So, we are well into week 2 (yikes!!). That means you’ve probably got some sort of outline for your NaNoWriMo story. You know what your plot is going to be. Maybe some minor details are still hazy but, for the most part, you know where this story is headed. You’ve probably got an idea for most of the scenes you’ll need to write.
Inevitably, some of those unwritten scenes seem more exciting to you than others. Maybe it’s the big reveal scene that your whole story builds towards. Maybe it’s a scene where the love interest surprises the protagonist with a kiss. Whatever kind of scene it is, there are simply some bits that are more fun to write than others.
But, when we start writing, we rarely start with those scenes. But if that’s the scene that most excites you, then why the hell wouldn’t you write it straight away?
It’s just the way the brain works. We think in straight lines. We’re writing a story, so of course we’re going to start at the beginning and then work forward until we get to the end. No matter that all the fun exciting scenes tend to be towards the back. You’re going to have to plough through all these other scenes before you can write something exciting….That doesn’t sound right, does it?
NaNoWriMo is an intense month. One of the best ways to stay engaged with your writing is to find the aspects that excite you, the scenes that inspire you. So jump ahead! Write that fun scene! You don’t have to write thousands of words of set up before you start having fun.
Does that sound wrong? Like you’re cheating somehow? Like you’re eating your desert before you’ve eaten your supper?
Here’s the thing: you’re a writer and you can write the scenes in any order that you want (NaNoWriMo or not!). If writing that fun scene now helps you stay engaged, then you go and write that scene right this minute. In fact, while you’re at it, you can write any other scene you want. You don’t have to write them in order. This is your story! This is your creation, and you’re not bound by any rules about what order you write in.