Pre-Nano Work: Outline
October 15th 2008 02:04
I haven't actually gotten this far because I'm way behind. (That said, I have pages upon pages of world notes and I have most of my character sheets done.)
But here is an outlining exercise...
Take a piece of blank paper and draw a square near the edge of the paper; this is your border. Write at the top 'Outline' and the title of your story/novel.
Now put all the major events as dot-jot notes basically, giving brief ideas of everything that absolutely must happen.
Make a separate list of things you think would be cool, but which aren't necessary.
Based off of your events that you need and the ones you want, figure out how you're going to have to pace it in storytime in order to get as much as possible in the novel.
You can go further with this, but personally I prefer very basic outlines. As long as I know what order the events need to go in I'm fine. It makes it more fun to write, discovering things as I go.
But here is an outlining exercise...
Take a piece of blank paper and draw a square near the edge of the paper; this is your border. Write at the top 'Outline' and the title of your story/novel.
Now put all the major events as dot-jot notes basically, giving brief ideas of everything that absolutely must happen.
Make a separate list of things you think would be cool, but which aren't necessary.
Based off of your events that you need and the ones you want, figure out how you're going to have to pace it in storytime in order to get as much as possible in the novel.
You can go further with this, but personally I prefer very basic outlines. As long as I know what order the events need to go in I'm fine. It makes it more fun to write, discovering things as I go.
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Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
I have the world, I have the characters. I have a plot outline that I estimate is about 7 separate stories, but Im only doing plot work on book one and two at the moment. There is background and plot for all the others, but Ive got to get book one finished. It has a completed outline now.
(I'll tell you a secret....Im fed up with the whole thing because it all builds up to a climax in book 5 - literally every event in the previous books leads up to it, while book 6 and 7 deal with the aftermath. I want to work on the exciting bit, but book 5 cant be book one or no one would know WTF is happening!)
My problem IS when the characters split up in book one. Im having trouble telling what everyone is doing in the same time frame and then moving on to the next 'day' or whatever - get what I mean? While they are all together Im fine, but then they go in separate directions, cross paths, before the major action scenes in the end where they all end up at the same place.
So I just look at it, and say, "You would be such a good little story....If I could figure you out!"
I end up doing more background details. Someone advised me once to just work on whatever I could when I could, and it would all come together. Turns out background details can be counter productive.
Comment by Dianna G
I Wish This Was 42
Fictional Worlds
Actually, the reason why my plotting and character things aren't very detailed is because I have had my own issues with detail. I find that if I plot out a story too much, or I know too many details, the writing becomes boring. I don't enjoy myself, because I'm not making any new discoveries.
Perhaps you could throw in something entirely new, something that would change the plot entirely? Although it would have to be a pretty big thing... and I am rather sleep deprived... so it might not be a good idea.
I hope that you are able to finish it; I think you are an entirely capable writer, and I would love to see you finish your series.
~Dianna
Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
And I have actually done that - created major events and characters to see what happens and what changes and Ive always liked it so much Ive worked it in....But Im going to start tripping over my plots and details soon.
But none of that mattered when I was on board with it, I used to work on it everyday. I think its because Ive gotten into some new stuff and 'Savage' has just been thrown in the too hard basket....But she's calling me.
Comment by Dianna G
I Wish This Was 42
Fictional Worlds
Perhaps what you need is the push to actually get started-and perhaps Nano could give you that push?
~Dianna