McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft

Oh Slinky...How I deplore you...Also known as that D@mned Tangled Knot

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reed:
So, what are some good ways to fixing my damn slinky from tangled bent metal to "slinky, slinky, everyone loves a slinky" or as a friend put it to me, untying the tiny 1000 times knotted string of ideas in my head?

I've heard meditation, psychotropic drugs (which I would never suggest or do), running, drinking (alcohol, tea, warm milk, etc...), other...unsavory...physical activities and other senseless, meaningless ramblings of helpful people being unhelpful. I'm stuck and need ideas.

What works for you people to finally sit down and get the ballpoint rolling or the fingers dancing on the keyboard?

Reed

Moritz:
I write all ideas down and sort them when I am not making up new things. when enough ideas clog together for something I really think is worth it, I start writing.
up to now, I have only finished two short stories, which both didn't make it in competitions. I am dabbling with 4 stories now which came out of those idea lists. in fact, one story is based on a massive idea list, in which I created one small idea a day for three months (that way lies insanity, BTW).

Spectacular Sameth:
Make an outline. You don't have to follow it, but it helps unravel the jumbled thoughts of a story. Also, I've been known to let my subconscious do the writing. I'll sit and listen to music and sort of zone out while my fingers do the writing. Okay, so it's probably not really my subconscious doing the writing, but it does help quite a bit.

SunPhoenix:
Can always try the comically large Q-tip and just write whatever information down comes out thats on the ear-wax. (I'm feeling slightly ecstatic and elated.)

meg_evonne:

--- Quote from: SunPhoenix on June 13, 2008, 04:06:13 AM ---(I'm feeling slightly ecstatic and elated.)

--- End quote ---

I'm not feeling so ecstatic nor elated as they just cancelled my writer's workshop after having arrived in the city. Yes, it is horrid and I understand that the 500 year flood has hit and it'll be cresting in IA City as we start--but I'd finally gotten gutsy enough to go to one.  Now I have to build up that confidence again...

Wrestling with slinky.  (I like the image of the slinky!)  Jim's idea was a really big, huge poster board and post it notes.  Tried it and it worked pretty well.  Easy to pick up scenes and move them somewhere else as things settle into place, also lets you see right away where the holes might be.  I used different color sticky notes so I could keep the mini and the major story archs straight.   The huge board also leaves you room to start character, place fact sheets and you can't lose the d*** thing.  It resides on the dining room table or some other place because it's so big and is a constant reminder to get back to work on it!  LOL

I also like excel worksheets. Break it into sections, then set up columns-->I. Title of each scene, II.Action/what happens, III. WHY the scene is important or WHY it exists or is necessary, IV. word count.  You can shift things up and down, insert, delete, drag unclear sections down into the bottom.  Also later it makes putting the synopsis together easier because you can start with cut/paste.  (Don't kill yourself with Chapter numbers.  They change all the time as you work anyway.)

Best news, you'll have scenes that are definite keepers.  You can use the Title on word doc and start writing as a break from organizing. 

Something about Jim's big huge poster board and different color sticky notes though makes it a master piece of enjoyment.  Sort of the same satisfaction of having finally completed a really huge, tiny piece puzzle.  It's tactile vs the cerebral excel sheet. 

Good writing!

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