No Plot? No Problem!: A Low-stress, High-velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days (NANOWRIMO)

I bought this book because I wanted to try something different. I'm by no means a writer. It did teach me a structure to get started. That being said- the general tone and humor of the book misses the mark for me. I would have preferred less banter / musings and quicker chapters. I also appreciate the advice for having a support system while you do the work however- I prefer to just stay solitary so if that's your preferred style of work you might want a different book like I'll be doing.Pros:A good place to dip your toes into writingCreates a good outline of what to expect and how to arrive at a novelCons:Humor is dry and relentless / chapters read boring to me. That's just subjective though, don't let it put you off too much.

In No Plot, No Problem, Chris Baty tells the Reader/Writer: The biggest thing separating people from their artistic ambitions is not a lack of talent. It’s the lack of a deadline. He goes on to say: "What you need to write a novel, of course, is a deadline. Deadlines are the dynamos of the modern age. They’ve built every city, won every contest, and helped all of us pay our taxes reasonably close to on time for years and years. Deadlines bring focus, forcing us to make time for the achievements we would otherwise postpone, encouraging us to reach beyond our conservative estimates of what we think possible, helping us to wrench victory from the jaws of sleep. A deadline is, simply put, optimism in its most ass-kicking form. It’s a potent force that, when wielded with respect, will level any obstacle in its path. This is especially true when it comes to creative pursuits."Baty advices the Reader/ Wruter: "There is no pressure on you to write a brilliant first draft. Because no one ever writes a brilliant first draft. The quickest, easiest way to produce something beautiful and lasting is to risk making something horribly crappy. By giving yourself the gift of imperfection, you tap into the realms of intuition and imagination that your hypercritical brain normally. The roar of adrenaline drowns out the self-critical voices that tend to make creative play such work for adults.censors. In the context of novel writing, this means you should lower the bar from “best-seller” to “would not make someone vomit.” Exuberant imperfection encourages you to write uncritically, to experiment, to break your time-honored rules of writing just to see what happens. In a first draft, nothing is permanent, and everything is fixable. So stay loose and flexible, and keep your expectations very, very low. The single best thing you can do to improve your writing is to write. Copiously.""Your intuition knows what it wants to write, so get out of the way.” - Ray Bradbury

This book is one of the reasons I was able to write over 50,000 words in 30 days and become a first time NaNo winner. A must buy for anyone prepping to participate in NaNo.

I have written and published four books: two 100,000 word novels, one book of short stories and a non-fiction book entitled Writing Great Stories, which was written in conjunction with my first novel Brothers of the Light. In reading No, Plot, No Problem, I have the distinct impression that it is designed for people never have written a novel. This is the ultimate book for "pantsers", writers who hate planning and especially the word outlining.I was an Eagle Boy Scout as a kid. In the scouts, I learned to set my destination, then chart the best course to get there. When I started writing fiction, I continued that habit. I know what the book is about, I know its destination, I have an ending (which may change as the book progresses). Because I write about subjects that are generally complex, I do a lot of research in advance. That's because when you write realism, events in the book generally come from what is possible based on the research material. I think I read that Belgian author Georges Simenon wrote many of his Inspector Maigret mysteries in a month, but the article, as I recall, did not say how long it took the author to prepare to write the books in a month.While No Plot, No Problem may inspire some wannabees to sit down and write, it does not inspire me. I personally believe that preparing an outline allows me the freedom to use maximum creativity in the writing. As chief journalist and senior editor for a successful trade magazine for fifteen years, I have written more than five hundred published articles, all based on interviews, researched and outlined before writing.I frequently write fifteen hundred to two thousand words in an hour, but only after I know ahead of time what and why I am going to write. For new writers, I recommend write, write, write, but first read, read, read and understand good novel structure. I have read that poor structure is the primary cause of failed novels.

Quite an interesting read but it doesn't really do what it says in the sub-title. There is no original advice about novel writing, really, except: do it quickly. However, I read it cover to cover and inspiration can come in many forms. It's interesting to hear about the community of 'write a novel in a month' writers and you feel a sort of camaraderie with writers everywhere.

This book was great in every respect for a novelist, or budding novelist. Lots of motivational content, and in places, very funny!

Look at my title to this and you'll understand what I mean. This is probably the most fun book I've read on the craft of writing.

If you are considering writing a novel, try National Novel Writing Month ("NaNoWriMo") where the challenge is to write 50,000 words in the 30 days of November... This book is FULL of advice and tips for budding NaNos, written with humour, inspiration and warmth...

Great x