Getting Ready to Kick Off a New Decade

Santa may have come and gone—and I hope you had a spectacular Christmas!—but that doesn't mean the "festive" season is over. At least not entirely. This weekend, my family is going to GLOW (and awesome lights festival), and we have tickets to the ice castles too, if it's cold enough to keep the ice warm.

Plus, Dad got snowshoes for Christmas, so it looks like we'll be spending some time outdoors—including ice fishing this Sunday afternoon. Dad has a pretty cool set up—a tent, a heater, etc—but there's a lot we need to cram in before the New Year, when things get busy.

Speaking of the New Year, I've made (short) list of resolutions. I don't get too hard on myself if I don't achieve all of them—and neither should you!—but it's fun thinking about personal development goals.

Here's what I have so far:

Write more letters. I have friends across the country (and even some from around the world) and instead of just emailing, I am going to try and write at least one letter a month. It’s the perfect way to start Letter Writing Week, which starts in mid January.

Write more in general. I had an amazing November—I completed my NaNoWriMo goal with a whopping 10,000 words. That's more than I wrote all year...but it was quite a bit crammed into one month. And to be honest, it burnt me out a little. So I plan to recharge in 2020, and get in some solid writing time...more regularly.

Read more books. I know, this is always on my list, but it's always one of my goals. This year, I pledge to read at least 25 books. A trip to the bookstore is one of the stops on Mom's "boxing week" shopping list. (So is getting a new blender, because apparently we're all going into the New Year with smoothies or something.)

Start a new hobby. My mom says hobbies are important for personal growth (or something like that). I've learned how to take pictures (and will keep practicing), and last year, I started snowshoeing. But I need something new, something "start of a new decade" worthy. Got any ideas? I'm going to give this more thought—and I'll share what I come up with next week on the blog. But....if you have some ideas, share them in the comments, please!

I have some other resolutions too—like helping mom around the house more, spending more time with my sister, beating my personal running best, and keeping my room...cleaner. But I guess I should be doing those things anyway.

What are your New Year’s Resolutions?

Gotta jet! Can't wait to hear all about how you are ushering in a NEW decade—may 2020 be your best year to date!

~ Chase Superman Duffy

Holiday traditions aplenty!

This is one of my favourite weeks of the year – the last few days leading up to Christmas.

We have a whole bunch of family traditions over the holidays, starting this weekend with the annual Gingerbread House extravaganza. Mom and I will cook up some delicious gingerbread, while Dad and my sister, Amelia, head to the candy store for the accessories. We’ll also use some of our left-over Halloween candy, like the suckers and lifesavers. One year, we built a castle. I wonder what Dad has in mind this time. (I'm hoping for a haunted house!)

On Sunday, Mom and Grandma will make Ginger Snaps (they’re called Bettys Gingersnaps on canolainfo.org) and Nanaimo Bars – two of my favourites. Plus, Mom does a cookie exchange with some of the ladies from her work. Baked goods aplenty! My tummy is already rumbling.

Monday night, we’ll all drive around the neighbourhood looking at Christmas lights. There’s one house around the corner that does such a great job they should be on the news. And we'll probably go to Candy Cane Lane.

Of course, we’ll be delivering Santa’s Anonymous gifts on Christmas Eve, and then watching The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. Sometimes we play Whovilleopoly or some other board game. And before bed, we take turns reading from a book, usually a great Christmas story—in the new pyjamas Mom lets us open.

Then it’s Christmas morning! Dad makes a delicious pancake breakfast. Afterwards, we go skating (if it’s not too cold, or maybe snowshoeing this year if my Christmas wish comes true), and then head over to my grandparents house for turkey dinner. This year, I'm in charge of the mashed potatoes. I can hardly wait.

Yep. It’s definitely the most wonderful time of the year. I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

Gotta jet! I'll see you next Friday.

~ Chase Superman Duffy

DIY Christmas Cards, Anyone?

About four years ago, Mom started a new tradition of making Christmas cards for the entire family—even for the cousins—and second cousins!—we haven't seen in years.

It makes sense. The personal touch is so much better than sending an email—though we spend most of Christmas morning calling family too. And we're kind of a crafty family, as you know. But I still have some shopping to get done, so I was happy to see that this year's card doesn't seem as difficult as some of the others she's found on Pinterest.

One year, we made these Rudolph cards using our fingerprints.

They were fun—and easy!

Next up were these cards, which aren't quite as easy as you think. Mom dug out the ruler to make sure the ribbon was in THE EXACT MIDDLE of the card.

We got through it, and even Grandma said we made perfect little bows.  (She has to say that though—she's Grandma!)

The next year, I tried to convince my parents that we should just have our family photo taken—better yet, I would set up the camera and take the shot myself. But no...Mom wasn't having it. She has a "thing" for penguins so we made these.

Cute, right? And also very hard. Those pieces aren't the easiest to cut out. My sister loved gluing the googly eyes on.

No googly eyes this year, and not as much cutting, but I'm curious to see how we get the little bumps on the bottom of these adorable snowman cards.

Gotta jet! However you're spending your weekend, I hope it's merry and bright! See you next week.

~ Chase Superman Duffy

Kindness throughout the holidays

I don't know about you, but I haven't done much writing—or revising—since the end of NaNoWriMo. Oh, I'll get to it, but right now, there's a bit too much "holiday" excitement happening. Which makes it hard to focus on writing, or school, or...pretty much anything.

Take this weekend, for instance. Mom and I are going shopping for Christmas presents—with a quick stop to visit Santa. (Have to get my list in!) Shopping with Mom is fun, but it can also be stressful. It's crowded in the malls, and kind of loud.

Sometimes it's easy to forget "kindness" when you're jostling for position in a long line, trudging through snow or slipping across ice. Sure, Christmas has holiday lights, hot chocolate, and family gathered around the table—but it also comes with some stresses.

So this year—again—I'm making a list...of ways I can spread KINDNESS this season. Little things *I* can do to make it easier on someone else—my family, my friends, even strangers. The world needs kindness. And we can all do our part. Right?

Here are a few ideas I had:

• Bake cookies (with Grandma) and drop a batch off at the local senior's home—or maybe the police station, fire station, or hospital. Retailers aren't the only ones working extra hard over the holiday season. 
• Shovel the neighbour's walk—or for someone else on my street. 
• Buy hot chocolate for the person behind me in the coffee shop line. 
• Take my sister ice skating. (If you saw how she skates, you'd know how kind of me this is!)
• Help my neighbour put up his Christmas lights. Obviously I won't be climbing on the roof or any ladders, but I can arrange the light-up snowmen and deer on the lawn!
• Smile! It sounds simple, but you'd be surprised what a genuine smile can do during this stressful time of year. 
• Volunteer to wrap presents for local seniors or maybe the children's wing at the hospital. 
• Leave a Christmas card for the mailman in the mail box. 
• Pick up trash at a park and throw it in the garbage.
• Donate some of extra toys, books, or clothes. 

