Since I’m pantsing Script Frenzy, it’s time to start taking a hard look at the next challenge on the horizon! (Technically that’s the badge from last year’s Camp NaNoWriMo, but since they aren’t going to update the website until Script Frenzy is over, I’m going with it.)

The plan is to write a collection of unrelated short stories instead of a proper novel. I’m doing this because a) I can use the short stories as serials for the website and b) I might actually polish the rough drafts instead of post-and-forget.

At least that’s the theory.

Three Day Stories

I figured the easiest way to break things down with a 1,667 word per day goal is to just embrace the ‘5k every three days’ number instead. That means a short story every three days, which doesn’t leave a lot of time for planning on the fly. Time to Outline ALL the Things!

Hopefully it will also mean that by the time the August Camp rolls around, I’ll be into the rhythm of things. I’ve got twenty chance to learn how to outline a short story, so let’s make ’em count!

The image to the right is way too simplistic, but gives the general gist of what I’m aiming for. There isn’t a lot of time for complex subplots, so I figure I’m going to come up with a starting problem for each story and then invoke Murphy’s Law.

Ten Worlds Alike In Dignity

Since there needs to be some extra challenge to the challenge—I decided that none of the ten stories should share the same universe. To add to that, I want to hit up the universes that don’t have finished stories in them yet. Thus I have chosen the following worlds to play in:

Fantasy
Songs of the Summer God
Avenshark/The Nine Kingdoms
Listeners’verse
Kazimar

Urban/Suburban Fantasy
When Good is Dumb
The One With the Mice
Everyday Wolves

Science Fiction/Science Fantasy
Cason and Ship
Blackguards and Plaster Saints
Rabbit’verse

Plots For All!

I’m cheating a bit and am going to steal some of the plots from the serial story bin.

• Songs of the Summer God – “Inheritance” : When Goldens and Binders choose their partners, it’s the family left behind who pay the price.
• Avenshark/The Third Kingdom – “Cultural Infestations” : OutKingdomers bring their cultures with them and it’s up to the Shepherds to sort out the misunderstandings.
• Listener’verse – “Last Requests” : Nahyl is used to ghost that are much quieter and much less violent, but Yavy is damned if she won’t to Listen to him.
• Kazimar – “Favors” : Deep blue Illysa burns bright above the winter treetops, but when sickness stalks the caves a brave few must venture out for help from an unlikely source.
• When Good is Dumb – “Chewtoys” : Taking back the night one shadow at a time.
• The One With the Mice – “Variable Probabilities” : On the trail of a newspaper mouse.
• Everyday Wolves – “Natural Instincts” : There’s a fine line between hoarding and storing food for the winter.
• Carson and Ship – “A Song for Vacuums” : Carson teaches Ship to whistle as she works with unexpected results.
• Blackguards and Plaster Saints – “Building a Better Mouse” : The best defense is a good offense—or a good distraction. (aka Humans: Do Not Give Them Power Tools)
• The Rabbit Who Ate the Moon’verse – “Bringing Sarah Home”: Some Firsts fall further than others.