Before the day:
- Your team needs a “nom de plume” or a pen-name. It’s included on the front cover & needed for Registration.
- Work out how your team are going to collaborate? Google docs? Office 365? Teams?
- Hive mind! A key factor in creating a great story rest on your teams’ ability to collaborate. Assigning roles & responsibilities helps.
- Read winners works from previous years to see the gold standard, https://writeabookinaday.com/past-results/
Writing winning story:
- Keep it simple. Use the given parameters only. Don't add more characters, other settings or issues. Make sure the give issue drives the story and is resolved. Consider using the Hero’s Journey Story arc or common story arc as a framework.
- Try for a winning first sentence. Something arresting that will startle your reader.
“An opening line should invite the reader to begin the story. It should say: Listen. Come in here. You want to know about this.”
Stephen King
- Try for a twist at the end, unexpected ending, that readers don’t see coming. Maybe a little foreshadowed .....
- Chapter headings are opportunity: use them. Simple numbering your chapters is a missed opportunity
- Hero the illustrations: one per page. The front cover and back blurb are the ESSENTIAL visual elements.
- Be on trend: use alternating character perspectives. Chapters can be used to show alternating character perspectives
- Speak to your audience in the contemporary vernacular: incorporate text bubbles, sms messages, emails
- Planning and time management are key. Leave enough time for editing and reading, check for spelling and grammatical errors.
- You must comply with the competition rules including the Parameter page, copyright statement, bolding of random words and word count.
- Consult the 9 hour day plan adapted from WABIAD website. In the past 8 hours is generally sufficient to WABIAD.