Good list, right? Have things to add? Great—we can all brainstorm together and come up with the BEST list. Share your Random Acts of Holiday Kindness in the comments so we can keep the ideas coming.

Gotta Jet! I’m going to start on this list this weekend. See you next Friday!

~ Chase Superman Duffy

NaNoWriMo Day 30: The End

I did it.

I. Did. It!

10,000 words in 30 days—my third successful NaNoWriMo challenge—and with double the words! My story has a beginning, a middle, and an END. The end.

Oh I know that NaNoWriMo is technically about completing 50,000 words in 30 days (and when I get older, I'm totally going to try that), but 10,000 words is a BIG deal, especially since I doubled my word count goal this year. You can look back at my journey this month starting here, (there are plenty of tips for young writers in each of the posts) but what really matters  today is that I finished. I hit THE END.

But now, the real work begins.

I'm going to take a few days to celebrate my personal victory. I'll buy a couple of books and a new notebook. This weekend, we're going to do some Christmas things like hunt for our tree, and finish up the outdoor decor. We might even make some cookies.

And then, starting next week, I'm going to begin revisions on my story. It's not official, but I'm making December MY month to make this story shine...because in the New Year, I plan to publish. Somehow.

Even if you didn't hit your word count goal, congratulations—every word you wrote is more than you had before you started. Don't stop now. I don't plan to, and you shouldn't either. The only way to get better at writing—or anything—is to keep practicing.

I'll be back to my regular weekly blogs starting next week...but today? Today I'm going celebrate!

Gotta jet! May the words be with you today...and always.

~ Chase Superman Duffy

NaNoWriMo Day 29: Going With the Flow

Things didn't quite go as planned yesterday. I finished my blog post and went to post it on social media and—Facebook was down. All day. I tried every couple of hours, worried that if I didn't post my blog, you'd all think I'd forgotten....or given up.

Obviously I haven't, and if you found your way to my blog anyway, you know that I had just 250 words left to write to hit THE END. That didn't happen either—because I was flustered and distracted by the fact that my post wouldn't publish on Facebook.

How silly is that?

At first, I got a little upset with myself. Then I rationalized that of course I would be distracted—things did not go as planned. And then, I came to this realization: it's totally ok that things didn't go the way I thought.

Because here's what I did instead. While I was waiting for the post to upload in the morning, I helped Amelia with her homework. At lunch, when I tried again, I read some pages of a new book. After school, I helped Mom make a batch of Christmas cookies—and yes, I got to sample them—and then after dinner, I read some more, and completed my own homework.

Not a bad day, right?

Sure, I didn't get my words done, but today, I'm going to accept the fact that things might not go exactly as I planned and that's okay—I've come so far in this NaNoWriMo challenge, and I only have 250 words left. I'm going to aim to complete them today, but if I miss? No big deal...there's tomorrow too.

I also realized that things not going as planned can sometimes happen in a story too—no matter how well you've outlined it. I'm more of a pantser—the kind of writer that flies by the seat of their pants—but I know that in either method, sometimes the characters or the plot can take you in a completely different direction. And while that may seem scary, it could also lead to something magical.

Like Mom's Christmas cookies.

Gotta jet! Hope your Friday goes as planned...but if not, I hope something magical happens anyway. I'll see you tomorrow for...THE END.

~ Chase Superman Duffy

NaNoWriMo Day 28: (Almost) The End

I know, there's still two days left in NaNoWriMo, but I have had a productive week and guess what? I am 250 words from hitting my word count goal. That's right—I have written 9,750 words in 27 days. Twenty-seven days!

And you know what's even better? I'll be ending my story in exactly the right place.

Oh, it's not a perfect story by any means. It has flaws. It will need a lot—a lot!—of work. But I am so excited about the finish line that I got up extra early to carve out another 50 words so that I could focus on those last 200 words. (And who knows, I could go over if I really get in the zone...)

Which means, it will be time for my final milestone celebration: The End.

Throughout the month, I've celebrated each major accomplishment. I bought myself a new Spiderman comic. I spent an entire day reading when I should have been writing or running. And when I hit the 5,000-word mark, I indulged in a pumpkin spice hot chocolate.

So what will I do on Saturday?

GO TO THE BOOK STORE, of course! As a way of congratulating myself for completing this year's NaNoWriMo challenge, I am going to buy myself a new novel. Maybe two, since I doubled my word count. And, I'm getting a new notebook, probably a Moleskin because they're the best.

And as if that wasn't enough, Mom says Grandma is making me my own chocolate zucchini loaf. Obviously I'll share (even though she makes the best chocolate zucchini loaf in the world and I'd love to keep it all to myself), but it's just really cool that she thought of it!

What will you do to celebrate? Hey, if you want to share your story with me, I'll enter you in a draw to win a classroom (or personal) set of the Superman Duffy books.

Gotta jet! And good luck with those final words...YOU CAN DO IT!

~ Chase Superman Duffy

NaNoWriMo Day 27: Resources for Young Writers

Happy Wednesday! Not only is it mid week—with another weekend just on the horizon—we’re now just three days from completing this year’s NaNoWriMo challenge. 

With just a few days left, I’ve been starting to think more about what comes after November 30. Not revisions—though that’s certainly on my list—but ways I can keep writing without the challenge of hitting almost 350 words a day. 

I know, I’ve been sharing tips throughout the month, and hopefully, if you’re feeling stuck, you’ll go through my past posts. But today, I thought I would dig up some resources for young writers. And I don’t mean fancy pens—though secretly I hope some cool writing supplies end up under the tree this year. <hint hint, Santa> 

Of course, I turned to the internet to find what I was looking for—Google is a great resource in itself!But here are three great sites I found:

Figment: This is a community of young writers dedicated to reading and writing stories online. You can rate stories—constructive criticism is super important to your growth as a writer. And sometimes, well known authors drop in to chat, run contests, or feature their work. Check it out here. 

Wattpad: This is the largest online reading platform—considered the YouTube of writing. You can share your work with the world, follow your favourite authors, and learn more about publishing opportunities. You need an account to sign up (it’s free). Get started here.

Teen Ink: Supported by the nonprofit Young Authors Foundation, this site is a great place to share you writing, art, and photos. It’s also a great place to go for articles about publishing your nonfiction essays, articles, and even your poetry. Hm. I wonder if they accept haikus? Get the scoop here.

