Tag Archives: outline

CPGO – Step 6: Scene by Scene

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We’re down to the meat, the scene by scene outline. The structure I use for this is inherent in yWriter, but let’s talk about scenes first.

A scene is a moment in the story defined by a time and place. BiaM and You Can Write a Novel both adhere to the ten scene model. That is, action packed movies and books have ten or less major scene. Neither of them are talking about fantasy. A lot of writers I know look at the ten scene theory and freak. However, this, like other things involved in novel writing, is only a suggestion. Me? I go through and lay out the scenes without counting them.

Exercise: Do the Scene Shuffle.
If you’re having trouble figuring out which scenes go where then this might help. Write out the descriptions of each scene you know is going to be in your novel on index cards or in a software package that allows you to reorder cards or scenes. yWriter does this but sometimes I like things a little free form. My current writing computer is a touch screen with Windows 7 installed. So I use Windows stickies on the cork board. This way I have card like in real life without needing the space of the cards. Most novel writing packages have this ability and a lot of people use mind mapping software to organize. Do whatever works for you.

After I know what order my scenes are in, I create the number of chapters in yWriter I think I need. This is based off the Setting Sketch step. Currently I think I need nine chapters. Then I go to chapter one. I ignore chapter descriptions until I’m finished with the last revision. Instead, I create a scene in chapter one. I open that, give it a date, fill out the scene description, associate characters, locations and items. Finally, I fill out the Goal, Conflict and Outcome tab. I used to ignore that but I’ve found filling that out gives me a better perspective on the scene.

I do this for each scene in each chapter till I’m satisfied. I copy the date and the scene description in my timeline Excel file. I might find I need more scenes and chapters than I think I do.

This is about it. I have an outline. Used to do more rehashing of the plot sketch but stopped exactly because it was a rehash.

The next step is writing the novel. I’ll be back when I start revising Without Honor.

This was originally published at michellejnorton.com

CPGO – Step 5: Plot Sketch

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I’ve said good-bye to BiaM and You Can Write a Novel. Smith’s book will be back when I get to the revision stage. BiaM has a little influence in what’s coming next and will have a say when I get to scenes. Then that is it. BiaM encourages outlining while writing for the rest of the book.

Step 5 is the Plot Sketch. The setting sketch was a list of settings in order of appearance with a description of the story at this place, the time period, season and about how many chapters I think it will take to write out the descriptions (which I’m usually wrong about but hey, it’s a starting place).

Now I have this snapshot of a plot, it is time to answer some questions about the plot. I create a new note called Plot Sketch in yWriter.

FDi30D called the Plot Sketch the list of the elements of the story. In all the books, the elements of the story come up. These are the Hero’s Journey, and Story in 3 Acts, Action/Reaction, Quest, Mini Climax, Black Moment, Climax, Denouement and combinations of all of these. The Plot Sketch asks questions about all of these things.

I really like Alicia Rasley’s article, Outline Your Novel in Thirty Minutes. Here’s a list of questions and answering them gives you a better picture of your plot. So first thing first, I answer her questions about Between Kingdoms. This covers the main character’s motivation and goals. Once I have that down I fill out FDi30D Plot Sketch.

The Plot Sketch starts with the goal and has you identify romance, subplots, conflict, resolution, downtime, black moment and resolution. I now have character motivations and an overview of the plot.

BiaM has two sheets similar to this, the Story Idea Map and the VBIAM Plot Check Sheet. I find the Story Idea Map redundant at this point. The Plot Check Sheet is sectioned off by things that happen in the story and who is there and does it advance the plot. I might come back to this for the revision but for now, I just put it aside.

Next we get down to the meaty part of the operation, scenes.

Originally posted at http://michellejnorton.com

CPGO: Step Four – Setting

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At this point I’m diverging from BiaM and You Can Write a Novel. Both mention setting briefly. Smith goes as far to suggest treating settings like a character. Instead, I’m leaving these books at the wayside for now and concentrating on the setting sketch from FDi30D.

I know where BK will be set. I’m listing the settings in yWriter and in my notes software. This is the first part of this step. Once I have the settings down for further reference, I start the setting sketch.

What I used to do is start this in my notes program in a tree view. I really don’t like this, nor do I want to use the worksheets from the book. So this time I’m looking towards yWriter to get this down. One of the features of yWriter is the ability to assign locations to scenes. Combined with scene notes I think I can pull this off.

First I write down the names of the setting in the order I think they’ll go in the novel. This could be by country, city, places within the city or times of day.

