-
The Lazy Way to Outline a Story, Part Two
Okay, folks, we’re picking up right where we left off in part one. We’re going to take those plot points that we made in our basic outline and form them into individual scenes. We’ll start at the beginning. Remember that the three-act structure suggests that the intro and inciting incident together should be about 5-15% of your story, and the full beginning should be around 20-25% until you get through the first plot point. You may need to fiddle with this a little, but let’s see what we have to start with. 1) Jessica has just finished working on a client at a luxury salon. She spins the chair, and…
-
The Lazy Way to Outline a Story
Hello Writers! I’m going to share with you how I outline a plot. This quick and easy way should satisfy all but the most ardent plotters and the most defiant of pansters. There are, of course, as many ways of outlining a story as there are writers, and if you’re new to either outlining or structure, then I’m sure that you will make this method your own in time. Brainstorm Before You Outline The first thing I do is to brainstorm. I get a nice blank sheet of paper and fill it with my story idea, brief character sketches, germinal scene ideas, setting notes, etc. Anything that I’ve thought of…
-
What the Heck is a Character Arc?
One of the fundamental things that you should understand to help you write a great story is the character arc. The term character arc embodies all of the internal changes that the character goes through as a result of the story’s actions. Many novice writers and even published genre novelists leave this out, but I believe that it is crucial and helps to take your story to the next level. Do I Really Need a Character Arc? Although it is quite possible to write a story without a character arc, I would advise against it. The character arc is one of those things that satisfy the reader on a deeper…
-
A Plot is a Plot is a Plot
Fail to plot, plot to fail. If structure is the thing that gives substance to your story, then plot is structure’s show-off fraternal twin. The two are tied together (conjoined twins, maybe?). Plot consists of all of the happenings in your story; the things that take your inciting incident all the way to your resolution. The defining factor of what is plot and what is filler is cause and effect. Plot is Propelled by Cause and Effect Each scene should have a cause, and each scene should have an effect. This is what propels your story forward. If you have a scene that has no story cause and has no…
-
Why You Should Never Edit as You Write
Are you frazzled whenever you sit down to write? Frustrated? Ready to give up? Do you sit, thesaurus in hand, pondering the exact word to describe what you are trying to say? Are you vexed between the choices? Can you not decide whether your heroine’s eyes should be cerulean blue or azure? Please don’t. You should never edit as you write. Editing While You Write Conflicts with How the Brain Works One part of your brain is dominant while you write, and a different part is dominant while you edit. When you stop to examine what you’ve written, or to find exactly the correct word, you move from the creative…
