What inspired the novel I’m writing?
Day 22
I’ve never mentioned what kind of book I’m writing. The genre is fantasy. The inspiration is the Bauhaus House, an art movement in Germany that preceded the Nazi regime’s takeover. The Bauhaus House was the school that was the center of an art movement in the 1920s and 30s. The philosophy behind the art of the Bauhaus promoted functionality and simplicity.
This movement influenced not only illustration and painting but also architecture, furniture, and appliances. I took the history of the Bauhaus House and imagined it was a fantasy setting. The Nazis shut down the school because they considered it a breeding ground for free thinking, among other reasons. The influence of Bauhaus’s design on buildings and appliances can still be seen today.
So, I’m having fun reimagining what the students were like while they attended the school. Instead of classes for drawing and design, I have them learning spell crafting.
Yes, it sounds like Harry Potter, but there are some adult themes. I would compare it more closely to Lev Grossman’s The Magicians.
Word count for day 22: 39030
Day 23
I reached 40,000 words today. I still have four days of vacation left, so I hope to get as close to 50K as possible. By the end of Monday, Memorial Day, I hope to have surpassed 43,342 words. I still have eight days to reach 50,000 words. I don’t think that will be a problem.
Word count for day 23: 40116
Day 24
Now that I’ve reached 40K, I don’t feel so rushed to get this done. Saying that I’m going to try to do at least 2K today or maybe 3K. But I got a late start. I stayed up late last night at the movies with my friends. They wanted to see the Mission Impossible Final Reckoning movie, and I didn’t get home until 11:00 pm. Which means I slept in later than usual. Which means I am just now getting started, and it is one in the afternoon.
One thing that has become clear to me as I write this rough draft is that I will need to make a foreshadowing list. This is a list of items – people, places, events, and so on – that I make up on the spot. Nothing wrong with that. For example, I have a student character report to a teacher his observations as he spies on another student. This student pops up out of nowhere in the last quarter of the book. I will need to casually mention him once or twice in earlier parts of the story. This will happen when I revise.
Another foreshadowing I would like to create is a magazine publication mentioned in an early scene. However, this magazine is set in a future time. The main story happens decades earlier. It would be beneficial to note the publication in both timelines to help tie them together.
One thing on my to-do list is to review the draft after I finish it and start a Foreshadowing List. Any person, place, or thing that pops up out of nowhere will be added to this list, and I will make notes of possible scenes where to add these items.
Word count for day 24: 42054
Day 25
Because I’m writing a fantasy novel, I am using unusual names for my characters. You know, fantasy names. But where do I get these names? Well, some of them I make up, but others I use fantasy name generators. There are two I use the most.
The first one is called Seventh Sanctum. This website offers a vast array of naming options for fantasy and science fiction characters, ships, starships, equipment, and more. The other is Fantasy Name Generators. This latter name generator is so massive the best way to use it is to Google the specific item you need. For example, I will search for Fantasy Name Generators plant names. Or Fantasy Name Generators inn names. Using both of these will supply you with endless weird names for your speculative fiction stories and novels.
Taking it a step further, here is a hack to use when writing a fast rough draft. To save time, I will copy the list of names these websites provide and paste it into a text document. I call it my Name Bank. It is a list of unusual names I can use for various purposes, such as characters, towns, species, and more. It’s quick and easy.
It is also random. I ensure that the names in my rough draft are all distinct from one another so I can keep track of who is who. Here’s the thing. Even if you don’t like the name, you can change it in later drafts. For now, you are giving a character or whatever a quick name for your rough draft. You don’t have to waste time thinking of the perfect fantasy name—or science fiction planet. So, the next time you are writing a quick rough draft, set up a Name Bank for quick naming that you can use now and change later if you want.
Word count for Day 25: 43282
Day 26
Today is Memorial Day and I decided to spend most of the day reading a novel called The Hiding Game by Naomi Wood. I loved it.
