Every weekend during National Novel Writing Month, we will post a list of one word prompts from our November Novel Planner to inspire you to get the words down. If you’re struggling a little more with writer’s block than usual, take advantage of these suggestions and probing questions to help you on your way to completing your NaNo novel draft.
For the rest of the prompts, daily planning pages, and more, download our FREE Digital November Novel Planner to help you stay focused and track your word count this NaNoWriMo.
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November 1: Around
- Who was or wasn’t around while your protagonist was growing up?
- How does your protagonist’s perception of what’s around them change but they’re feeling in the senior writing now?
- What goes around, comes around, they say. Put a symbol or an object in your story that you intend to circle back to you later. Add a note or comment to your document so you don’t forget!
November 2: Bleed
- Who or what would your character bleed for?
- Write about something bleeding other than blood (for example, ink bleeding through a page).
- Who would make your character bleed if given the chance, and vice versa?
November 3: Count
- Don’t have an idea who your antagonist is yet? Consider a count—or someone descended from a count.
- What or who can your character count on? Should they?
- What or who counts on your protagonist? Should they?
November 4: Dance
- What topic does your protagonist dance around in conversations?
- Does your protagonist dance? Have they ever danced with their love interest, or a past love interest?
- What inanimate objects might dance in your story? Do the stars seem to dance across the sky during a meteor shower? Is there a special music box with a dancing figurine?
November 5: Everyone
- Explore your protagonist’s system of ethics. Do they treat everyone how they’d like to be treated?
- What does everyone think or guess about your character on sight?
- How does your protagonist differentiate themselves from everyone else? Or do they try to blend in with everyone else?
November 6: Fear
- What does your protagonist fear above all else?
- Does anyone fear your protagonist? Should they?
- Here’s a twist on the prompt: present something most people would fear and have one of your characters subvert expectations by being completely at ease.
November 7: Glimpse
- What does you protagonist see—whether they were supposed to see it or not—that offers a glimpse into what their future has in store?
- What might a character do to show a glimpse of the side of themself they’re trying to hide?
- Consider this prompt an invitation to add a bit of humor if it would fit with your novel’s tone. Who could a character glimpse in a funny situation?
Bonus Prompt: Given
- Is your protagonist or antagonist taking some aspect of their life for granted?
- What is your protagonist or antagonist failing to take into consideration?
- Could a gift or gift-giving be at the center of the beginning of your novel?
- Does one of your characters have something special that was given to them?
- Are they going to have that object for the entirety of your novel?
