Hello friends! I’m in utter and complete shock, but somehow we’ve ended up in October? And it’s almost the holiday season? And wasn’t it just the new year last time I checked my calendar??
This year has been going by wayyy too fast for my liking 😅 I’m not ready for 2023…but that’s a topic for another day XD. Anyways, with it being October and everything, we’ve finally arrived in ~NaNoWriMo~ season. This is going to be my first real NaNo (the last few years I’ve kinda slacked off), and I’m super hyped. So~ to make it feel real and not just like an idea, I’m sharing my NaNo idea with you guys, and keeping you all updated on the chaos that is this novel. I’m going to be using Christine Smith’s Know The Novel questions (is anyone else doing Know The Novel this year?)
Note that I am not affiliated with NaNoWriMo in any way. I have been an active member on the YWP forums for NaNo in the past, but this year I’m flying solo with NaNo 😉
The Questions 💛
1. What first sparked the idea for this novel?
Well, actually the idea for this WIP came to me 2 years ago randomly on Halloween night XD. It’s been kinda just existing in my brain since then, while changing slowly into something that’s…extremely different from the original premise.
My original premise was this: [The novel is] about this girl who is expelled from her fourteenth school in the past year. As a punishment she is sent away by her rich parents to go live with her grandmother in Bee County, a tiny town in the mountains (population, 1001). She ends up befriending these two girls, named Squirrel and Bee. Bee is your classic hopeless romantic who feels trapped in her small town, and Squirrel is a selectivly mute teenager who communicates through flowers and sign language (flowers have different meanings, and she grows different flowers so she can use them to communicate). She also falls in love with a ghost who haunts the local chapel.
As you can see, the vibes are immaculate and cottagecore XD. Since then, the story has changed a lot, and I’ve written multiple alternate first chapters for it. It’s a weird mix of some of my favorite novels, plus some of my favorite WIP’s, and I love it so much. Honestly at this point, it doesn’t even resemble the original premise. BUT that’s okay because the original premise characters show up in here?? If that makes sense?? Just as side characters??
2. Share a blurb (or just an overall summary)!
So…we don’t fully have a *real* blurb yet. All we have is a very silly chaotic mess of notes that may or may not make sense. Anyways, so here we go *cringes* I’m so nervous to share these notes-
- Set in the 1940s
- About a group of friends who are enjoying their last year of high school before everything changes
- Theo
- quiet
- brooding
- ready to die in the war (he’s not suicidal — he’s just……. sure of his fate)
- abused
- tragic
- anti hero
- he’s a survivor
- so done with everything
- feels like a ghost
- type 5w6
- Atticus
- disabled (he was born without legs)
- not entering the war
- walks on his hands
- teaches goats how to read (ok fine it was *one* goat)
- self confidence
- determined to make the most out of every day
- silly goofball
- type 4w3
- Mel
- tomboy
- SHE DOESN’T FIT THE “NOT LIKE OTHER GIRLS” TROPE
- kinda the mom of the group
- fiercely overprotective of the boys™️
- fiesty
- really mad that she can’t join the war and fight
- learning about airplanes
- debater
- controversial
- type 8w7
- Lewis
- bullied throughout middle school (he’s now popular)
- eager to be wanted
- heartthrob of the town
- held back a year
- kinda the bully now
- tough love is his love language
- type 8w7 (same as mel)
- nostalgia
- HEY DOES ANYONE WANNA CRY
- a bucket list is made before everything changes (before lewis and theo go off to war, mel goes to build airplanes, and atticus…… does atticus-things)
- set during 3 years
3. Where does the story take place? What are some of your favorite aspects about the setting?
It takes place in the small town of Bee County in the middle of Illinois. I don’t really have much of the setting developed, but I want it to give off like…Stars Hollow vibes, but also like- Bedford Falls vibes?? If that makes any sense at all?? Honestly I’ll develop the setting later in the second draft.
4. Tell us about your protagonist(s).
My main protagonist is Mel Ortlend; she narrates most of the book (aside from short snippets that are through letters and stuff). She’s a mix of Peggy Carter and Jo March, and is just…such a fun character. She has a bit of trauma from having an undiagnosed anxiety disorder. She’s the mom friend of the group, and is extremely protective of everyone. She can be a bit overbearing, but she’s honestly really sweet once you get to know her 💛 She’s bitter that she can’t fight in the war, and to make up for it, she’s planning to build airplanes once she graduates.
I’m so excited to explore her character !!
5. Who (or what) is the antagonist?
Time itself; each of the characters is terrified of how fast time is moving for them. They know that once high school ends, nothing will be the same, and it’s kinda influencing all of their choices.
6. What excites you the most about this novel?
The aesthetic !! The characters !! The WW2 vibes !! Also how it vaguelly reminds me of some of my favorite classic novels !!
I have plans to write a prequel for it sometime in the future that’s basically the original premise (but slightly edited) and that makes me so excited. I love these characters so much 💛
7. Is this going to be a series? standalone? something else?
Uhmmm the goal is for it to eventually evolve into a series, but we haven’t reached that point yet, so I’m just gonna leave that to future Rue (:
8. Are you plotting? pantsing? Plansting?
I’m pantsing; I’ve discovered that that’s what motivates me is not knowing where the story’s going next. It’s taken a few years of trial and error to find that out, but I’m so thankful that I’ve finally figured out what motivates me to write
9. Name a few unique elements about this story.
There’s so many unique elements; my favorites being a genius goat that can read, a boy who feels like a ghost, letters from the war, and very fun ships that make me very excited.
10. Share some fun “extras” of the story (a song or full playlist, some aesthetics, a collage, a Pinterest board, a map you’ve made, a special theme you’re going to incorporate, ANYTHING you want to share!).
Here’s the Pinterest board (:
Thank you so much for reading this messy rambly blog post 💛 If you enjoyed this and want to read similar content, maybe consider subscribing? And clicking like? And leaving a comment? Are you doing NaNoWriMo this year? What are you writing for it? Let me know in the comments!
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