NaNoWriMo Prep – 2022

Earlier this year, I took a writing class. One of the things that I got out of it was something called “The Story Menu.” This is a set of tables you roll dice on to give you an idea prompt.

Since NaNoWriMo starts in three hours and I have no idea what to do (other than rehashing the same three or four ideas I’ve worked on before), I decided to try it.

I still have no idea what I am doing, but I guess I have a framework.

1. Conflict – Man vs Bureaucracy

   Yeah, I got nothing. Let’s see what comes up later.

2. Storyline – Old Friend in Need of Help

   OK, my protagonist has an old friend who needs help with something, presumably dealing with some bureaucratic problem. I’ll blame the DMV.

3. Past, Present, and Future

   This one is a bit complicated. Its description is “The character’s immediate past, their current state of life at the start, and an influence that will inject itself into the story halfway to two-thirds of the way in.” Let’s see what we get.

   1. Past – Fleeing from a Persistent Problem

      OK, my protagonist is fleeing from a problem, but they must stop to help their old friend? Must be a really good friend.

   2. Present – Abuse Problems

      I’m going to assume they have some kind of substance abuse problems. Or, it could be some kind of physical/mental/emotional abuse, which is the persistent problem they are fleeing from. I’m not sure I can effectively write that kind of abuse, so I’m going to stick with substance abuse.

   3. Future – New Job Opportunity

      Well… I won’t have to worry about that for about two weeks.

4. Enemies and Allies

   I need an “Avatar” and an “Aspect” for each

   • Enemy – Bureaucratic and Erratic/Eccentic

     Well, obviously, my enemy is the bureaucrat giving the friend problems.

   • Ally – Family/Clan and Social Superior

     The Ally makes it seem as if the protagonist is helping them because they are part of the same family or clan, and someone superior wants them to? But they were defined as friends, not relatives, so they are both part of some group, and someone in authority says that protagonist needs to help them. They are somewhat obligated to do so.

5. Character Motivation

   Again, I need two. One for the inciting incident and one that it will transition to later

   • Current – Sense of Duty

     OK, that fits. Protagonist is helping another member of whatever group they are in. This is apparently an expected (if perhaps unwelcome) responsibility of theirs. I’m sure their substance abuse won’t get in the way of this at all.

   • Future – Hate

     OK, apparently Protagonist gets really angry at whoever is causing their friend problems. Or, maybe they get angry at the friend for dragging them into this. Again, I have a few weeks to decide. Let’s see how the characters go.

6. Impediment to Action – Moral

   Oof. I’ve got nothing. OK, maybe the group Protagonist is part of is doing some shady things, and Protagonist is becoming conflicted about what they are doing. Maybe that’s why they have a Substance Abuse problem! Anyway, helping their friend will force them to confront the actions of this group that they are unhappy about. Hey, maybe that is who their hate is directed at later.

OK, I have… something. Let’s see what I can do with this.