I wanted to sign up for Nano this month – I love the spirit of the thing – but I’ve been busy with work and with re-outlining/restructuring my book. That said, I do want to write a Nano post today.

I had a great book talk last month at the Worcester Public Library where I met a bunch of young writers. One asked me about how I add to my page count – what to write about when I feel I’ve run out of ideas for a book. I told them not to worry about that…which was not a complete answer. Because November is Nanowrimo, and at this point in the game you’ve got to bulk up that word count if you want to reach the finish line. So, if you are in need, here are my suggestions: write about a different character. Rewrite a scene from the antagonists point of view. Write a flashback from the main character’s childhood, or the antagonist’s childhood – maybe something they have both experienced. Write an indulgent description of the main character’s bedroom: open drawers, look through jewelry boxes, read her diary. Read her antagonist’s diary. Find a reason to feel empathy for the antagonist. Find a reason to find fault with your hero; a mistake, a weakness.

Don’t worry that you won’t use this stuff in your next draft. Don’t worry that you’re writing over the edge into digression. You may come up with a new idea that you wouldn’t have found without this spastic, desperate generation of words. That is the danger and the beauty of Nanowrimo – embrace it.