beautiful people: nanowrimo edition

Yes, I missed last month's Beautiful People. Judge not, lest ye be judged. But at least I've come back in time for the NaNo edition!

This month's questions can be found here or, alternately, here. Go here for the FAQ if you're not sure what I'm talking about.  

And let's get to it!

1. Sum up your novel in five words or fewer.

DYSTOPIAN STEAMPUNK FANTASY SHERLOCK HOLMES!

2. Novel title? 

The Detective and the Magician.  

3. Sum up your main characters in one word each.

One word?! Do you think you can win NaNoWriMo by being laconic?! Is being succinct and concise the way to victory? No! Verbosity is where it's at! We must be wordy! Let us be prolix! Let us be pleonastic! Let us be, not to put to fine a point on it, long-winded! Indeed, if necessary, let us be periphrastic and circumlocutory! This is our rallying cry! AND WE SHALL BE CHAMPIONS!

Which is to say: I have no idea, but I thought maybe I could distract you by abusing my thesaurus. Did it work? 

4. Advice for newbies in three words?

Write. The. Thing. 

5. Tell us about your secondary characters; how do they affect the story?

You mean besides the ones who affect the story by being murdered? Well, there's Mary Morstan, who affects the story by setting the whole plot in motion, leading a rebellion, and falling in love with Watson. (Have you read The Sign of the Four? Is Mary and Watson's relationship adorable or is it adorable? HECK YEAH IT'S ADORABLE. Go read it if you haven't already; you'll get more warm fuzzies than you'll know what to do with.) There's Watson's brother, Harry, and Holmes' brother, Mycroft, and... I'm not sure how either of them affect the story, to be honest. I don't even know whether they're good or evil. Should probably get on that. Lestrade helps to set the other plot in motion. [CENSORED FOR SPOILERS] helps save the day because he is thoroughly awesome and I cannot wait to write him. Also, there's Irene Adler. Again, no idea. 

6. Do you plan to stay up till midnight on the 31st?

Parents permitting, yeah. I did it last year and it was awesome; it helps that we haven't got school on the first two days of November, because of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day. I love my school. 

7. How many years have you done NaNo?

This is my second year. 

8. What came first - characters, or plot idea?

First came the thought, "Y'know, wouldn't it be awesome if Watson was a magician?" Because that's how my mind works. 

9. How much prep do you do before November?

Not much. :D I still need to plan out five murders. (There are very few contexts in which that sentence is socially acceptable. This is one of them, and I decided to grab it while it was here.) I've figured out the weapon, but I'm not sure of everything else. 

10. Now be honest, how do you really feel about NaNo?

I am raring to go. I believe that is the expression, is it not, Watson? I say, Watson! You needn't hit me!

Watson: I think you'll agree that I needed to hit her.

Holmes: Quite so.