If none of these sites interest you, try doing a Google search—and it goes without saying but you should always check with your parents before signing up for anything online. The internet can be a scary place! 

Gotta jet! May the words be with you…

~ Chase Superman Duffy

NaNoWriMo Day 26: To Write, Is To Read

Good morning, fellow scribes!

With just four days left in this year's NaNoWriMo challenge—four days!—I'm starting to reflect on some of the things I didn't do while I was scrambling to hit my word counts every day. Turns out, I didn't do a lot of reading.

Oh sure, I flipped through my Superman comics, and read an R.L. Stine book—he's one of my favourite authors—but I normally try to read at least two books a month, and that just didn't happen. There's only so much time in the day.

But to be a good writer, you have to read. And not just because Stephen King says so, though if there was ever an authority to listen to, he'd be it.

The truth is, when we read, we absorb writing craft—the perfect way to phrase sentences or convey themes, how to describe characters, the best way to write dialogue, weave in backstory, or even assess pacing. You're still reading for pleasure—if the book is good enough, you can't help it—but your subconscious mind picks up on tips and tricks you can apply to your own writing.

It's easy to forget that when you're busy writing.

So I think today I'm going to carve out a half hour or so to read. I miss it.

What books will you dive into once the challenge is over? Share the name of the novel—or comic—you're most excited about in the comments and you could WIN a complete set of the Superman Duffy graphic novels. There's 16 of them!

Gotta jet! Happy writing...or reading.

~ Chase Superman Duffy

NaNoWriMo Day 25: Tips From a Master

Chances are, you don't know who Jane Friedman is—but my Language Arts teacher Mrs. Kratky says she's one of the most knowledgable people in the publishing industry. I guess that's to be expected, since she has more than 20 years experience.

Mrs. Kratky says Ms. Friedman gives great advice to aspiring writers—and recently, wrote a blog post about advice for YOUNG writers (that's me!) You can read the entire post here, but it's long, and so I thought I'd summarize each of her tips so you don't take too much time away from your word counts—it is, after all, the final five days of NaNoWriMo.

A lot of this you've heard before—I've been sharing tips from the pros all month—but in case you missed a few of my blog updates (I get it, you've been busy writing), this will be an excellent refresher.

1. Keep writing. A writer is someone who writes. 
2. Experiment. You don't need to lock yourself into one style or genre—say, thriller. You can try all kinds of styles to see what you enjoy writing most.
3. Read. Read beyond what you're assigned in school, even if those are some pretty amazing books. Read what inspires you.
4. Find yourself a mentor. You don't want a cheerleader and you don't want a parent—you want someone who has accomplished some writing and shares your vision. I know, that's hard to find, but I plan on asking Mrs. Kratky if she'll be my mentor—she kind of already has been. 
5. There's no such thing as writer's block. Usually, if you can't move forward on your work in progress, it means you're afraid of something, or you may be working on the wrong project (don't be alarmed) or you just aren't ready to take that next step. 
6. Don't believe everything you read about the writing process. This is probably self explanatory, but just because you read that your favourite author goes to a remote cabin in the woods to write doesn't mean that is your process. Even though it sounds kind of cool. 
7. Be patient. The publishing industry is slow.
8. Take advantage of your youth. Practice and experiment with different styles and tones and genres. Follow your impulses—and have fun! <-- This is my favourite tip, I think. 

Sure, NaNoWriMo is a lot of pressure, but I'm still having fun writing, and I guess that's the most important thing. It shouldn't feel like work—at least not now, when I'm still in school and have my whole life ahead of me. I want writing to be a part of it, but right now, it's definitely not the only part of me.

But on that note, I'm off to do some writing before school this morning. How's that for Monday Motivation?

Gotta jet! May the words be with you.

~ Chase Superman Duffy

NaNoWriMo Day 24: The Final Countdown!

This. Is. It. The home stretch.

You have just SIX days left to complete the 2019 National Novel Writing Month challenge—5,000 or 10,000 words in 30 days. (Unless you tried for the 50,000, in which case, I am in AWE of you!)

It’s tempting to give up. I mean, it's Grey Cup Sunday (chances are I won't get much writing done today), Christmas is around the corner, and between holiday baking, putting up decorations, doing fun crafts with my sister, and—cough cough—drafting my annual wish list for Santa, it’s a BUSY time of year.

So, how do you keep your butt in the chair to keep writing? A few ideas from authors who would know:

Don’t edit! It’s tempting to look back at your words and want to perfect them—it’s a form of procrastination, especially when you read it back. But remember, the goal is not to write perfect words—just get them down.

Eat a good breakfast. Sounds silly, but if your brain isn’t fueled, you’ll find other things to do than write. No time to make a big meal? Don’t worry—a smoothie is perfect. (Add a teaspoon of canola oil for the healthy fat your brain needs!) This is especially important for me today because tonight I'll be watching football with my family and well, we won't have all the best choices.

Stop being afraid. Look, I understand self-doubt. Most of the time, I think my words suck. But they don’t suck. And even if they did, who cares? Forget that fear of “what if it isn’t good?”—just…yeah you guessed it…write.

If you’ve stuck with me through November so far, GREAT! And even better if you’ve been writing. Want to share your story? Email it to me. If I publish it on my blog you could win the entire set of Superman Duffy educational graphic novels.

Gotta jet! May the words be with you on the home stretch. Oh, and GO HAMILTON!

~ Chase Superman Duffy 

NaNoWriMo Day 23: Finding the Right Balance

This is it, writers! The last week of NaNoWriMo 2019—and with less than 2,500 words to go, I'm more confident than ever that I'm going to hit my goal. A goal that is DOUBLED from last year. <mind blown>

I'm excited, for sure, but also a little sad. Because while my story isn't perfect, the NaNoWriMo challenge does exactly what it's supposed to do—it forces me to write almost every day. Something that I don't do throughout the rest of the year.

For some reason, when there's a challenge, I carve out that writing time—like practicing for a track event when I know there's a race coming up. But I struggle to find time for my hobbies and passions throughout the year, and as a result, my life is a bit...unbalanced.

So, I spent some time last night digging up tips to help you keep writing throughout the year—without the NaNoWriMo challenge pushing you forward. (Or, without the stress of having to write a set amount of words a day!)

The truth is, you don't have to write every day to be a writer, no matter what you may have heard. But if you're planning to keep up some kind of schedule—and I definitely am—then here are some tips for you:

1. Make a time map. Sounds complicated, I know, but essentially you use a calendar—print or virtual—to slot in the non-negotiable things you need to do. Like school, homework, family outings, sporting events, etc. Then you find time in-between to slot in some writing. It could be 15 minutes while you're waiting for your sister to get ready for school (heh) or maybe half hour before you go to bed. Maybe you write during your lunch hour. (Not sure I can do that during the school week, but I'm going to try!)

