day 12 challenges

Word Challenge ::

Word: lethe
Definition:
1: capitalized : a river in Hades whose waters cause drinkers to forget their past
2: oblivion, forgetfulness

Example: The car accident triggered a state of lethe so severe that Brianna feared her sister would never return to her normal, cheery self.

Theme Challenge ::

Pursue the consequences of self-destruction, of the emotional variety. This may include the reactions of others to the self-destruction in _addition_ to the character's direct consequences.

Plot Challenge ::

One of you main characters is kidnapped at gun-point and is forced to go see several movies/theater plays/musicals/taken to a home and forced to watch a mythbusters marathon.

Character Challenge ::

After watching an episode of Doctor Who, your character starts saying Allonsey! whenever it is appropriate. And, whenever it isn't appropriate, driving the other characters more than a bit batty. In revenge, another character starts to hum My Little Pony theme whenever Allonsey! is called out, just to annoying the character saying Allonsey!

Remembrance Day Challenges

Word Challenge ::

Word: Memorandum
Definition:
1: an informal record; also : a written reminder
2: an informal written note of a transaction or proposed instrument
3 :
a : an informal diplomatic communication
b : a usually brief communication written for interoffice circulation
c : a communication that contains directive, advisory, or informative matter

Middle English Definition: to be remembered, from Latin, neuter of memorandus, gerundive of memorare

You may use any definition, but Middle English would be best considering the theme!

Character Challenge ::

The friends of a character pull a prank on a character. It involves them pretending that the character never existed. (Alternatively, you may use the fantastic challenge of the character being completely -- and actually -- wiped from their memory. This challenge is meant to pursue how the character being pranked would react.

Plot Challenge ::

A side (or primary) antagonist's motive is based on revenge for the brutal murder of a loved one. Death of loved one may be caused by drunk driving, someone with a similar feature to the main character. This plot challenge should include the moment where the characters realize that the antagonists motive is based off of a tragedy, not pure malevolence.

Theme Challenge ::

Include a theme relating to characters acknowledging their roots. (Playing on the element of Remembrance, but one of self-remembrance. Extra points if one of the characters involved is a veteran.)

Day 10 challenges

Word Challenge ::

Word: Renunciation
Definition: the act or practice of renouncing : repudiation; specifically : ascetic self-denial
Example: Despite the renunciation of her bonds with her family, Jessie kept a box of their photographs and stared at them from time to time.

Plot Challenge ::

Character's hard work toward end-goal of book falls to dust. Character must try again and get it right this time.

Theme Challenge ::

Include a trend of loathing; between characters, of character's self, or of objects.

Character Challenge ::

A character develops an allergy to chocolate.

Day 9 Challenge

Word Challenge ::

Word: revelry
Definition: noisy partying or merrymaking
Example: The post-graduation revelry ended in tragedy when Amy's dog spilled the last bottle of liquor.

Character Challenge ::

A character gets a migraine but MUST function and perform well while having it.

Theme Challenge ::

Pursue a character struggling with the conflict of doing a greater evil for the greater good.

Plot Challenge ::

Have a character that is married meet their high school sweetheart, close friend, etc at a revelry. They make the wrong choice. Pursue all consequences of this action.

Day 8 Challenge

Word Challenge ::

Word: Spleen
Definitions:

An abdominal organ involved in the production and removal of blood cells in most vertebrates and forming part of the immune system.
Bad temper; spite: "he could vent his spleen on the institutions that had duped him".

ML Note: I first saw spleen as a synonym for hatred. This baffled me. Upon further research, I found the above reference to the word spleen.

I... I... spleen. SPLEEN.

Character Challenge:

Kill a major character in your book. They're dead, Jim! Bonus points if you reference their spleen in the death scene.

Theme Challenge:

Angst. Lots and lots of angst. And spleens. Spleens of hatred, matched with the spoon of angst. Bonus points if a character is poked in the stomach with a spoon and s/he cries out, "my spleen!"

Plot Challenge:

Include a plot sequence in which a major or minor character develops a war cry of, "For spleen!"

This post has been brought to you by the word "Spleen."

day 7 challenges

Word Challenge ::

Word: Defenestration
Definition: The act of throwing something (or someone) from a window.
Example: "Sir, it seems as though the victim died due to defenestration. More accurately, he died when he landed on the spiked fence below the three story window," Dominic said to his Chief after pretending to sort through his papers.

Theme Challenge ::

Include a situation where a character commits an 'irredeemable' crime -- and seeks redemption anyway.

Plot Challenge ::

One of your characters has their most prized possession stolen from them, and they resort to violence to get it back.

Character Challenge ::

Have a character develop a phobia to slugs.

day 6 challenges

Word Challenge ::

Word: Serendipity
Definition: The occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way
Example: It was serendipitous that the large rock that Samantha stumbled over was a large rock made of gold.

Theme Challenge ::

Include a theme of karma (you get what you dish out) in your story.

