The inventor of National Novel Writers Month suggests that participants start by composing a personal Magna Carta of things they don't want to read about in books, and a Magna Carta 2 (an evil twin of the first Magna Carta) about things they don't want to hear about in a novel. When your story starts dragging around week 2, you can make sure to steer it in the right direction
Magna Carta 1 is pretty straightforward (clever dialog, interesting characters...duh.) but Magna Carta 2 was far more interesting to create. After composing this I read some other NaNoWriMo participant's Magna Cartas. I think I got a little carried away, but here you are.
Some of you may read this list and decide I am going to hell.
Yes. On a plane. Coach Class. A window seat.
Yes, okay, I like the basement of the Alamo. Geesh.
Enjoy.
Magna Carta 2 - Evil Twin of Magna Carta 1
I don't want to hear about...
Main characters older than age 50 or so
Old people having sex with young people
The old west
Hundreds of years of oppression
How their tongues were engaged in a primitive mating dance
Characters that fidget or play with their hair when nervous
Aging jocks trying to relive their glory days
Sororities and Fraternities
Elderly people who are frisky or spry
War
Weeping soldiers
Road trips
The south
How great France is
People that follow all the rules
How the butler committed the murder
How the Ex-wife committed the murder
How everyone had a part in committing the murder
How everyone had a motive but no one actually committed the murder. As it turns out, Mr. Body died of a heart attack
Endlessly descriptive passages about the beauty of nature
The eating of spoiled or rotten food by unfortunate people
How hard it is to be a Lawyer, doctor, cop, or firemen
Stupid spouses
Good guys who always win
Beautiful, fairy tale weddings
Happily ever after
People in an iron lung. No one should be in an iron lung.
Female characters who’s only “fault” is that they are charmingly clumsy
Female characters that are perfect in every way but think their breasts are too small.
The Alamo
Cowboys
American Indians
When a person’s insides are spilled out onto the floor and their blood is used to write a message
Indigo Children
The wisdom of old people
Exotic objects such as the king of hearts, the cocoon of a gypsy moth, or small silver- wrapped chocolates, placed in an orifice of a corpse that function as a “calling cards”
Cops who catch the bank robber at the end of the book
The wonders of the mechanical age
Cheerful computer programmers
Christmas spirit
Holiday cheer
People who forgive too easily
Child-grooms
The rap music industry
Female characters who complain about being too skinny
Luddites
Baseball
Football
The dangers of pre-marital sex
How a jet engine really works
Characters who find people who can’t use chopsticks adorable
How you can beat the yakuza. You can’t. Don’t even try.
Complex dental problems
The statue of liberty
That music they play when anything Irish is mentioned
How sausage is made
Long, flowing raven hair with dark, emerald orbs for eyes
Hippies
When animals attack humans
Being buried alive
Dentist offices or operating theatres that are perfectly clean and sterile.
How hell is 100% evil
Rural settings
Farms
Characters that get their “come-uppance”
A group of totally incompatible women are “best friends” with each other.
Your shit