2. Minimize social media. I know, Facebook and Instagram and even blogging are fun ways to communicate with people, but sometimes social media can be like a black hole, luring you into endless clicking and scrolling. Limit your time on social media and use it for writing.

3. Take care of yourself. Sounds simple, but sometimes when we try and take on too much, we end up neglecting ourselves—and that doesn't make you more creative. In fact, the opposite happens. So if you wake up uninspired to write, don't be too hard on yourself. Go for a walk instead—or, in my case, a run. It might clear your head!

Pretty easy list, right? Feel free to add your ideas in the comments.

Okay, I've gotta jet, but I'll see you tomorrow as we power through this final week of NaNoWriMo. I can't believe it!

~ Chase Superman Duffy

NaNoWriMo Day 22: Powering Through the Distractions

I admit, the Christmas season is fast approaching and that means I'm not quite as focussed as I should be. I limped toward my word count goal yesterday, in-between watching Christmas movies, and helping my parents set up a few decorations around the house.

And this weekend is Grey Cup—the Canadian football League finals—and we always watch it as a family, while we continue setting up for the holidays. Rumour has it, Dad wants to put up the tree this Sunday!

So, if you're like me and are struggling to get motivated with all these distractions, don't worry, I've got you covered. I dug up some quick writing assignments that are guaranteed to fire up your creativity. Don't spend too long on them, though, because obviously, you should be writing your NaNoWriMo stories, but here are a few ideas for warm up:

Imagine you are living in the time of the dinosaurs and a pterodactyl is trying to dive-bomb you. Look out! Describe the scene in a short paragraph using lots of adjectives (words that describe nouns.)

OR

You are cordially invited to write your own fairy tale invitation. Maybe it's to Cinderella, inviting her to the ball. Or maybe, you're inviting the Big Bad Wolf to a dinner party. Remember to write the date, time and place of the event—and give a quick description of what invitees can expect.

OR

Take a break from writing and get out those crayons. Sketch one of the characters from your story, and then colour in the details—green hair? Excellent. Describe how his or her hair got that colour. Maybe he fell into a vat of paint, or she gobbled up too much broccoli.

What do you think? Any of these ideas spark your imagination? I think I'm going to grab my sister's crayons and draw some characters—especially after filling out my character building template I wrote about on yesterday's blog.

Gotta jet! If you're in the groove, I wish you ALL THE WORDS. See you tomorrow as we kick off the LAST week of this year's NaNoWriMo challenge!

~ Chase Superman Duffy

NaNoWriMo Day 21: Building Character(s)

Good morning!

I almost forgot that about a week ago, I said I was going to do a post on character development—and while a good chunk of this work happens in revisions (I know, I know, I keep talking about that), I think my "template" will be useful for you to start thinking about now.

I don't know about you, but I am powering through my word count. I'm happy with the story—the plot is fast paced, the action is tight—but I still don't really know my characters. I have the basics, but I haven't been able to "go deep" and so when I start writing about them, I don't quite know what to do with them—what they'll say, how they're react, how things make them feel.

I figure some of you might also be struggling with character descriptions—so for today's post, I'm sharing my character template.

Here are the questions I have to answer for each main (and some supporting) characters:

Name and /or nickname and how he/she got it: For example, my nickname is Superman because I run fast—especially around the canola field on my grandparents' farm.

Family: Here, I include names of parents, as well as names and ages of any siblings.

Where does my character live? Remember, your character doesn't have to live in your city, country, or even your planet. In the Superman Duffy graphic novel IT'S A BLAST! Chase (aka: cartoon me) meets some alien farmers from three different planets.

Describe character in one sentence: You can include a physical description here (i.e.: colour of hair, height, etc) but you can also talk about your character's personality. Like, for my sister Amelia, I might say: Amelia is a precocious six-year-old girl with a weird fascination with insects—she thinks she's an entomologist.

What is my character's favourite word? Catch phrases can tell a lot about a character. For my current story, one of my character's favourite words is WOW. He says it a bit sarcastically, which I admit, I've been known to do. Drives my mom crazy.

What makes my character happy? Take Violet Beauregarde from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. Chewing gum makes her happy...well, until it doesn't. <grin>

What makes my character special or unique? This is an important one, and where you should spend the most amount of thought. It's the reason your character will stand out. Why will your character stand out? Casper the friendly ghost, for instance, is unique because he's a friendly ghost.

What super power would my character wish for and how would he/she use it? Obviously, I'd wish for super speed—so I could beat my arch nemesis on the track in every race. I bet Gordon "Lightning" Smith would wish for the same.

What was my character doing before the story started? You don't have to spend too much time here, but I find that taking the character back to the day, week, or even hour before the story starts helps you to understand WHERE the story starts—and what the catalyst for the story is.

Obviously I'm just scratching the surface here, but the questions are meant to spark your imagination. Remember, characters should be unique, have both strengths and weaknesses, and be three dimensional—no cardboard cut-outs!

Gotta jet! May the words be in your favour...

~ Chase Superman Duffy 

NaNoWriMo Day 20: Gearing up for Revisions

With just ten days left in this year's NaNoWriMo writing challenge, it's hard to not start getting excited about the end—especially since I've blown past last years total word count, and my story is coming along very nicely.

And sure, there are still words to write—about 3,000 of them, actually. But I've got a perfect plan for December: Revise, revise, revise.

I know, I know...Christmas is coming! And yep, I'll busy decorating, shopping, volunteering, wrapping, and drinking as much hot chocolate as Mom will let me. But I also plan to spend some time going through this story and making it better.

What does that mean?

Basically, it means that I will start to "see" the story again—with fresh eyes, a fresh perspective. Most importantly, with no looming deadline. (Unless of course you're publishing your story somewhere and someone has given you a deadline...)

In this process, you pick apart the story. Analyze the dialogue—are the characters speaking in original voices? Does what they are saying make sense? Feel "true" to their character? Take a look at your descriptions—are they succinct? Do they include sensory details? Have you said enough about the setting so that it comes to life for the reader? Could you be more specific in the details?

How about your characters? Do they have a true "arc"—a place where they started, and then ended differently? Do they move the plot forward? Are they original and well-developed? (There's nothing worse than cardboard cut-outs!)

And how about that plot? Does it flow? Make sense? Drag? Are there any major gaps? How's the pacing? Does each sentence, every paragraph and page beg you to read more?

I know, it's a lot to consider. Don't worry if you're not quite there yet, or if you miss some things on your first revision pass. Some stories take many revisions. Dawn Ius, the author of the Superman Duffy series of graphic novels says her young adult book Anne & Henry went through five revisions...on the first chapter alone.

