NaNo with ME

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• Em’s Outline Template
  Click File > Make a Copy to save this outline to your own Drive.

• Author Pep Talks: 

  • James Patterson

  • Neil Gaiman

  • Jim Butcher

Feeling Stuck?

Here is a list of plot ideas to help you reach 50k and beyond! If choosing is difficult, let randomness decide.

1. Maim a character.

2. Have a character tell a lie.

3. Have a character fall on hard times financially.

4. Make a character sick.

5. An item a character loves goes missing.

6. A character encounters a horrible reminder of their past.

7. Mother Nature has a grand mal seizure.

8. A gift to a character is left by person(s) unknown.

9. A piece of clothing or equipment breaks… inconveniently.

10. A character has a run-in with the law.

11. Have a character die. (Natural causes or murder.)

12. A character commits an act of betrayal. *Gasp*

13. A socially disastrous rumor is spread about a character.

14. A character shares a drink with an unlikely person.

15. It’s party time! Give your characters something to celebrate.

16. A character is fired/demoted and/or hired/promoted. (Confused? My work here is done.)

17. A character is given a dire warning. *Spooky*

18. A character sleeps with someone they shouldn’t.

19. A character intentionally breaks a valuable object.

20. A character gets stuck overnight with someone they don’t like.

21. A character is deliberately or unintentionally poisoned.

22. A character’s like/love interest leaves for reasons with which the character does not agree.

23. A character must choose between doing the right thing or benefiting socially/financially.

24. There is a rumor of a vicious animal attack.

25. A character is bullied.

26. A character has a falling out with a friend or family member.

27. A character struggles with an addiction or obsession.

28. A character gets married.

29. A character steals information.

30. A character takes an outspoken stance on a divisive social issue.

31. Characters experience prolonged drought/cold or extremely hot/wet weather.

32. A character is caught with contraband. (Oh no!)

33. A character gets drunk, like marinated until pruney.

34. A relationship comes to an end. Think both waterworks and/or fireworks.

35. A character becomes pregnant or a character is born.

36. A character makes a sacrifice. (Food, money, another character.)

37. A piece of technology (campfire to computer) that is supposed to make life easier doesn’t.

38. A character endures a mental breakdown. 😀

39. A character gets punched.

40. A villain voluntarily performs a classically ‘good’ act. (Evil motives are acceptable.)

41. A hero chooses the stereotypical ‘bad’ option. (Good motives are acceptable, I guess.)

42. A character makes amends.

43. A character is stalked or a character stalks someone.

44. A character experiences culture shock.

45. A character is given incorrect directions and is lost for spell.

46. A character makes a bad financial decision and loses all their money.

47. A character loses a sense. (Sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell, or a 6th one.)

48. Characters play a game that becomes too personal for those playing.

49. Have a character start choking uncontrollably during an important conversation.

50. A character tells a secret.

51. A character visits a historic site and finds an artifact.

52. A character goes missing and possibly reappears later at an inopportune time.

53. A character has a bad date… There’s a smell.

54. A character can’t breath. (Bee sting? Asthma?)

55. A character shows off a new purchase.

56. A character, who can’t swim, is pushed into the water.

57. Food spills onto a character’s lap.

58. A character receives mail from someone who has died.

59. A character has a run in with a famous/infamous person.

60. Two characters who do not like each other are discovered kissing.

61. A character throws something in anger.

62. A character find an image of their parent with a stranger, and they look mighty friendly.

63. Sudden flood. Water everywhere.

64. Two characters argue and reopen old wounds.

65. A character over reacts to some mild news.

66. A character visits a natural wonder (Canyon? Waterfall?) and someone has a near death experience.

67. Characters hear music in the distance… or do they?

68. A character self-consciously fidgets with something they are wearing or carrying.

69. A character hits their funny bone doing something not funny. (Tears of laughter or pain, your call.)

70. A character remembers their childhood when they see a candle atop a dessert.

71. A character eats the last of the food or drinks the last of the water.

72. A character becomes financially obligated to another character.

73. A character redecorates and is judged harshly for it.

74. A character makes a persuasive speech that has unintended, problematic consequences.

75. A character offers some homemade spirits that taste… off. Is it supposed to burn that much?

76. A character tries to comfort someone who is crying and makes the crying worse.

77. A character can’t sleep because someone or something is making a racket.

78. A character falls asleep when someone is talking to them. Maybe there’s snoring or drooling.

79. A character suspects a loved one of bad behavior.

80. A character is asked to keep a secret.

81. A character visits a graveyard/cemetery.

82. A character tries to prepare an important meal when things go awry.

83. Characters plan an event of personal/social significance.

84. A character tries to impress someone they fancy.

85. A character shows up to a birthday party with no present, causing whispers.

86. A character discovers an uncomfortable truth about their heritage.

87. A character adopts an animal/plant as a pet or an animal/plant adopts a human as a pet.

88. A character is deliberately or unintentionally abducted.

89. A character gets kicked repeatedly for no obvious reason.

90. A dense fog surrounds the characters and they must navigate through it.

91. A character is caught in the rain (which can be acidic).

92. A character has something stolen (or maybe it’s misplaced) that they need to survive.

93. A character obviously has romantic feelings for someone who doesn’t reciprocate.

94. A character sees something about them written on a wall, carved in a tree, or etched into a stone tablet.

95. A character follows another character around and copies what they do.

96. A character receives help from someone they don’t know (and maybe wouldn’t like if they did know).

97. A character comes home, finally.

98. A character tries to play an instrument in public for the first time.

99. A character falls down (hill, flight of stairs) on their face in front of someone important to them.

100. Make a character using the NaNoWriMo name (Mr Ian Woon and others). Make them a writer, journalist, or some other kind of word enthusiast.