Prep Tool 3: Ignite Your Idea
NaNoWriMo Support Series
In this post
Inspiration starts with a spark
Prep Tool 3: Ignite Your Idea
Writing a Book Blurb
Additional Writing Support
I’m inspired by a lot of things. When exploring new book ideas, I mostly lean on my own intuition, listening closely to what notions want to be shared as a plot line. Most of my book ideas began with their characters. By now, you’ve probably read somewhere about how the tarot showed up a decade ago in the form of a vision of the character I was meant to write. I love telling that story, but for the sake of time and not repeating myself, you can read about it here.
In summary, my storylines are character-driven. And after brainstorming ideas for who they are, building a character profile to flesh them out (pun intended), I feel like I know them—like we’re old friends.
The best characters stay on our hearts and minds, and my hope for your NaNoWriMo1 first draft is that you have everything you need to build an incredible story in which your characters can light up the pages of those reading it. In a couple of weeks, we will return to the subject of character development; however, it's never too early to start imagining who they might become.
Because every great story starts with an idea, this week’s post focuses on ignition.
Prep Tool 3: Ignite Your Idea
What is your novel about? Brainstorm your idea... and save these notes because you might use them in your book blurb.
On tab 3 of your NaNoWriMo Prep Binder, I’ve included space for you to start brainstorming your idea. In my book, Mystic Storyteller, I write a lot about using the cards for brainstorming, so if you have a tarot deck, try shuffling and pulling cards to spark ideas! Once you’ve added your notes to the NaNoWriMo Prep Binder, remember to save the document after you make changes. You don’t want to lose your progress.
Speaking of writing a book blurb
I found this helpful blog post from Blurb.com. I mean, who else better to instruct on the process, am I right?!
Let’s practice: Pull a card to spark a story idea.
Next, share in a comment which card you pulled and what story idea, character, or scene comes to mind.
In case you missed it...
You can find previously published posts in this NaNoWriMo Support Series here:
Intro to NaNoWriMo Support Series
Get Additional Writing Support
Need additional writing support for your NaNoWriMo goal? Check out the following resources from my bookshelf and Substack archives:
Mystic Storyteller: A Writer’s Guide to Using the Tarot for Creative Inspiration
Size and Labels Matter... in Storytelling
How Do You Cast Your Characters?
6 of the Scariest Things about Writing a Book
Outline Your Book with the Tarot
Before Sending Your Book to an Editor
Manage Your Busy Calendar... and STILL Have Time to Write
A Framework for Transformation
Managing Expectations and Dealing with Disappointment: NaNoWriMo Edition
6 Priorities for Becoming a Better Storyteller
About Mandy
Amanda "Mandy" Hughes is an author and instructional designer who uses the tarot to inspire storytelling. Her book Mystic Storyteller: A Writer’s Guide to Using the Tarot for Creative Inspiration and companion tarot deck are helping her peers do exactly that. She also writes fiction under pen name A. Lee Hughes. Mandy lives in Georgia with her husband and four sons, two of whom are furrier than the others (but not by much). Visit her website at www.haintbluecreative.com and find her on Substack @HaintBlueCreative.
Haint Blue Creative®, Amanda Hughes, and MYSTIC STORYTELLER are not affiliated or support the nonprofit organization by this same name. This acronym is being used as just that: a shortened version of the event.