To be honest, I'm kind of excited to start revising my work in progress. Someone famous once said, "Manuscripts are written on the first draft—stories are written in revisions." Something to think about as I power through the first draft of this story.

Gotta jet! Happy Wednesday—and may the words be with you!

~ Chase Superman Duffy

NaNoWriMo Day 19: Publish This!

Hello, fellow scribers!

I am flying through my words this year, and it's made me pretty excited about the potential of not only finishing this story, but also being able to...publish it. Yep, that's right, I'm going for it this year. Sending it out to the world.

Of course I know my story will need to go through revisions. Probably a few of them, and not just for spelling and grammar mistakes. I'll be looking for character development, and whether the story has a clear beginning, middle, and end. I'll check my description and sentence structure. A major overhaul is probably required.

But once I do ALL OF THAT...then what?

I've been doing some research on publishing options for young people, and I came up with a few ideas I thought I'd share to keep you motivated. It's impressive—amazing!—even to finish a story, whether it's 5,000, 10,000 or 50,000 words—but how cool would it be to publish that story? (Check out this list of published books that were written during NaNoWriMo—you've probably seen some of them at the book store or library!)

If you're entering this contest from CBC books, you won't have much time for editing—though, you only have to worry about the first page for now. There are probably other contests you can enter too. Try doing a Google search and see what comes up. Often, these contests have cash prizes, and who couldn't do with a little extra money, especially right before Christmas?

Self publishing is also an option. For me, that might mean publishing my story on this blog. (Hey! If you want to publish YOUR short story on the blog, send it to me via email and I might run it here...maybe your whole class wrote a story together? That would be cool!)

You could also Google "publishing options for young people" or something similar. When I did, I found this list of magazines that take short stories from kids. There are probably many more.

I know, it's a little too soon to start thinking about publishing when your first draft isn't even finished. But for me, the idea that I could get published is what's powering me through the last 300 words. What is motivating you?

Gotta jet! May the words be with you!

~ Chase Superman Duffy

NaNoWriMo Day 18: Monday Motivation

Mondays are hard.

Even before you factor in NaNoWriMo, the day after the weekend is tough, especially if it was busy. And mine was! I went to a movie Friday night, wrote Saturday, and spent most of yesterday watching football with my mom.

Plus, I powered through a bunch of writing—I'm at 6,000 words! Crazy, right?

But this morning, I feel exhausted, and the idea of going to school, doing chores and homework, and then writing is daunting.

Obviously I can't give up now—so how do I motivate myself to keep going?

I just do it.

I know that sounds too simple, but the truth is, I can't possibly have come this far—doubled last year's word count!—and then throw in the towel. Not with only 4,000 words to go. Not with an ending that's begging to be written. Milestones to be celebrated. A NaNoWriMo "I finished" badge to collect.

So I'm just going to do it. And you should too.

I love this quote from author William Faulkner.

For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to be a writer—and throughout November, I have been writing. By the end of this month, I'll have another finished short story to celebrate. I will have written.

That might just be the motivation I need to carry me through to the end. What about you?

Gotta jet! May the words be with you!

~ Chase Superman Duffy

Word Count: 6,000

NaNoWriMo Day 17: Art is Subjective

Don't you agree?

Whether someone likes a painting, a poem, or even a sculpture is based on their personal opinion—and the most important thing I’ve learned is that you don't have to like everything—and you’re never going to make everyone happy with your art. Take the short story I'm working on for NaNoWrimo, for example.

I read it to my sister last night, and she gripped the side of the couch at the scary parts, gasped when I thought she would, and even cried—and I'm not even done yet! But then I read the same story to my friend Sophie, and she wasn't quite as excited about it. She said it wasn't scary enough, and when I teared up reading it out loud, she said she didn't feel like crying at all. I was crushed.

I mean, I've been working on this story for 16 days and of course I want everyone to love it. But I realize (after a good sleep) that not everyone will. In fact, I remember what one author once told me when she came to our school for a talk—when you start sharing your work with the public, you need to develop a thick skin.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s important to have people read and edit your writing if you want to get better, but as long as the criticism is constructive (and not mean), then take advantage of the feedback to learn how you can improve.

Still, I know it’s hard seeing all of those “red edits” all over your writing. When I’m asked to give feedback on some writing, I use a green pen—green for growth. It looks a lot less harsh! Maybe give that a try?

Gotta jet! May the words be in your favour this Sunday.

~ Chase Superman Duffy

NaNoWriMo Day 16: To Cliché or Not to Cliché

Okay, that’s not actually a serious question.

In fact, I’ve spent the last two weeks or so working on not writing clichés in my NaNoWriMo project. You know, those familiar phrases that are used over and over and…

They’re the bane of every writer’s existence.

So for today's post, I thought I’d give you a Top 10 list of the clichés you should avoid like the plague. (ha! See what I did there?)

Take a look—how many of these clichés have you used in your manuscript so far?

1. Dead as a door nail
2. Low hanging fruit
3. Faster than a speeding bullet
4. The pot calling the kettle black
5. Think outside the box
6. Thick as thieves
7. Plenty of fish in the sea
8. Like a kid in a candy store
9. Fish out of water
10. Take a tiger by the tail

I've definitely used #3, #9, and #1... What’s your least favourite cliché? (Or most favourite, if you prefer.) Comment below—I’m waiting on pins and needles to hear your answer. (Ha!)

Gotta jet! It's back to the writing cave for me! Happy scribing, fellow scribes!

~ Chase Superman Duffy

Word Count: 5,300 <--I have officially written more than last year—in HALF the time!

NaNoWriMo Day 15: Picture This

It's official—we are half way through NaNoWriMo and I am officially on track to hit my word count goal! (In case you've forgotten, I plan to write 10,000 words in this month—5,000 more than last year!)

But it's Friday, so I plan to spend at least some of my non-writing time today doing something fun. Like what? Good question!

I'm going to create a "picture aesthetic" for my story. What's that? So glad you asked!

Basically, you scroll the internet or magazines in search of images that remind you of your story—the setting, the characters, key plot points. It's one of those fun non-writing things that bring your story to life...an inspiration board, except on the computer.

I use Pinterest, but you can create a collage using other software, such as Photoshop. A lot of people do this at the beginning of their writing process and use the images to help with description. But since I'm fast drafting, I'll use my "aesthetic" to help me in the revision process, so I can flesh out the details. Not to mention, to keep me on track for the second half of the challenge.

By the way, while you're on my Pinterest, why not give me a follow? Throughout the year, I post pictures of everything from story starters and writing tips, to cool science experiments and craft (and food) ideas for the holidays.

