A Fool Proof Way To Plot Your Novel (And Win NaNoWriMo 2021) — Kate MacRitchie

I will cut to the chase. Eva Deverell’s One Page Novel is a course that changed my writing life and right now you can get 10% off using the code KATE10.

I could ramble on (and I’m going to wax lyrical about One Page Novel in a moment) but I truly believe that Eva’s course helped me become the storyteller I always wanted to be, and I want to ensure you get your discount in case you don’t scroll to the end.

Ok, time to wax lyrical!

How One Page Novel Can Help You Win NaNoWriMo

It’s October, which in writerly circles means Preptober!

Preptober is the month where many aspiring authors prepare for National Novel Writing Month (aka “NaNoWriMo” or “NaNo”). Every November hundreds of aspiring authors attempt to write a novel in just 30 days.

I’ve only ‘officially’ taken part in NaNoWriMo once, in 2009 (😱) and quickly discovered that when you fail to prepare – prepare to fail! Though I ‘won’ NaNo, writing over 50,000 words (the minimum length for a novel), my book was a plotless nightmare.

The key to a successful NaNoWriMo is having your novel outline written before November. That way, you can concentrate on writing as many words per day as possible without worrying if your plot is meandering. Or non-existent.

But novel outlines are tricky beasts. How long should a novel outline be? How much detail and worldbuilding is required? Maybe (like me) you’ve tried countless methods for plotting a novel but never found one that worked. Or perhaps you’re worried that writing an outline eats up precious writing time.

If you want a fast, simple, and gentle way to outline your novel, then The One Page Novel is your answer.

If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll know that I finished Against the Sun (my 2nd novel) in 2 months using the One Page Novel method. I also used One Page Novel to plot every story in Fireside Fairy Tales (and I’m currently revisiting it for Fireside Magic).

Previously, I’d lost years trying to finish my first novel. Then, Eva’s magical course gave me a fool proof method for plotting a story from beginning to end, with big emotional arcs, powerful themes and zero plot holes. It was like I’d been trudging through a marshy quagmire, sinker deeper and deeper in the plot spaghetti, and One Page Novel was the rope that pulled me out.

How To Plot A Novel Quickly, On One Page

It might seem impossible to plot a novel on one page, but we’re writers – making the impossible a reality is our job!

Let’s start with some essential tools:

a piece of A4 paper
pencil
rubber
a pair of scissors
optional washi tape and pretty stickers
oh, and your imagination!

Now, did you know that the best place to begin a novel is at the end? It’s true!

If you know where your protagonist is at the end of the story, then you’ll have found your novel’s major puzzle piece straight away. And now you know how your story begins, too.

Wait, did I miss something? I hear you ask. Well, it’s a magic trick so slight you might have missed it. Simply flip your character’s end state to its opposite. If your protagonist finds love at the end of the novel, for example, make them loveless at the start. If they wind up filthy rich, they could start the story homeless, without a penny to their name. The dramatic juxtaposition tests your protagonist’s limits and sets them on an impressive arc (giving you lots to write about!).

After that, we jump to the middle and discover the key event that enables your protagonist to reach their goal. Plotting a novel out of order was a revolutionary concept to me, but it works. Something about plotting in a logical but non-linear fashion switched my brain into creative mode and made me see countless possibilities for my characters where before I was stuck in a rut.

The One Page Novel goes into much more detail than I can cover here (there are eight plot points in total) and distills all the key turning points in your story onto one easy-to-read page.

At the finish, you’re left with a masterpiece in miniature!

Confining a novel’s plot to one page stopped my brain zoning out. Only pertinent details went on the page and I could see the novel in its entirety without getting bogged down in details. So, if you thought you had to write an entire story bible for your fantasy world before November, don’t worry.

Brainstorming is key to the One Page Novel. Before you even start plotting, time is taken to consider who your main character is, what problems they face and the resources they can draw upon.

I really appreciated the timed brainstorming sections to keep my attention from wandering. While brainstorming, Eva suggests writing the first thing that pops into your head. Writing as fast as possible means your conscious mind doesn’t have time to object to how silly or difficult one of your ideas is. “Just write” Eva gently reminds us.