It is based in Germany in the decade leading up to WWII. An art movement called Bauhaus was founded at a school called The Bauhaus House (this is a real institution, by the way). Wood drew on historical events of that time and place to create a story about a group of fictional students who attended The Bauhaus House. Even though Wood is an internationally acclaimed author, this particular novel of hers is not well known. It doesn’t even have an audio version. I’m not sure why. Her other works, particularly a book called Mrs. Hemingway, are well known
I took a break from writing all day until now. I’ve been writing all week. I wrote all last week and this past weekend, and this is the last day of my vacation. I wanted to read. So, I finished the novel a couple of hours ago. And I’m going to write a couple hundred words, but not worry about my word count. I have until midnight on Friday to reach 50,000 words, and I’m currently at almost 44,000.
I did reach a milestone yesterday. I completed the entire story in rough draft form. It’s a summary of scenes, complete with dialogue, description, and extensive exposition. But I’m so proud of myself. I’m going to finish this fourth week of writing my 50k novel by expanding the summaries of several scenes.
Jessica Brody says the foundation scenes of Save the Cat Writes a Novel are (I know I mentioned this in a previous entry for this project, but it bears repeating):
- The Catalyst
- The Break into Two
- The Midpoint
- The All Is Lost
- The Break into Three
For definitions of these, go here. These are all single-scene beats. Not all of the beats are single scenes, so that makes this a perfect way to finish this project. I’ve already started filling out the Midpoint scene first. I’m taking my summary and writing it out as an actual narrative draft. This is the approach most people take with NaNoWriMo, which is fine, but it’s more enjoyable to plan out the full story first and then start writing the actual text. That’s just me.
Word count for day 26: 44012
Day 27
I’m getting closer to reaching 50,000, and I’m wondering what my next steps should be. My first goal is to get to fifty thousand words by midnight on Friday. I’m not worried about failing that goal – unless something happens in my life, like a death or significant life change. But let’s not talk about that.
My second goal is to return to my previous projects. I have a space opera I’m trying to finish. I also have a non-fiction book that is finished, but I need to incorporate the editor’s markup. It’s a simple book, so that won’t take long.
When I started doing this 50k in 30 days, I needed to step back from my space opera to get some perspective, which I have. The fear would be that I won’t go back to it. I’m more excited than ever to return to it. The excitement I’ve gained from writing this story this past month will translate to when I get back to everyday life. The planning of the scenes. The non-stop writing. The habit of writing every day. This is fuel for the writer. I want to recreate that feeling whenever possible when I return.
One other thing I’ve also realized: I am probably not going to do this again. At least not when I’ve other projects, like the ones I’ve mentioned. Writing 1,667 words minimum a day works if I don’t work, that is, if I don’t have a job. But I have a job. If I didn’t have that job, I would not be able to do this now. But writing this much each day is not sustainable. One day, when I have a new idea and need a break, I’ll do this again. But probably not for a long time.
So, what will I do instead?
I’ve decided what works best for me is this: write 555 words a day. It’s a nice, memorable number. And that is 50 thousand words in 3 months. So, starting in June, I will be writing 50 thousand words through the summer. From June 1 – August 31, I will make it my goal to write an average of 555 words a day.
This will manifest itself in the completion of my space opera, or at least the current draft. Also, 555 words a day is sustainable. I can live my regular life. For me, 555 takes roughly a half an hour. Or less than 45 minutes. That’s habit forming. It also adds up. It’s not crazy. And, like I said, I can live my regular life.
Of course, there will be days when I write more than the magical 555. There will be days when I write less. But that is my new goal. And doing this 50k a day helped me realize that.
Word count for the day: 45012
50K in 30 Days Diary:
Friday’s Findings: My 50K Novel Week 1
Friday’s Findings: My 50K Novel Week 2
Friday’s Findings: My 50K Novel Week 3
Photo by Polina Zimmerman
Andrew M. Friday 
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