But be careful—Pinterest can be a rabbit hole of distraction, and if you're like me, you've still got some writing to do!

Gotta jet! May the words be with you.

~ Chase Superman Duffy

NaNoWriMo Day 14: Trudging Through the Middle

Can you believe it? We're almost in the middle of the month—half way through NaNoWriMo, and, if you're on track, then you're also half way through your word count goal, if not more. I'm close! I had an awesome day yesterday—I wrote more than 700 words! My word count is now at 3, 925. I know, I know—if only I'd powered through those last 75 words for an even 4,000.

But I'll take what I can get.

I'm not actually worried about hitting my word count goal this week—I've got something else playing on my mind. The middle of my story. It's not...well, it's not as strong as the beginning. In fact, the last 1,500 words or so has felt a little "blah."

 I've been using great description, my characters are developed, and there is plenty of conflict throughout the story...but it still just kind of sags. And it's like quicksand, dragging my motivation down too. Apparently that's normal—writers of all levels suffer from what is sometimes called the spaghetti middle.

I bet you think I'm going to dole out a bunch of tips and tricks for tackling that "muddy middle"—but the truth is, you (and by you, I mean me) just need to keep trudging forward. I definitely shouldn't be reading that section, not with the end in sight.

So this is my advice: don't focus on the middle. Focus on writing THE END.

Your entire project is going to need editing. Probably a rewrite of mass proportions. And that's okay...the object is to write a 10,000 (or 50,000, or whatever your goal is) word story in a month. And guess what? You're halfway there!

So, back away from your work in progress for a few minutes, hours, or even the whole day if you have to. And when you get back at it, don't even look at that "muddy middle." Power through to the end. I'll be trudging along right beside you.

Gotta jet! May the words be with you!

~ Chase Superman Duffy 

NaNoWriMo Day 13: The Art of Description

It's true that I'm mostly focussing on getting the words down this month, but because I've been writing every day—except yesterday, of course, because I took a break—I've also been trying to pay attention to my craft.

This past weekend, I wrote some pretty good description—which isn't always the easiest to do. Know what I mean?

If you're struggling, today's post is for you. I researched a couple of tips to help with the art of description—and believe me, it is an art.. The important thing to remember is that you don’t have to describe everything. You just want to paint a picture of the scene using a few key words. And there are two clever ways to do that.

DETAIL: Try and be specific, where possible. That’s what will bring the scene to life. Don’t just say the ground was littered with garbage. Tell the reader what the garbage is. For example: Crumpled paper, faded candy wrapper,s and rusted tin cans littered the ground. I bet you get a good sense of what the scene looks like just from that, right?

USE THE FIVE SENSES. Taste, smell, touch, sound, and sight—they're all important. You don’t have to use all of them in one scene, but it’s a good idea to use at least one. Don’t always rely on sight, though. That one’s easy.

Okay, let’s look at this description for a fall scene.

Mindy and Samuel crept through the dark forest. Their feet crackled on the dry leaves, as noisy as fire crackers in the otherwise quiet. Mindy rubbed her arms and shivered but she couldn’t decide if it was from the cool breeze that blew through the trees or the fear lodged in her throat.

Not a perfect paragraph, I know, but I was writing on the fly. So…what senses did I use? Can you pick out the specific details that make the paragraph come to life?

Gotta jet! May the words be with you!

~ Chase Superman Duffy

NaNoWriMo Day 12: Time for a Break?

We're almost two weeks into this month of writing, and I don't know about you, but I am exhausted. I met my word count goal yesterday—barely. Which means, I don't have a lot of wiggle room.

I plan to carve out some extra words over the next few days, though, because I want to take time this weekend to read. I need the break.

Besides, everyone knows that reading is the best way to get better at writing. But I also know my time is crunched right now. Which is why I'm going to try and select a book that is similar to my work in progress—something that will inspire me. That way, I'm not only reading for pleasure, but I'm also reading for research. 

The problem is, I haven't spent nearly as much time in my local book store or library lately, and I have no idea what is even out right now. So today after school, I'm going to take a look and see what I can find. Maybe just being with all of those books will be enough inspiration.

Do you have any recommendations?

Gotta jet! Let's get this reading list going—because if I'm lucky, I'll be able to spend most of December getting through them. And if you're looking for some quick reads, why not check out the Superman Duffy series of graphic novels published by the Alberta Canola Producers' Commission? You can get them here.

~ Chase Superman Duffy

Word Count: 3,210

NaNoWriMo Day 11: Lest We Forget

I'm sure you'll all take a moment today to remember the soldiers who fought for Canada's freedoms. I certainly will—my great grandfather was among those brave men, and even though I never had the chance to meet him, I'm grateful for his sacrifice.

On this day, Mom always takes out pictures of him on this day, and shares some of her memories. I love listening to her tell stories about her grandfather. I guess he was a bit of a joker, someone who laughed at silly jokes. I've heard some of those jokes before, and they're kind of cheesy...but I still laugh every time.


Going back to those memories got me thinking about my NaNoWriMo project. In an upcoming post, I'm going to talk about creating characters—and I have a cool template you can use to help you make yours come to life. But one thing that's missing from that template is a place to record some of your character's memories.

Things that happen in our past are what make us who we are today. They don't define us—I do believe that everyone can change—but they remain a part of us. Those memories, good or bad, happened...and I think it's important to capture a few to really bring our characters to life.

I'm settling in to write some words today, but I'm also going back to my character sheet to fill in a couple of memories for my two main characters.

Gotta jet! May the words be in your favour today.

~ Chase Superman Duffy

Word Count: 2,875

NaNoWriMo Day 10: Celebrating the Milestones

I broke this 2,500 words yesterday!

Which means I am one quarter of the way to my 10,000 word goal on this story—and although I'm not ahead of schedule, I still think it's an important milestone to mark on the calendar.

How will I celebrate? FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK.

Seriously though, I think it's important to reward ourselves when we achieve personal goals—whether it's running your fastest track time, finishing a project that's been dogging you for months, or—especially this month—carving out enough time to hit those word count goals.

Sure, you probably want to "win" NaNoWriMo—I sure do—but at the end of the day, the "win" is only important to you. Or at least, it should be. Writing is hard work, and I don't see it getting any easier. So every time I trudge through and hit one of my personal milestones, I'm going to give myself more than a little pat on the back.

Today, it's a new comic book.

Which is perfect because we got more snow overnight, and as soon as I finish my breakfast, I'm going outside to shovel a path to the car...and then Mom can take me to the comic store. I know, it's how I celebrated last year, and the year before...and probably the year before that. But if it's what motivates me, why not?

