Huzzah! The first week of NaNo is in the books! But so might be your resolution and enthusiasm.
At this point, you've probably written all the things you had in your head as you first got started. You've introduced your characters and set up the conflict and...now you're stuck. Or if you're not stuck, the nerves and worries of can I really do this? are starting to kick in.
But I say, FEAR NO MORE!
At about the 10k-12,500k word mark, you enter Act 2 of your story, or the "upside down" world. This is where your MC is thrown into a world where they feel like a fish out of water. They don't know their up from their down; the only thing they do know is they want to accomplish something.
Your first mission is to introduce your MC to his new team or partner. The people in this part of the story are the complete opposite to the people in your hero's life up until now. If your story stars a teenage boy with an overbearing mother, then in Act 2, he should find himself hanging out with a girl who has no rules and likes to live life on the edge. It's not just a trope, either—it serves a legitimate purpose in your story. Your teenage boy will probably find what he really needs (remember we talked about that essential pain/need last week?) somewhere between the strict mom and the wild girl/friend.
Your MC and their Act 2 friend or team are going to get up to some crazy stuff in the next 10-12k words! They're going to try new things, develop new skills, learn and grow, but when you reach the end of this week, you'll also reach the Midpoint of your story where your MC should probably discover that the way they've been trying to solve their problem or reach their goal isn't going to cut it.
Really, these next 10k words should be a lot of fun. Think: adventure, love, and discovery!
Have fun and happy writing!
