How are you on the basic idea of a plot, the buildup, the climax, the denouement, etc? Complications and resolutions? I'm trying to think of my writing library and if anything explicitly addresses the process of getting people through an action. Are you wanting the grand framework of an entire story or the construction of scenes that progress the individual actions? Or all of the above?
You know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I go get and beat you with until you understand who's in ruttin' command here.
Jayne ,'The Train Job'
The Great Write Way, Act Three: Where's the gun?
A place for Buffistas to discuss, beta and otherwise deal and dish on their non-fan fiction projects.
Connie Neil - Feb 28, 2013 11:17:42 am PST #5573 of 6690
brillig
Amy - Feb 28, 2013 11:21:08 am PST #5574 of 6690
Because books.
Writing the Breakout Novel by Don Maas, who's an established agent. It's a great resource.
hippocampus - Feb 28, 2013 11:24:23 am PST #5575 of 6690
not your mom's socks.
also The 90-day novel and Nancy Kress' Beginnings, Middles, and Ends.
Two totally different approaches.
Typo Boy - Feb 28, 2013 11:43:57 am PST #5576 of 6690
Calli: My people have a saying. A man who trusts can never be betrayed, only mistaken.Avon: Life expectancy among your people must be extremely short.
I'll try all of those. beginnings middels and ends sounds especially promising, cause "middles" is my worst weakness.
sj - Feb 28, 2013 11:45:32 am PST #5577 of 6690
"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."
I might look into some of those books too. I have an idea that I have had kicking around for a while, the characters and setting are very clear to me, but I have no idea how to actually plot out a novel.
Gudanov - Feb 28, 2013 11:53:09 am PST #5578 of 6690
Coding and Sleeping
Second Sight by Cheryl Klein (an editor at Scholastic) is pretty good. I have a copy. It covers more than plot, but I like how it deals with both the physical plot and the emotional plot of the story.
Connie Neil - Feb 28, 2013 12:05:48 pm PST #5579 of 6690
brillig
must resist buying more books
Burrell - Feb 28, 2013 12:52:26 pm PST #5580 of 6690
Why did Darth Vader cross the road? To get to the Dark Side!
Thanks Amy, Sox, and Gudanov. I realize that I need to push through my resistance to writing, whatever the hell it is that keeps me from ever finishing a project. And plot is a big part of my resistance.
Connie Neil - Feb 28, 2013 1:03:25 pm PST #5581 of 6690
brillig
I've got the plot, I just hate my character in this scene. And if I skip this scene and do the part I want, I'll never get back to it. Like saying you'll eat your green beans after you eat the mashed potatoes.
JZ - Mar 01, 2013 2:42:11 pm PST #5582 of 6690
See? I gave everybody here an opportunity to tell me what a bad person I am and nobody did, because I fuckin' rule.
Endings are my great white whale; they task me, they task me.
Next chunk is up; this section is unfinished, but maybe tomorrow, the good Lord willing and the Russian spambot trolls don't rise?