Here are some pictures of my One Page novels. I love sharing them because they’re so dainty and cute:

If you’re preparing for NaNoWriMo 2021 then I have more good news. One Page Novel comes with helpful video tutorials that can be watched/listened to as you plot. With November fast approaching the more time that counts towards a completed outline the better.

There are tonnes of writing courses, resources, blogs and vlogs about plotting. How to write faster, better, etc. It’s so easy to get swamped by advice. Or even worse, disheartened that you’ll never achieve your writing dreams. I’ve certainly felt that way!

For me, the simplicity and joy of One Page Novel makes Eva’s course worth every penny.

Freedom and confidence are two feelings I associate with One Page Novel. The freedom from self-doubt and time spent trying out various plotting methods and the confidence that I can write the stories closest to my heart.

If you’re an aspiring writer struggling to finish a novel, want to win NaNoWriMo, or are an author fed up of flying by the seat of your pants, please take the code KATE10 and try One Page Novel today. It could change your writing life for the better.

Now, if you really want to conquer NaNoWriMo 2021 here’s a few more tips.

10 Preptober Tips To Make The Most of NaNoWriMo 2021

Set NaNoWriMo goals.
How many words per week do you need to write to win NaNo? Can you really write every day, or will you be a weekend sprinter? (I love By The Brooke’s channel and Stig Dyrdal for fun writing sprints.) This is also a good time to ask yourself why you want to take part. Is your goal to write your first novel, make headway on a new project, become part of the writing community, or simply to fall in love with writing again? Having clear goals and a strong reason why you want to write 50,000 words in 30 days will motivate you to keep going (especially around the midway mark when your energy might be flagging).
2. Sign up to the NaNoWriMo website.
Now you’re officially part of the challenge! From here you can visit the forums and connect with other writers hoping to write 50,000 words in November. Signing up early means you won’t waste any precious time on November 1st filling out the details of your novel.
3. Learn how to brainstorm effectively.
This was a game-changer for me and saved a lot of sunk time staring at a blank page.
4. Keep a writer’s notebook to record your thoughts.
Throughout November you’ll need a place to track your progress and general observations. It’s useful as a writer to know if you work better in the morning or evening and if you write more words at home versus at a café. Even if you don’t win NaNo you’ll have gained some crucial insights into your writing process.
5. Create a Pinterest mood board or Spotify playlist.
I’ve never made a Spotify playlist for any of my novels, but I love creating mood boards on Pinterest! Creating a visual mood for your story can help with atmosphere, setting and character descriptions. Music might also be a powerful inroad into your characters’ psyches. Here are my mood boards for Fireside Fairy Tales and The Coming of Brìde (a story I’m working on for Fireside Magic).
6. Set up a reward system.
Bribe yourself to get your bum in the chair and write with a gorgeous scented candle, glass of wine or autumnal hot chocolate. You could also bank a few episodes of your favourite TV programme that you’re only allowed to watch if you meet your daily word count.
7. Assemble your NaNo survival kit.
Make November’s writeathon as comfortable as possible by organising all the tools you’ll need in advance. Consider a laptop stand and wireless mouse, investing in Scrivener or some fancy stationery. Give yourself the best chance of success by having the right tools for the job!
8. Pre-cook meals to save time.
November will be busy enough without taking basic functions like eating into consideration. Spend the last weekend of October batch cooking and freezing pot meals that you can reheat at a moment’s notice in between writing sprints. (I say this like I don’t run to the shop 10 minutes before I’m hungry…)
9. Bid friends and family goodbye.
Eliminate as many distractions and obligations during November as possible. They’ll see you again in time for Christmas.
10. Outline, outline, outline!
I’ve already helped you with that one, so here’s the 10% off code again – KATE10 - if you haven’t grabbed it with both hands already!

I hope sharing my experience of the One Page Novel and my Preptober tips help you prepare for NaNoWriMo 2021.

Your story matters and I sincerely hope you find a way to tell it because there’s no better time to be a writer. Sometimes the hardest part is just knowing how to begin.

p.s. if you enjoyed this post you might also like Using Word Counts To Achieve Your Writing Goals and World Building With Eva Deverell.