible, to avoid cross-contamination. Having a routine will make docusing 100% easier; as the month went by, I found it got easier and easier to ‘get in the zone’. As soon as I put on my headphones and sipped my tea, I was ready.
Just do it
Being time-poor can work to your advantage, because you don’t have time to overthink, start re-reading, or get distracted. My 20 minute morning writing session was a revelation in efficiency. I would set a timer up on my phone, and prop it up out of reach, somewhere I could see it. And because I knew that I had only this time and I couldn’t mess around, I would just start typing, and not stop until the timer went off. By the end of the month I was often writing 500 words in these 20 minutes. It can be hard to force yourself through when you feel like everything you write is garbage. Adding some time pressure will cut through your agonizing thoughts.
Take set-backs in your stride
One week I did hardly any writing, because of an exam I was incredibly worried about (Solicitor’s Accounts, if you’re interested). The exam went alright, but afterwards I was still upset, thinking it wouldn’t be possible to finish NaNoWriMo anymore. My sister advised me to start writing again, and just try to finish the month. ‘Even if you don’t make 50k, you’ll still have written a lot’, she said. ‘And that’s the whole point, isn’t it?’ She was right. I started writing again, quickly got back in the swing of things, and ended up making up for the time I’d lost.
Don’t beat yourself up. What you’re doing is hard! Just make sure you get back on the horse!
Finally, take care of yourself!
Don’t let exams be an excuse to neglect everything else! Try to eat healthily, get enough sleep, get outside, drink lots of water, and give yourself time to unwind. If you’re stressed out and exhausted, nothing you write - whether in an exam, or your WIP - will be any good.
And don’t panic - you can do this!
Liv Will is a law student by day and writer of historical fantasy by night. She lives in London and spends most of her time trying to write, and blogging about pop culture, books and history at https://www.commontoad.org/
You might still be stumped on what to write for your new project, whether for Camp NaNo or something else. Lucy Gould, a young writer, is here to offer 3 ways to get inspired.
Starting a new novel can be daunting, especially if you don’t know what to write about. Fortunately, inspiration can be found almost anywhere. Here are my top three ways to get inspired to write!
Go for a walk.
A 2014 Stanford study proved that walking boosts creative inspiration by 60%! Being surrounded by nature is a great way to inspire story elements like elaborate fantasy settings, peaceful nature scenes, or even developing a character personality. In fact, I came up with my favorite WIP by taking a walk.
If the weather doesn’t allow for walking outdoors, try going for a drive. If you can’t do that, walk around your house while keeping an eye out for your surroundings, whether that be a misplaced shoe or a crooked painting.
Try some writing prompts.
This tactic is fantastic for writers who struggle starting their novel. Writing prompts not only give you a plot outline, but it also gives you a starting point. You can find these on Pinterest, Instagram, Google, and plenty of other sites. Remember that your response to the prompts can be long or short, there is no word count! An alternative to writing prompts if you really don’t like them is to take a line from a book you like, or even just a line that interests you, and give it a completely different plot.
Narrate your life or the life of someone around you.
The less accurate you are the better. Walking down a hallway? No, now you are “slowly creeping down the hallway of a long forgotten castle, following the haunting calling from the past.” Not only does this method cure any boredom you might have, but it also activates mental descriptors and can give you some great novel material.
All in all, be aware of what is going on around you. But it is super important to not force inspiration. If you force yourself to write about the first thing that comes to mind, you won’t end up enjoying it. I hope this was helpful and happy writing!
Lucy G. is a teen writer whose debut novel is set to be published in Fall ‘22. She has a passion for all things bookish and loves connecting with fellow readers and writers. Lucy can be found in Eastern Massachusetts with her parents and her adorable cat, Lily, either curled up with a good book and a blanket or drinking her Starbucks and avoiding editing her book.
What happens after you write a novel? You can pursue traditional publishing or indie self-publishing. Camille Collins, a resident NaNo participant and indie published author, offers her advice on how to indie publish your novel.
Writing a book in hopes of becoming a best-selling author is only half the journey. You have to publish your novel first!
For those with completed manuscripts, congratulations! You’re halfway to your goal of becoming an author. One way to skip the stress and time consuming process of querying required by traditional publishing is to independently publish your book by yourself.
This can be done through websites such as IngramSparks, CreateSpace, Wattpad, and of course the largest book selling website on the internet, Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing). Your choices are not limited by any means, but for the best results, Amazon is the way to go for first time publishers.
Once you have your final manuscript, you can easily format it through Amazon’s free software called Kindle Create, or by downloading your book as an epub file from your preferred writing software. Once formatted, you can open KDP and begin the publishing process. After clicking on the “create new title” button, there are 3 pages of information you need to enter before your book goes live.
Book Details: This section will ask basic information about your book, such as the author’s name, the book’s title, and the blurb, as well as keywords and categories. It is important to do SEO research beforehand to know exactly what keywords and genre best fit your book. Your book’s subtitle and blurb are the places to squeeze in that information.