Gotta jet! I have some chores to take care of, some words to conquer, and then a comic book to dive into. How are you celebrating your writing milestones? Share in the comments and you could win the entire set of Superman Duffy graphic novels.

~ Chase Superman Duffy

Word Count: 2,500

NaNoWriMo Day 9: Keeping it Simple

Writing is complicated. Creating characters, outlining your story, figuring out how it ends and whether the reader will be satisfied with that end—it's a lot of work.

And I'm not just talking about full length novels, either. If you're doing a modified version of NaNoWriMo (like me), or have written short stories, essays, and poems, you know what I'm talking about.

As I was writing yesterday—hit my word count goal, yay!—I realized I was making things even harder on myself by introducing another character, and adding in another subplot. I started to get stressed out, and then I remembered this piece of great writing advice for beginners: KEEP. IT. SIMPLE.

It sounds easy, but believe me, sometimes “simple” is anything but! You want to be able to get right to the point, which means you don’t need excessive adjectives and adverbs. The description, the action, and the plot should all “move the story forward.”

Here are three “Keep it Simple” hints:

Keep your list of characters short. Too many characters can be hard to keep track of. Last night, I cut back on one of mine because I couldn't fit him in the story without things getting complicated. And who knows, maybe I can use him for another story someday.

Keep your story to one plot. Too many side plots can confuse readers. This is especially true with  short stories—which of course is what I am writing.

Keep your personal goals manageable. Trying to write too much, too soon can be overwhelming. Promise yourself you will write “a little” every day, even if it’s just one sentence. Sure, your aim is for 334-ish words a day if you're doing a modified version of NaNoWriMo—but after the challenge, don't stop, even if it is a few sentences at a time.

Gotta jet! I plan to dive in just as soon as I shovel our walks. We got snow last night! May the words be in your favour...

~ Chase Superman Duffy 

NaNoWriMo Day 8: Cranking the Tunes

Wow, it's wet out today—but not freezing rain, thank goodness. We are in for some snow this weekend though, which means I probably won't be outside much. Aside from shovelling.

Perfect weather for writing, though.

The only trouble is, everyone is inside—Mom, Dad, my sister—and that can get a little noisy and distracting. So to block out the noise, I'm spending time today creating my playlist.

Listening to music always gets me fired up, and for every story, I try to find songs that remind me of the story, without distracting me from it.

That's what a writing playlist SHOULD do—inspire you to write. Whether it's the lyrics, the beat, or just the sound of noise to break up the quiet spots in your mind. Sometimes writing can be a bit immersive, you know?

For this story, I'll be on the look-out for a few haunting songs, and I'm going to ask some of my friend for suggestions. But if you have ideas, drop them in the comments below.

Gotta jet! Good luck with those NaNoWriMo goals...may the words be with you...

~ Chase Superman Duffy

Word Count: 1387

NaNoWriMo Day 7: Hooking the Reader

I wrote more than my required words yesterday, which means I'm  back on track—and should be able to ramp up my word count this weekend, as long as I stick to it for the next two days.

And if I get extra words I might even take some time for reading—because you know what they say, right? To be a good writer, you must be a good reader.

But I'm looking for a new novel—and every time I go into a bookstore or library, I’m in awe of how many books are on the shelves—thousands of thousands of them. And that’s not even a fraction of the number of books published every year. (Mom reads most of her books on an e-reader...)

So, how do you choose which book to read?


My strategy is to always read the first page. If the author makes me want keep going, there’s a good chance I’ll buy the book or take it out from the library.

I know what I don’t like in the first few paragraphs—too much dialogue, too many characters, too much description and too much information. So what does make me turn the page? It got me thinking about my NaNoWriMo story, and so I did some research.

Here are three writing tips for HOOKING THE READER from the very first page:

Introduce the reader to an intriguing character.
No matter what genre you’re writing—fantasy, science fiction, mystery, etc.—your story should begin with the character. Tell who he/she is in the first line, if you can, but for sure, by the end of the first page. Readers want to know who they're investing time in.

Begin at a pivotal moment.
Start your story with something your character wants, whether it’s a glass of water or to cross a crumbling bridge. The situation should be unusual. After finishing the first page, your reader should wonder what happens next.

Create an interesting picture.
Describe the setting—but not too much. Your reader should get a sense of place, even by the end of the first page. Don’t just say the character is in “Alberta”—give one or two sentences that show where in Alberta. (Like on my grandpa's canola farm!)

Think about some of your favourite books. What is the first line? What was the last line of the first page? Why did you keep reading? Do you have a great first page for your NaNoWriMo story?

Gotta jet! May the words be with you...

~ Chase Superman Duffy 

Current Word count: 2,156

NaNoWriMo Day 6: Did You Know? (The Author Edition)

I don't know about the weather where you are, but Alberta—at least where I live—is experiencing a sudden cold snap. Overnight, it dropped to below 25 degrees Celsius. Brrr. Walking to school this morning will not be fun, no matter how many layers Mom wraps us in.

And maybe the cold is freezing my brain a little, because I'm a bit stuck on my story. Don't worry, I'm not giving up—that's not an option!—but I think I need a bit of a pep talk, some kind of advice that will give off the warm and fuzzies I'm looking for on this chilly morning.

So, I went on the hunt for inspiring stories about writers who didn't get blocked. Authors who kept on writing even when it was hard or scary or their lives got too busy. You won't believe what I dug up!

Did you know that Stephen King was a high school janitor before he became one of the most well-known writers of all time?

John Grisham, whose legal thrillers line my dad's bookshelf, was a PLUMBER before he made it as a bestseller. And Charles Dickens—author of books like Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol—worked at a shoe polish factory when he was just 12 years old.

Margaret Atwood, one of Canada's best known authors, had a job behind the counter at a coffee shop before she penned The Handmaid's Tale, T.S. Eliot was a banker, and Arthur Conan Doyle—creator of Sherlock Holmes!—was a surgeon. You probably know this, but Dawn Ius, the author of the Superman Duffy educational graphic novels about "cartoon me" and three young adult novels with Simon & Schuster, used to be a journalist before she turned to creative writing. (Actually, she's still a journalist...) And one of my favourites, R.L. Stine—author of the Fear Street and Goosebumps books—used to write comedy before he started penning thriller for young readers. No wonder some of his stories are so funny!

All of these writers worked on their books while holding down jobs or going to school, like S.E. Hinton, who wrote the classic young adult novel (which was made into one of my favourite movies) The Outsiders at just 16 years old! Which means, *I* should be able to write 334 words a day for the next three-ish weeks, even if I have homework, or the holidays are creeping up. Time to get back it.

Gotta jet! I hope my list inspired you too. If you're writing today, may the words be with you.