I create a chapter and a scene, naming the scene “Setting Sketch”. I add the location for that chapter by dragging it over. In the notes tab, I do the setting sketch or what I think what will happen at that setting.

The actual setting sketch details the place, time, who’s there, a summary of what happens and how many chapters I think it’s gonna take to write it out.

There are two things going on here. I’m not just getting down the where and when, but I’m also getting down the basic plot at the same time. I’m not going to go back on this part. Once it’s down I’ll reference it only once more before deleting it.

Tips for Today:

WD: I am not an Exception: That is learn the rules and follow the guidelines. There are rules on writing, submitting and publishing.

NaNo: Study your favorite authors, their voice style and content. NaNo advises practicing to write like them for awhile. This is great practice but it doesn’t belong in a finished piece.

CPGO: Step 3 – Characters

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I start this step much as the last one, but this is not optional. I start entering characters into yWriter, starting with main and adding side characters next. The character file grows as the story grows, entering a new character as needed. As I mentioned before we’re in different steps in the books. So, a little back tracking.

Smith has prep as step two through three, step four is characters. Schmidt doesn’t get to characters till day four. Wiesner has characters step one in outlining.

I believe characters are the soul of the story and without them you just have a catalog of events and description…you don’t have the actually happening of action, you lose emotion without characters.
But how to do this? There are a thousand questions you can ask a character and you may not know every detail. This is how I do it.

Write what you know now and the rest will come. That’s it. I put down what I know and I just add more as the book shapes itself.

Ever character gets a description, may have a short bio and a birthplace. If I learn more I add it to the file. yWriter lets you have a description and bio separately and you can structure it how you want. I don’t give everyone a name…some people are just their job description unless they speak up. Any dates I come up with go into that timeline (See Step2) in Excel so I can keep track of my timing.

FDi30D gets complicated on characters. The character sketch is a simple sheet, but then she has character settings (sheets where you list the areas you might find the characters. And in her research she includes research for these locations and accents and such. Too much. Write what you have then go on till you discover it later.

Smith has two notepads of forms for major and minor characters. I prefer the computer. He does have a point about listing flaws and grace. So I’ll keep note on that. I don’t actively search out pictures but grab them when I see them. I do write down interesting names I see, but that’s outside of the outline process and something I just do. Smith talks a lot about habits to pick up as a writer. They are good but I have those. His best advice just put down with you need. Creating characters can be a full time job and distract you from writing. Smith concentrates on files and such in the physical realm…I try to stay digital.

Sit that damn character in a chapter and take what you can get. Mainly I try to get:
Description, Short Bio, Name, Occupation, Goals, birth place. There you go.

Schmidt has you enter characters as you summarize and detail but on day four it’s the fill out stage. Quick characters and special scenes for those characters. Ugh. No. Too much. These are long worksheets. I try to come up with fears and such when they are needed in the story then back fill.

Remember when I said I have sundry stuff. Well I took a look through that and I have a character sheet that is just too long. I like Wiesner’s sheet and I’ll stick to that.

So onto our Tips from NaNo and Writer’s Digest today!

NaNo Card: Aim Low…They’re not saying you should not do your best…just remember complete it and change it later. Obviously with this process I’m aiming to cut down on that time.

WD Tip: Misusing Writing Groups. There are people (you know who you are) who use a group for social and self gratification…which is fine, but instead of getting things done they just endlessly work on the same project…never finishing. I’ll admit sometimes it looks like I’ll never finish. Obviously I’m part of a group but it moves me forward with criticism to make my writing better. If at any time you can’t see the goal for the trees, time to see if you need those trees.

CPGO: Step 2 – Research List & Setup

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I have my idea written down. Time for step 2. This is where the books start to diverge. However I think this is the perfect time to start a research list and gather things I might need.

In ywriter, I click on Project notes and create a research note. I note anything I think I might need to research. Actual research will come later and I’ll probably add to it as I think of other things.

Some of the books such as Smith, suggest doing things like creating a fake cover, a sound track, magazine pictures anything to inspire. I don’t seek these things out on purpose. If I find them I take note, but this is not what I mean by setup.

I already have my yWriter file started. I need a new POV time-line sheet. For this I use Excel. What else? Depending on what I’m writing, I create entries in my little note software for world building.

This is a completely optional step. You may not really need research and maybe your setup is opening Word. This is just how I do it.

Let’s look at our writing tips!

NaNo Card 2: It’s rough for a reason
Problem 2: Not finishing

Whether its perfection or time getting in your way the object it write and finish it! Set yourself some goals and deadlines. Everyone of these books tells you to do that. Next, stick to them.