So, I've been back in the States now for almost two years, and while musing on all that's happened since I left Prague, I remembered my disastrous first attempt at NaNoWriMo. I had some good ideas, but absolutely no idea what to do with them. I think I only wrote 7,000 words.
I know a little bit better now and was thinking of resurrecting them as a warm-up exercise before a new project for NaNoWriMo 2011, but then I discovered that at some point, probably in a fit of pique, I'd erased the project from Scrivener and my hard drive. So, no-go on that front.
Now this leaves me with a few burgeoning ideas for my second attempt at novel writing but again, not sure if they're feasible/desirable.
Idea #1: Novelize the story of how my grandparents met on the eve of WWII. As far as I can recall, my grandmother's church in rural Minnesota asked for pen-pals for American soldiers. My grandfather was posted nearby, and after a few months of writing, was invited by my grandmother's family to visit since his hometown in California was too far away.
However, I'm not sure if there are letters or any surviving documents of their courtship, and I haven't asked their children (my aunts, uncles, and mother) for permission. It would also involve research and having a box sent to DC from CA...
Idea #2: Fictionalize story of my life at work and the lives of my office mates, with twists of fraud and other drama. Fairly simple to do, but if they find out, they won't be best pleased.
I came across a great line while I was brainstorming today. In an article on how to address one's fears and avoid writers' block, the author posted this:
"Procrastinate. You can always worry later. Write now."
Well, let's hope. Only 164 days until NaNoWriMo 2011...
1 comment:
Biz,
You have a lot of options to think about. Yes fictionalizing the story of your grandparent's burgeoning romance may be feasible, but who says it has to be your grandparents per se? Why not research that particular time frame and place yourself in the shoes of someone like your grandmother and go from there.
Or, you can choose to write about your time in College or living abroad. I'm sure there were a number of exciting events that you can alter and string together for a new adventure. For example, you can take an outing on the town with cute Italian guys and fashion a romance between your protagonist and the most reclusive character of the guys.
In the alternative, there is always writing about something or someone interesting from work. You may have to significantly change the setting and character traits so as not to offend anyone. But at the same time you do have poetic license with your own work.
Lastly, there is always fan fiction. Whose to say that you cannot write a new ending or love triangle into your favorite book or movie? You may even be able to expound upon a moment in the story that is glossed over and create something entirely new.
There is a world of possibilities for you to explore in fiction writing. Best of luck to you!
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