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writercises2017-01-30 01:45 pm
mbarker.livejournal.com) wrote in writercises2017-01-30 01:45 pm
TECH: Getting Ready for Nanowrimo with K. M. Weiland
Original Posting Oct. 19, 2016
Oho! Over here on her website, K. M. Weiland talks about getting ready for Nanowrimo! Just what we all need, right? Now, she's got three weeks worth of articles already, so let's catch up.
Oct. 3
http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/should-you-outline-your-novel/
K. asks the poignant question, should you outline your novel? Well, first, let's make sure we all understand what an outline is? First, it isn't really a list of scenes (which comes straight out of English classes where they said "Outline this story/book" and meant list the scenes). Second, it isn't necessarily about working out a viable story structure. This is kind of the improved version of list of scenes, but instead of doing scenes, you're focusing on major plot points. Better, but still not quite there. So, what is outlining? BRAINSTORMING! It's the process of discovery, of considering and exploring possibilities. So, yes, you may very well produce a story structure and list of scenes. But that's not the point, that's just a by-product. The process, the thing you are doing, is exploring what your story is going to be. Okay? So stay tuned, and we'll look at four questions to ask yourself.
Oct. 10
https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/start-your-outline-with-these-4-questions-nanowrimo/
K. continues by tackling the question of where to start the outline! Not the linear beginning. Nope, start with the big picture. What is your story about? Who are the characters? What themes are in this conflict? Where are you going to end? What obstacles will there be in reaching that endpoint? So, we're going to do a general sketch.
1. What do you already know about the story? You probably have some ideas or even impressions. Write those down.
2. What are the existing plot holes and questions? Dang, there are things you don't know yet? What are they? What questions do you have about this story?
3. Ask the 3 important "what" questions? What if ...? What is expected? What is unexpected? That's right! Have some fun filling in the edges.
4 questions to get you going:
1. What general conflict does your premise provide? Write a premise sentence for your story. Now, what is the main conflict in there? Premise: situation, protagonist, objective, opponent, disaster, and conflict, in a nice pithy statement.
2. Who/What is your story's antagonistic force? What kind of global, international, national, public, and personal stakes are there? What is the goal, motivation, and plan for each kind antagonist?
3. What are the protagonist's goals and motivations?
4. What secrets are your characters hiding? For each character, think about what they are hiding.
Go for it! Get the big picture of your story down. Then come back, and we'll talk about the heart of the story.
Oct. 17
http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/nanowrimo-guide-outlining-find-heart-of-your-story/
K. now turns to making sure that you've got the heart of your story, not just the skeleton. Plot, events and mechanics, are important, but what is the heart of your story? Theme! And... here are the questions to help you find that.
1. Plot: What is the external conflict of the story? What is the protagonist trying to achieve? Why? What is the antagonist up to, and why? What are the stakes for all this? How does the protagonist have to change?
2. Character: What is the internal conflict in your story? What is the character arc? What does the character want? What do they need?
3. Theme: What is the theme of the story?
Whoo! So we're going to lay out the plot, in big pictures, and take a crack at the theme.
And we still have a week or so before Nanowrimo clobbers us. So get cracking!
Sounds like a plan to me!
tink
Oho! Over here on her website, K. M. Weiland talks about getting ready for Nanowrimo! Just what we all need, right? Now, she's got three weeks worth of articles already, so let's catch up.
Oct. 3
http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/should-you-outline-your-novel/
K. asks the poignant question, should you outline your novel? Well, first, let's make sure we all understand what an outline is? First, it isn't really a list of scenes (which comes straight out of English classes where they said "Outline this story/book" and meant list the scenes). Second, it isn't necessarily about working out a viable story structure. This is kind of the improved version of list of scenes, but instead of doing scenes, you're focusing on major plot points. Better, but still not quite there. So, what is outlining? BRAINSTORMING! It's the process of discovery, of considering and exploring possibilities. So, yes, you may very well produce a story structure and list of scenes. But that's not the point, that's just a by-product. The process, the thing you are doing, is exploring what your story is going to be. Okay? So stay tuned, and we'll look at four questions to ask yourself.
Oct. 10
https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/start-your-outline-with-these-4-questions-nanowrimo/
K. continues by tackling the question of where to start the outline! Not the linear beginning. Nope, start with the big picture. What is your story about? Who are the characters? What themes are in this conflict? Where are you going to end? What obstacles will there be in reaching that endpoint? So, we're going to do a general sketch.
1. What do you already know about the story? You probably have some ideas or even impressions. Write those down.
2. What are the existing plot holes and questions? Dang, there are things you don't know yet? What are they? What questions do you have about this story?
3. Ask the 3 important "what" questions? What if ...? What is expected? What is unexpected? That's right! Have some fun filling in the edges.
4 questions to get you going:
1. What general conflict does your premise provide? Write a premise sentence for your story. Now, what is the main conflict in there? Premise: situation, protagonist, objective, opponent, disaster, and conflict, in a nice pithy statement.
2. Who/What is your story's antagonistic force? What kind of global, international, national, public, and personal stakes are there? What is the goal, motivation, and plan for each kind antagonist?
3. What are the protagonist's goals and motivations?
4. What secrets are your characters hiding? For each character, think about what they are hiding.
Go for it! Get the big picture of your story down. Then come back, and we'll talk about the heart of the story.
Oct. 17
http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/nanowrimo-guide-outlining-find-heart-of-your-story/
K. now turns to making sure that you've got the heart of your story, not just the skeleton. Plot, events and mechanics, are important, but what is the heart of your story? Theme! And... here are the questions to help you find that.
1. Plot: What is the external conflict of the story? What is the protagonist trying to achieve? Why? What is the antagonist up to, and why? What are the stakes for all this? How does the protagonist have to change?
2. Character: What is the internal conflict in your story? What is the character arc? What does the character want? What do they need?
3. Theme: What is the theme of the story?
Whoo! So we're going to lay out the plot, in big pictures, and take a crack at the theme.
And we still have a week or so before Nanowrimo clobbers us. So get cracking!
Sounds like a plan to me!
tink