Character Challenge ::

Have a character make a mistake in regards to a close friend that runs risk of ruining their relationship. The character is not brave enough to apologize, resulting in a split in friendship. Character should have to do something special to redeem him or herself.

Plot Challenge ::

Include an element of mystery to your novel.

day 5 challenges

Word Challenge:

Word: Tumultuous
Definition:
Making a loud, confused noise; uproarious.
Excited, confused, or disorderly.

The audience broke into tumultuous applause, the actors and actresses grinning at the sound of their definitive success.

Plot Challenge:

Characters go to Walmart and get attacked in the tools or arts & crafts section. (In fantasy realms, have it be the regular market. Yes, if you're writing a world that has a store similar to walmart, you must use that type of store! If it is on earth, it must be a walmart! Even if your characters end up traveling to a different country to make it happen!)

Theme Challenge:

Include a moment of melancholy involving photographs.

Character Challenge:

Introduce a piece of technology or magic that your character has no idea how to use but has to make it look like they know how to use it.

Bonus Challenge: (Worth x3)

Include a Kayak that performs Witchcraft. (Yes, the kayak performs the witchcraft. Not a magical Kayak.)

Day 4 challenges

Word Challenge

Word: Traverse
Definition: Travel across or through
Example: Traversing the dark forest, Amber came upon a dying unicorn, but could do nothing to save it.

Plot Challenge:

Include a character with plot-critical information. Too bad they're dead. Main character must find a way to learn the secret this character had. (Sneaking through their possessions for a diary, seances... anything goes.)

Character Challenge:

Have a character (major or minor) have to give up something important to them. (A necklace to buy food for a starving family, a cherished toy or memento, etc)

Theme Challenge:

Include an element of horror in your writing.

Day 3 challenge

Word Challenge

Word: Pariah
Definition: one that is despised or rejected : outcast
Example: Living in the slums gave Henna gave her a thirst for wealth and the surname Pariah.

Plot Challenge:
Relative betrays main character for wealth or power.

Character Challenge:
Main Character does something so idiotic that the rest of his or her companions stare, mock, laugh or otherwise make-fun of the character for their 'oopsy!' (This can include things like a character showing off at dancing and tripping over his or her own feet, them saying they're good at this and making a total farce of themselves, etcetc)

Theme Challenge:
Include a mystical element to your writing. In contemporary fiction, this could include a character with strange superstitions (even if they aren't real), in fantasy, it could be legends and lore of the world, but something mystical to _those_ characters. (Normality does not mystical make.)

Day 2 challenges... need to think about the

Word Challenge

Word: Tenacious (You may also use any form of the word, including tenacity)
Definition: a : not easily pulled apart : cohesive
b : tending to adhere or cling especially to another substance
Example: The tenacious mud clung to Melissa's boots, splattered all over her legs, and slowed her efforts to cross the mire.

Plot Challenge:
Include the death of a distant relative or acquaintance.

Character Challenge:
Have a character throw a _justified_ temper tantrum.

Theme Challenge:
Introduce an element of redemption / salvation to your story.

Day 1 NaNoWriMo Challenges:

Word Challenge: Abhor/Loathe
Leoris loathes the treatment his legitimate half-brother, Prince Adrien, throws at him. Self-imposed exile really doesn't seem like such a bad idea after all.

Plot Challenge: Arranged Marriage
An arranged marriage is certainly a clincher, especially when the woman is two decades over and can be your mother. He wondered what his father was thinking! Oh right, it was his brother's idea. It had to be. How else could Prince Adrien keep a close eye on him. Leoris packed his things and sent a runner ahead to warn his personal guard to meet him in their little clandestine drinking hole just outside of the main city. He had enough of this. Truly. Exile, yes, was spending time with his battle instructor at the estate of the Free-hold Warriors.

Character Challenge: Terrible Food Experience
No hot soup left. Jero's heart sank. He had hoped for hot liquid to warm his chilled body. The meat sandwiches would have to siffice, he supposed. The small silver-haired man, who looked far younger than his silver hair suggested, sat at the table with the other late arriving soldiers. several edged away from him muttering about slave-born filth. His ice-blue eyes met Leoris' amber-brown, daring him to say something.

Leoris shrugged and shoved the bowl of soup over to him. "Here, you can have mine, but you might regret it."

"Thanks," Jero eagerly put a steaming spoonful in his mouth.

Leoris tried not to smirk... too much. If Jero was a cat, every muscle would be rigid and the fur on end puffing a tail out like a bottle-brush. Jero violently spat the spoonful onto the floor. Leoris bellowed in laughter trying to say that he HAD warned him.

Theme Challenge: Love Interest
Jero took the vile soup outside where the beggars would accept anything. Leoris followed stumbling through apologies, still snickering. The young woman he handed the soup to looked from one man to the other and accepted it with uncommon grace for a beggar. She muttered a quiet prayer in a foreign language over the gift of soul, however terrible it might taste. Once inside, both young men kept looking back out the window to see if they could get a glimpse of the mysterious woman.