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writercises Original posting Oct. 23, 2018
Looking for more? Well, how about starting with these little questions. What threatens the character's self-image? What can go wrong, and what does it cost? What blocks the character, and what are they going to do about it?
Or, you might just think about what events you want to put in your story. Or maybe which candy bar scenes, those ones that you know everybody expects, like the chase scene in a movie.
What about starting by thinking about what is the climax, where are we headed? Then back up, and think about what are the small try-fail cycles on the way there, or the bumps in the road?
Now, if you want a little bit more sequential approach, try walking through this list:
1. What is the moment of change that starts things going?
2. What is the hook for the reader?
3. What is the story problem?
4. What is the first doorway of no return?
5. What are the complications in the middle?
6. What is the 2nd doorway of no return?
7. What is the ending? The climax, character change, and the plot answer?
8. Now what backfill and back story is needed to support this?
There you go. Get the story started, get the character committed, complications along the way, kick off the final confrontation, and explode your ending! Wow!
A likable character overcomes opposition and conflicts through their own efforts to achieve a worthwhile goal…
Characters, purpose and theme, plot…
Write!
Looking for more? Well, how about starting with these little questions. What threatens the character's self-image? What can go wrong, and what does it cost? What blocks the character, and what are they going to do about it?
Or, you might just think about what events you want to put in your story. Or maybe which candy bar scenes, those ones that you know everybody expects, like the chase scene in a movie.
What about starting by thinking about what is the climax, where are we headed? Then back up, and think about what are the small try-fail cycles on the way there, or the bumps in the road?
Now, if you want a little bit more sequential approach, try walking through this list:
1. What is the moment of change that starts things going?
2. What is the hook for the reader?
3. What is the story problem?
4. What is the first doorway of no return?
5. What are the complications in the middle?
6. What is the 2nd doorway of no return?
7. What is the ending? The climax, character change, and the plot answer?
8. Now what backfill and back story is needed to support this?
There you go. Get the story started, get the character committed, complications along the way, kick off the final confrontation, and explode your ending! Wow!
A likable character overcomes opposition and conflicts through their own efforts to achieve a worthwhile goal…
Characters, purpose and theme, plot…
Write!