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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blgarver:
I'm one of those unstructured writers that everyone in creative writing class laughs at.

Instead of developing the story as I'm writing the first draft, however, i've started writing a treatment.  It's similar to an outline, but not as rigid and formulaic (sp?).  It's used in screenwriting to pitch the full lenght script.  It's like a 5, 10, 15 or whatever page version, written in complete prose, covering the core plot and character arcs.  No details or art about the treatment, just: "John and Susan use their newfound knowledge to break into Mr. Burke's office.  After some rummaging, they discover bomb blueprints and detailed city maps in a hidden compartment in the wall.  As they discuss the revelation that their boss is a villainous mastermind, they hear footsteps in the hallway and Mr. Burke's familiar whistle."  And so on and so forth, through all the major scenes of the book.

This method lets me avoid the rigidity of an outline, yet lets me develop the plot and characters before I begin the actual first draft.  And after I do the treatment I can transfer it all to notecards if I wish, but I don't personally.  Notecards are too structured for me.

Those are my two cents.

BLG

meg_evonne:
so Reed, fess up.  Did you get the slinky to behave?  If so how?  "-)  couple oreos for you for your time. 

reed:

--- Quote from: meg_evonne on June 25, 2008, 02:26:25 PM ---so Reed, fess up.  Did you get the slinky to behave?  If so how?  "-)  couple oreos for you for your time. 

--- End quote ---

So far I've only added more kinks in the metal that is my slinky. I've added to somethings which is nice, but the worst of it is that I've come up with 5 new cultures and nations and have another 3-4 floating around waiting for some lightning to strike and charge them up.

The real kicker for me right now that's bogging me down is name creation, and it's mostly cause I can't continue on context with each culture/society/nation that I come up with. I keep coming up with names for things but none of the names coincide/jive/mesh well with the ones I came up with prior to the first. (ex. I came up with the name Sunvalla as a city name, but I can't come up with a name for the kingdom, and while I was attempting to do so I came up with the name Holiced which sparked me to jot down about 10 pages of descriptions and notes on a Northern (polar) Empire that is riddled with Dragons, Humans, and all sorts of mythical/fantastic creatures of the cold.)

I think what I need to do is be completely random in my approach and try not to come up with things one at a time but rather just let it all unfold from my mind as it comes and when I hit a Stop sign or road block, take the notes I have and try and compile them into something cohesive, if not incomplete.

Well, time to work on the magic of the world and try and come up with ideas for spells, spell schools, and how it's all going to start in the first place...oh, that gives me a good idea for a middle history of the world.......maybe I just need to start sound boarding ideas off of people...D@MN YOU SLINKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  ;D

meg_evonne:

--- Quote from: reed on June 27, 2008, 07:16:32 AM ---So far I've only added more kinks in the metal that is my slinky. I've added to somethings which is nice, but the worst of it is that I've come up with 5 new cultures and nations and have another 3-4 floating around waiting for some lightning to strike and charge them up.


--- End quote ---
  Holy cow!  Maybe time for a bunch of short stories for each and then use the ones that have staying power in the novel?  Sounds like a plan to hijack readers into the NeverNever. JB fans would appreciate but other readers might get crabby!   :-)

Moritz:

--- Quote from: reed on June 27, 2008, 07:16:32 AM --- ideas for spells, spell schools, and how it's all going to start in the first place...oh, that gives me a good idea for a middle history of the world.......
--- End quote ---

Sounds a lot like D&D to me. Don't you just come up with spells when they are needed in the story?

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