McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
Question on Plotting out epic scale book series
the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:
--- Quote from: seekmore on June 09, 2009, 05:43:16 PM ---I've also created character sheets for my four main characters that gives an in-depth look at them prior to the start of book one. It serves as quick and easy reference guide for both looks and personality. It includes major events in their backstories, also. As I plot and write each book I will update it to show things I have already included as well as significant changes in their lives.
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I get really kind of twitchy about this as a working method, because it so does not work for me; if it works for you, fine, but I've seen rather many people push it as The Only Way To Do Things.
What happens for me is, the more I know about someone before the story starts, the less motivation I have to tell the story, because finding this stuff out is part of what keeps me writing.
seekmore:
--- Quote from: neurovore on June 09, 2009, 06:07:56 PM ---I get really kind of twitchy about this as a working method, because it so does not work for me; if it works for you, fine, but I've seen rather many people push it as The Only Way To Do Things.
What happens for me is, the more I know about someone before the story starts, the less motivation I have to tell the story, because finding this stuff out is part of what keeps me writing.
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Meh, everyone has their own way of doing things. Why would I push my way, when I haven't even succeeded with it? And even then, there are countless others who have succeeded using a different method.
I guess I should have stated that right now, my sections involving backstory only include the significant bits that set the story into motion. For instance, one character killed a man and was subsequently thrown out of his nomadic tribe. Another must act as warden/caretaker for younger character during a probationary period set by a judge, so the trial that led to that verdict and meeting that led to that sentence are in their backstories.The fourth character is significantly older than the other, but his backstory is empty because none of it is relevant to the plot at hand.
kingaling:
For me it helps me to already know who I'm writing about. To know everything really. The more I know, the more there is, and the more there is then the less I have to write blindly discovering things. I have a problem with writing not knowing everything I possibly can. If I don't know a lot about the place or the characters, then I just don't feel like writing. I'm aiming to have the entire plot nailed down before I begin writing my first draft. And upon the reviews of my first draft, I'll change what needs to be.
seekmore:
--- Quote from: kingaling on June 09, 2009, 06:26:47 PM ---For me it helps me to already know who I'm writing about. To know everything really. The more I know, the more there is, and the more there is then the less I have to write blindly discovering things. I have a problem with writing not knowing everything I possibly can. If I don't know a lot about the place or the characters, then I just don't feel like writing. I'm aiming to have the entire plot nailed down before I begin writing my first draft. And upon the reviews of my first draft, I'll change what needs to be.
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I'm kind of split between you and neurovore.
I want to know a lot, but if I know everything, it's suddenly boring to me.
kingaling:
Nothing about creating a story is boring to me, it's mostly about keeping my motivation. I'm hard to motivate to do anything, but when I get there you can't stop me. There are certain types of writing that keep me going and then there are those that don't.
Anyway, any more tips people?
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