~ Chase Superman Duffy

NaNoWriMo Day 5: He Said, She Said

Usually, I wait until the end of writing my story to read it back to myself—the temptation to fix things instead of moving forward with my word count (the goal of NaNoWriMo, of course) is too big. It can lead to serious procrastination, and that's the opposite of what I need if I'm going to "win" this year.

But, last night, I didn't hit my goal—at all. I just couldn't get into it. So to try and get myself in the mood, I read back what I've written so far. It worked to get me inspired to write...but it also pointed out some of my weaknesses. Like my dialogue. It doesn't sound natural...at all.

So, I looked up some tips for writing dialogue and thought I'd share them with you, in case it's a weakness for you too. Here are the top three things I've learned:

CUT THE BORING STUFF. Get rid of conversation that doesn't enhance the plot or provide insight into your character. Everyday stuff like hello, how are you, and goodbye should go. Eliminate repetitive phrases.

KEEP IT SHORT. I have a tendency to ramble...which means I'm including a lot of boring stuff (see above) but also, most people don't talk that way. (Except my dad when he's going on and on about his work.) Keep your dialogue brief and to the point.

MAKE THE VOICES DIFFERENT. Your characters shouldn't sound the same. Create a cheat sheet that allows you to see at a glance their favourite (and different) words, catch phrases, and how their characteristics are drawn out in what they're saying. A shy person might spit out the occasional um, for instance.

Of course, I'm not suggesting you go back and FIX your dialogue—that would be counterproductive to meeting your word count goals (especially since it might mean CUTTING some words), but something to keep in mind as you move forward with your story.

Gotta jet! Have a great day and...may the words be in your favour!

~ Chase Superman Duffy

Word Count: 1,020

NaNoWriMo Day 4: The A to Z of Inspiration

Happy Monday, my fellow scribes!

How are you doing on your word count? Yesterday, I hit my word count—again—and then some extra—again—which means I'm kicking off the week right on track. I'm trying not to get too excited though because I generally fall apart in the second half of the month.

That's right, this isn't my first time doing NaNoWriMo. Or even my second or third. In fact, I started it in 2015, where I got in about 3,000 words before the holiday season swept me up in all things "Christmas." This year, I'm resisting the pull of the twinkling lights and committing myself to finishing—and finishing strong. (Like last year, when I nailed it! And the year before when I got just enough words.)

Although I didn't finish that "talking animal" story in 2015, something great did come out of the experience—26 blog posts about writing. I researched and wrote articles about writing craft, story starters, terms you should be familiar with, and much more! You can see those posts starting here.

If you're stuck, looking for inspiration, or just need a break, just scroll through my A to Z of Writing to get you back on track.

Gotta jet! Mondays are hard even without NaNoWriMo. Add in Daylight Savings and well, let's just say my energy is not at its peak. Here's hoping I get my words in. You too!

~ Chase Superman Duffy

NaNoWriMo Day 3: An Extra Hour for Brainstorming?

It was so cold yesterday that I didn't have any trouble staying inside to write—which means not only did I meet my word count goal, but I exceeded it. After two days, I'm at 700 words. Not a bad start!

But this morning, when everyone was getting an extra hour of sleep thanks to Daylight Savings, I tried to work on my story. Instead, I spent almost the entire hour thinking of all the things that could happen to someone during that extra hour—and instead of making progress on my current project, I came up with about a dozen "plot bunnies."

Don't worry, I'm not shifting gears on my story, but it did get me thinking about where ideas come from, which is the questions writers get all the time. Or so I hear.

Yesterday I shared some story sparks, and that's definitely one way to get those creative vibes working. But if those didn't work for you, here are four more ways to inspire your creativity.

Read the newspaper or flip through magazines. Sometimes a headline or an interesting fact can spark an idea. Did you know that the inspiration for the Superman Duffy comic It’s a Blast! came from an article the author read about Canadian astronaut Robert Thirsk taking 200,000 canola seeds up into space?

Watch movies! Yep, you guessed it, those action scenes can get your creative juices flowing. AMELIA “XERCES” DUFFY, the Superman Duffy comic featuring my sister, was apparently inspired by the (old) movie, "Honey I Shrunk The Kids." And the title of As You Wish came from the classic film "The Princess Bride." 

Play with play dough. It sounds silly, but creating something from scratch—like a character—and then justifying the decisions you made (such as why you chose a specific hair colour) can be just the physical inspiration you need to create a whole back story for that character—and eventually, the plot to a new adventure!

Go for a walk or a run. Seriously. Sometimes you just need to clear your head. And, if the weather warms up a little, it's the perfect time to get that creative adrenaline flowing! (Don’t forget to write your ideas down as soon as you come back, though!) I'm actually heading out for my run right away...

Did that help? Hopefully you find something to cap off your weekend—being behind a couple of days during NaNoWriMo is one thing, but catching up after a week? A lot harder!

Gotta jet! May the words be with you!

~ Chase Superman Duffy

Current Word Count: 700 words

NaNoWriMo Day 2: Story Prompts to Get You Fired Up

Good morning!

I'm a little late getting started because, well, I stayed up a little past my regular weekend bedtime to pound out a few extra words. Day one word count? An even 350.

How did you make out?

Don't worry if you haven't started yet. There's a whole month to catch up. And if you don't yet have an idea, then THIS is the post for you.

I conjured up a few creative writing prompts that will hopefully get your fingers itching to write (or type). Go ahead, scroll down to see if anything ignites your imagination.

• Write a story about a young boy or girl who wants to change one thing about the world. What would that thing be, and how would he or she change it? With super powers (I'd totally love to be invisible) or through collaboration (it takes a village!), or....? 
• What's the weirdest fashion trend you've ever seen? (Shorts over pants, anyone? Sandals with socks?) Create a character with terrible fashion sense and then write a story about a day in his or her life. Maybe his or her clothing choices aren't so bad after all....
• Christmas is coming (53 sleeps!)—what's the best gift you've ever received? What if it had magical powers? Write a tale about what powers that present might have, and how you would use them. 
• Create a folktale about why the racoon wears a mask. I love this idea—I'd have used it if I didn't already have a good story prompt myself.  
• Have you ever wished for something, only to regret it later? There's something to that saying "Be careful what you wish for." In the Superman Duffy graphic novel AS YOU WISH, Chase (aka: me) makes a pretty ridiculous wish. What would be YOUR wish, and how could it possibly go wrong? 

Anything on that list worth writing about?

If you've already started your work in progress, but you have other ideas, share them in the comments—you might help a fellow writer get unstuck! Plus, I'll send you a copy of AS YOU WISH. Leave a comment and then email me your address.

Gotta jet! Good luck on today's word count.

~ Chase Superman Duffy

Current Word Count: 350