Book Content: To ISBN or not to ISBN? That is the question a lot of writers don’t want to think about when it comes to book expenses. Fortunately, Kindle offers free ISBN numbers for ebooks. If you plan to publish one or two ebooks, claim your free ISBN and forget about the hefty price of purchasing your own codes; however, for the serial author with a long list of future titles and big plans for marketing, purchasing ISBN codes from Bowker is essential for printing paperbacks on Kindle, as well as publishing on other platforms. I paid about $275 for a 10 pack of ISBN codes, so start saving up!
Book Rights & Pricing: How do you choose a price for your book after all the time you spent laboring over it? The answer is $0.99 or $2.99. To keep things simple, these are the most common prices for indie ebooks on Amazon, and having your first novel be affordable means you have a higher chance of making a sale. Debut novels and the first book of series do better with lower prices.
After passing through the hurdles of KDP’s publishing process, all you have left to do is wait for your book to be approved and go live. Once again, congratulations! Writing is not easy, and most indie novels never reach print. Taking the time and effort to put your novel out there sets you apart…
Now all that’s left is to master the art of marketing!
Camille Collins is a graduate of Tennessee Technological University who has participated in NaNoWriMo since 2014 after her first win. Her first WIP, The Krown’s Curse Trilogy, is a fantasy romance featuring a siren and werewolf on opposing sides of a war. Camille loves the trope of found family and writes novels for people struggling with genuine connection. She has published 4 books in the last 2 years and has plans for many more.
[Image description: Close up of Katy, who is wrapped in a dark green weighted blanket and smiling slightly at the camera]
Hi! Nice to meet you!
My name is Katy Morgan, and I’m an indie fantasy author, fiction editor, and proud weighted blanket owner.
My Camp NaNo project this year is the third book in a contemporary fantasy trilogy called the Compound Series, which is about a misanthropic empath and a corrupt organization that experiments on magical people. If you like conspiracies, snarky dialogue, and mlm romance, this one’s for you. (More info here.)
[Image description: Paperback copies of Dark Empathy and Fail-Safe lying next to each other on the same dark green blanket]
When I’m not writing or editing, I’m usually cross-stitching something sassy, daydreaming about hedgehogs, or drinking far too many mochas. Probably all at once. ☕
If you’re so inclined, please reblog and let me know what you’re working on, whether it’s for Camp NaNo or just in general. (I’ve been an epic failure at keeping up with the writeblr community lately, so I’m sure you’re all up to exciting new things!)
Hiya! I’m also kind of bad at keeping up with writeblr these days, but in my writeblr heyday I was working on a WIP about a dreamwalking ex-Chosen One who has to return to her childhood world and take a second shot at saving everyone. I think, this year, I’ll take a stab at NaNo, but it’s going to be very lowkey because I so happen to also be working on my midsemester exams.
Heyo! I have a bad recording of doing NaNo stuff lol, but this year for Camp NaNo I’m trying to complete a portion of my 2nd draft of my currently active WIP. It’s middle-grade series about a girl to find a key in her attic that can take her to other worlds. She encounters strange creatures, makes new friends, and goes on ~crazy~ adventures.
Keys! ️ I used to have a huge collection because there’s just something super magical and interesting about them (especially the Ye Olde Key kind). That sounds like a fantastic wip that my middle-grade self would’ve loved. (And lbr, my current self would love it as well.) I hope you make some great progress on it this month!
[Image description: Close up of Katy, who is wrapped in a dark green weighted blanket and smiling slightly at the camera]
Hi! Nice to meet you!
My name is Katy Morgan, and I’m an indie fantasy author, fiction editor, and proud weighted blanket owner.
My Camp NaNo project this year is the third book in a contemporary fantasy trilogy called the Compound Series, which is about a misanthropic empath and a corrupt organization that experiments on magical people. If you like conspiracies, snarky dialogue, and mlm romance, this one’s for you. (More info here.)
[Image description: Paperback copies of Dark Empathy and Fail-Safe lying next to each other on the same dark green blanket]
When I’m not writing or editing, I’m usually cross-stitching something sassy, daydreaming about hedgehogs, or drinking far too many mochas. Probably all at once. ☕
If you’re so inclined, please reblog and let me know what you’re working on, whether it’s for Camp NaNo or just in general. (I’ve been an epic failure at keeping up with the writeblr community lately, so I’m sure you’re all up to exciting new things!)
Hiya! I’m also kind of bad at keeping up with writeblr these days, but in my writeblr heyday I was working on a WIP about a dreamwalking ex-Chosen One who has to return to her childhood world and take a second shot at saving everyone. I think, this year, I’ll take a stab at NaNo, but it’s going to be very lowkey because I so happen to also be working on my midsemester exams.
Oof, I don’t envy you the midsemester exams, but that WIP sounds excellent! I love when writers mess with well-known tropes. (I also have a thing for stories that use dreamscape elements, so you’ve hooked me twice!) I hope you get a chance to work on it this month, whether or not you end up doing Camp NaNo
While I’m recommitting to some goals in April, there are others that I…
