Packs of plot ninjas will be released here daily. Beware: letting them into your novel will lead to havoc and fun!
Throughout the month, I'll be collecting plot ninja ideas on sticky notes at write-ins, and you can also send suggestions by NaNoMail. Contribute ideas for crazy characters, silly settings, preposterous plot twists, dangerous diversions, extreme episodes, and wacky words that can be thrown into a NaNo novel when authors run short on ideas. Please keep your contributions sticky-sized: a phrase or short sentence.
Lisa
South Bay co-ML
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44,096 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 00 13
character decides to organize and run a science fiction convention
a baby gets left on the doorstep
weremonkeys
"Did you have a plan to go with that [noun]?"
zombie and a flamethrower. Any questions?
44,096 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 00 46
"I love you, too," she whispered. And then she threw the grenade.
a case of mistaken identity
spam bot attains sentience, uses it to seduce former Secretary of State Condi Rice
a sucking chest wound, stopped temporarily by applying the plastic sleeve of a box of cigarettes
The answer is in a small china teapot.
44,096 / 50,000
Nov 4, 2009 - 09 29
characters debate the connotations of "geek" versus "nerd"
the Old Ones return
And then, the *massive* dose of psychotropic hallucinogenic drugs in his grape soda kicked in.
alfalfa
A chasm opens in the ground before him.
44,096 / 50,000
Nov 5, 2009 - 10 49
"For he *is* the kumquat Haagen-Dazs!"
people attending a write-in are killed off, one by one
When the parrot landed on the fence, Morris wondered why there weren't any more flowers blooming.
"I'd love an adult size big wheel. Plastic, with one of those hand brakes." (overheard at a write-in)
the old computer game, "Lemmings"
44,096 / 50,000
Nov 6, 2009 - 12 03
Painters are working on the outside of a house, and no matter what room your character moves to, the workers start up right outside the window.
main character does a cartwheel randomly in the middle of the street
Cliff Brooks chokes on a peanut M&M inside a marshmallow launched by a mini-trebuchet.
The last thing she expected to find on her front stoop that fall morning was the Holy Grail. But there it was, gold jewels and all.
Remember, Wal-Mart sells guns.
44,096 / 50,000
Nov 7, 2009 - 22 27
(oops, forgot to post for November 7)
"Yes, but it will require a fifth of rum and a floppy hat."
someone is not the gender that everyone thinks they are
Being three inches tall is more complicated than you might realize, but it's okay -- as long as you avoid the family cat.
neurotic historical: Jack the Tripper trips the women of Whitehall for fun
California falls into the ocean!?!?
27,129 / 50,000
Nov 8, 2009 - 10 36
Being three inches tall is more complicated than you might realize, but it's okay -- as long as you avoid the family cat.
Stuart Little?
6,544 / 50,000
Nov 9, 2009 - 00 53
Wherever you are in the story, STOP. Your entire novel up to now was a dream, and the REAL novel begins right now.
The main character decides to become a monk.
The main character is actually a psycho homicidal maniac and has been hiding his deeds from the reader.
The main character goes on a monologue about how annoying it is to be read by the reader.
44,096 / 50,000
Nov 9, 2009 - 01 07
someone spills a glass of water on someone else
She ends the fight by taking off her clothes.
main characters visit a hairdresser/stylist and pour their hearts out
"Your monkey -- where is he?"
... and then the elephant snorted.
44,096 / 50,000
Nov 10, 2009 - 00 31
Today, a couple of complex ninjas that came in through the NaNoMails:
When the wordcount gets tough, the main characters go shopping.
--> There's a sale on something a main character wants, but he/she has to cadge the cash out of his/her compatriots.
--> A new shop has opened that has interesting stuff inside and must be investigated.
--> The main characters intercept a shoplifter for mall security. (Can be morphed for genre, such as constables chasing a pickpocket).
--> A runaway horse/hoverskiff/Segway knocks over a standalone kiosk onto a main character.
--> Plot ninjas attack the mall while the main characters are in it.
"It blew up!"
"No, it didn't. It merely underwent an instantaneous and catastrophic structural cohesion failure resulting from temperature and pressure gradients of abnormal magnitude."
"...In other words, it blew up."
"Well...if you want to be picky."
44,096 / 50,000
Nov 10, 2009 - 23 57
orange-colored bananas in pajamas
main character has flashbacks of his/her mother's past in their dreams
Moving boxes are deadly.
an alien abduction by fish
main character simply says, "Ooops!"
Also see the latest NaNoVideo for some more wacky ideas.
7,000 / 50,000
Nov 11, 2009 - 17 04
Now I have the Banana's in Pajamas theme song going through my head... thanks!
----------2006 - Star Fire - 65k
2007 - Demon's Desire - 100k
2008 - Dead Lines -125k
2009 - Gideon's Gambit - 54k
2009 - Just Desserts - 46k
The Beatings Will Continue Until Word Count Improves!
44,096 / 50,000
Nov 11, 2009 - 22 35
Work the subject header of a spam email into your novel.
Sit in a public place and write a biography of everyone you see.
You have the power to write the future -- what happens?
Toss in 10 cliches and go from there.
When in doubt, kill a main character.
44,096 / 50,000
Nov 13, 2009 - 01 16
Friday the thirteenth! Or triskaidekaphobia.
teen vampires are way too whiny
conversation couches at the insane asylum
magic ninja monkey pants!
...and gets hit by a bus
44,096 / 50,000
Nov 13, 2009 - 23 16
my heroine can beat up your villain
"It's all fun and games until a tsunami strikes."
Someone drunk-drives a car into the side of their neighbor's house.
an old woman picks her nose and eats her snot
You get sucked into your novel and can't get out unless...