Last week, you learned how to choose your next idea if you have multiple ideas vying for your attention, and now the fun really begins! We’re going to dig into your idea and make sure it is novel-worthy!
Today we are digging into your driving force behind your story!
Your driving force is two fold:
- The initial spark
- Your why
The Initial Spark
The initial spark is just what it sounds like. It’s that first aha that came to you when this idea struck you upside the head and wormed its way into your consciousness.
What was it that activated this idea in your mind? Was it something you read, heard, saw? Was it a dream? Was it a random train of thought that went careening out of control down the creative tracks of your mind? Write it out. Remind yourself of the idea’s origins.
Why this is important: Revisiting your initial spark and idea and where it came from is a powerful way to reconnect with it to understand its importance to you as a person and a writer.
Your Why
Your Why is always the most powerful message to yourself you can have when it comes to diving into a novel-worthy and novel-length idea. It is the touchstone that will bring you back again and again when you lose steam or enthusiasm (which you will at some point, trust me on this).
Why do you want to write this particular story? That’s the important part. It’s not why do you want to write in general, it’s all about this story you’re setting out to dig into during this NaNoPrep email series.
What about this story draws you to it? Go deep here. The deeper emotional feelings you have about why this is YOUR story, making you the best one to write it, the better. Bonus points if you make yourself cry while digging deep. That’s where the magic lies.
No one will see this work except you (unless you decide to share it with, say, a book coach), so bare your heart and soul, and write a full single spaced page digging into your why. This is the first most important step in building your story.
Why this is important: Knowing why you want to write this particular story will keep you motivated and inspired to keep going, even when the going gets tough.
That’s all for this post. Be on the lookout for next week’s post about the soul of your story.
In November, I’ll be doing another public accountability event like I did in April (here’s the debrief from the April event).
Want to join me? Just click here and add your name to the list for free! The fun begins on November 1st.
