NaNoWriMo Prep Project

2021 - Plot: Beginning (Where does your story start?)

Oct. 04: - Plot: Beginning (Where does your story start?) ▼

(1) Describe your protagonist's life in the beginning (""Ordinary World"" or ""Stasis"") of the story. Brainstorm ways you could establish normality through action and dialog to avoid boring your reader.
Her Ordinary World
-small-minded, small New England town
-she is isolated and ostracized by the popular girls
-she keeps to herself - helping the Aunts with their garden and learning about herbology - this is her happy place
-only in the summers does she enjoy the companionship of her cousins - she keeps in touch with them - they help her feel less alone
-even being ostracized- she has an inner confidence
-it is this confidence that riles Darla and her viperous group of girls - they are jealous of her and her beauty - the boys are intrigued by her - Darla claims she has cast some kind of spell over the boys. Being with her is a 'challenge' that they want to attain.
-the boys try to get close to her, but when she touches them, even brushing against them, she can see their emotions and see their lies and unkind thoughts - they want to win the trophy - they want to be able to say they slept with her.... and many may even claim to have done so to further ostracize her from the girls.
- during this, I want her to think back to Trace and remember the red-gold shimmer at the edge of his emotions. The one that seemed to overtake the dark emotions because he truly liked her. That memory keeps her from getting close to any other boy as she longs to find him again. Bringing in this memory and the memory of the accident that caused his father's death will put dimension into the story and explain why Trace's mother does not like her or want her to associate with her son.
The grandfather may not know she is a witch - he may just not want his grandson to associate with such low-brow people.
When the old man dies, Trace's mother may try to blame Zayda - but she may explain that "the old man had hypertension - he was a walking heart attack waiting to happen. No amount of magic could forestall that and would you want me to save him anyway?"
Lorraine is quiet after that. Her father was a tyrant who bullied those around him. He ran his empire with an iron fist and expected everyone to fall into line - he expected Trace to take over and he had plans to groom him into the role, but Trace had other ambitions - ones involving writing and Journalism.

(2) Describe the inciting incident or trigger (""Call to Adventure"") that prompts your protagonist(s) to embark on this story's journey (whether literal or metaphorical) and face the conflict. This incident could be large and obvious like a death or disaster, or it could be seemingly insignificant, such as an offhand comment by another character.

I am thinking the Inciting Incident could be getting her letter of acceptance to the university in the City - a chance to leave the tightness of a small-minded, small New England town - Roseville (?)
The lock in is leaving for the City - moving in with her cousins and attending classes.
She runs in to Trace Wilder again...