NaNoWriMo

National Novel Writing Month

Try to write a 50,000 word novel in the month of November. You can do this solo, have teens work alone, or have them work on a collective novel. Note: The NaNoWriMo program began as an adult project, so there are links to ALL KINDS of writing on the site. If you think you cannot have teens login on the site, you can still encourage them to participate in NaNo - just not in the online realm. If you are logged in to this wiki, you can view the NaNoWriMo Plot Decider in the Files area - the four page NaNoWriMo Plot Decider.

Boulder Valley School District has an inservice day on Halloween (nice way to duck controversy!). We're planning scary stories for littles, even scarier stories for 4-6th graders, and having the Teen Space open all day for NaNoWriMo plotting. We'll show Stranger Than Fiction in the Auditorium at 3:00pm - all ages welcome in case y'all need a break from the everyday!

Plot Twist Decider

Print each type of item (character, setting, plot twist, symbol) on different colors of paper. Cut them apart, fold up, then put them into a bowl. Teens (and library staff) have to pick one of each color of paper - without looking at what is written on the paper. If they can think of nothing else to write, that is their NaNoWriMo novel. Here are some sample Plot Twist Deciders, so add in some more!

CHARACTER

Cat

Vampire

Teenager

Salesman

Programmer

Artist

Singer

Wizard

Cowboy/girl

Dog

Villain

Movie Star

Writer

Filmmaker

Princess

Prince

Thief

Coward

Detective

Gamer

Werewolf

Fairy

Shapeshifter

Cheerleader

Sports star

Drama Queen

Game designer

Café Owner

Teacher

Librarian

Boarder

Gambler

Driver

Martial Artist

Designer

Chef

Race car driver

Waiter or waitress

Character in fairy tale

Superhero

Computer

Skier

Delivery person

Yakuza Boss

Yakuza member

Mobster

Gardener

Poet

Songwriter

Writer

Graphic novelist

Tree

Cat Burglar

Inventor

Pilot

Knight

Peasant

Robot with feelings

Robot with no feelings

Alien

Humanoid Alien

Prince or Princess

Lord or Lady

President or Prime Minister

Government Official

Piece in a board game

Playing card

Famous person

A Nobody

A Banned Book

A Teapot

Person growing wings

Has an eating disorder

Multiple personalities

Religious zealots

Computer

SETTING

Farm

Library

School

Train

Bus

Creek Path

Movie Theater

Castle

Video Game

Cemetery

C.U.

Your House

Theater

Chautauqua

Concert

Ballet

Comic Book

Graphic Novel

Mountains

By a Lake

Forest

High School

Mall

Funeral

Coffee Shop

Clothing Store

Wild West

Spaceship

In a fairy tale

In a myth

Hospital

Gaming Store

Classroom

Victorian England

Revolution

War

Boat

Airplane

Inside computer

Factory

Mount Olympus

Rave

Underword

Flying above the earth

Heaven

Hell

Afterlife

River of Death

River Styx

London Underground

In Snowbank

Inside an iceberg

In a land of ice

Crystal Cave

Realm of Faerie

Outerspace

Innerspace

Toy store

Steampunk universe

Alternative universe

Alternative past

Alternative present

Natural Disaster

Mountain cave

Desert

Country of your ancestors

In a book

Spy headquarters

On a ski slope

At a ski resort

In the rainforest

White House

Atlantis

Intergalactic University

PLOT TWIST

Abducted by Aliens

Robbery

Main character dies

Is robbed

Identity stolen

Gets sick

Attacked by cats

Chased by dogs

Pursued by Yakuza

Loses a Turn

Loses Memory

Loses cellphone

Loses wallet

Fails a test

Crashes car

Train wreck

Challenged by Fairies

Bitten by Vampire

Scratched by Werewolf

Poisoned

Takes wrong bus

Takes wrong train

Arrested

Gets lost

Offered a Quest

Loses the game

Becomes a star

Computer crashes

Bicycle stolen

Skateboard accident

Imprisoned in computer

Becomes Vampire

Runs into a bear

Runs into a cougar

Transported through time

Loved-one dies

Loved-one doesn’t die

Invited to prom

Not invited to prom

Caught in storm

Trapped in computer

Runaway horses

Runway show

Airplane crashes

Runaway train

War breaks out

War ends

Buildings collapse

Castle disappears

All cities move

Earthquakes

Hit by car

Bicycle stolen

Followed by police

Followed by the men in black

Elves stop making shoes

Wizards revolt

Gold discovered

Time starts running backwards

Hits a bicyclist

Gives Wrong Stuff to Goodwill

SYMBOL

Color Red

Color Blue

Color Yellow

Color Gray

Red rose

White lily

Stone

River

Clouds

Cold

Heat

Toy windmill

Pink ribbons

Black cat

Water

Scent of Rain

Snow

Rain

Wind

Sound of wind

Light

Leaves falling

Lake

Garden

Shadows

Taste of Chocolate

Scent of flowers

Wheel

Pomegranate

Apple

Scent of apple

Darkness

Sound of footsteps

Crowd of people

Flock of crows

Applause

Ripples in a pond

Fire

Scent of ashes

Scent of woodsmoke

Scent of pine forest

Jazz

Quiet of a forest

Birdsong

Classical music

Moon

Comet

Texture of sand

Feel of paper

Tires on pavement

Crunch of shoes on gravel

Flickering lights

Scent of snow

Feel of ice

Fog

Forest

Sound of a violin

Sounds of a piano

Withering flowers

Sound of wings beating