Young Writers Society

Lists Are Love

Yes, I really do love lists. Not the bad kind, mind you. The bad kind being to-do lists and lists of thank you notes to write. But I’m in love with the good kind. And the good kind just happen to be those that help with writing.

Often when I’m plotting my novel, or even when I’m in the middle of writing a chapter, I’ll stop and think, What next?

I’ll tell you what next. Make a list.

Make a list of all the things you can think of that could happen in this situation, ridiculous or not. Lay down, get a snack, do something that doesn’t require you to exert much brain power or pay attention. I, personally, like to play Spider Solitaire. Or take a shower. I do some of my best thinking in the shower.

Okay. Ready, set, BRAINSTORM!!!

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Got a nice list of ideas yet? No? Okay, keep thinking, then…

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Done now? Okay. Now take a good look at your list. Here is where you really need to keep your characters in mind. No doubt you’ve thought of some really off-the-wall options, or else some rather boring ones. Maybe both. Maybe you like all of your ideas. But would the characters in the scene you’re working with do something like that? Ever? Is it in character for them to take that pie on the desk and smear it in the face of their boss? No? Then cross it out. Repeat after me: I must stay in character. If you do not stay in character, my friend, your novel is screwed. I must stay in character.

So now you’ve got a slightly smaller list, right? Now take a look at one of the ideas you came up with. What would be the consequences of each option? If you’ve decided that it’s in character for Joe to pie his boss, what’s going to happen? Joe’s boss probably won’t be very happy. Joe might lose his job. If he doesn’t lose his job, his co-workers may treat him differently from then on. How so? Will they look up to him for doing what they’ve never had the courage to do? Or will they avoid him? As long as all those options on your list are in character, you can really pick and choose which one you like the best, based on the consequences. Which option will move the story along? Which situation would be the most fun to write? Maybe you love all of your ideas so much that you want to use them all. In that case, work out how you can stick all of those ideas together to make a combo. Or take your other, unused ideas and save them for later. You decide.

And when you’ve come to a conclusion, give yourself a pat on the back. Celebrate. Do a dance. Or something. Why? Because you’ve just overcome what might have been a nasty case of writer’s block and moved on with your work in progress. That’s good. Really good. Ergo, lists are love. <3

They proved it scientifically that nearly everybody has their best thoughts in the shower, but that's beside the point.

Lists definitely make things easier, Jason Bourne said so. I just tried this with a scene I'm having trouble with and it worked pretty well. I guess the results are only proportional to the effort put in, which wasn't much, but the technique should help me a lot in the long run. Thanks.

I do that all the time. Mostly in the shower.

Like today. I knew one of my characters had to die. It was a necessity. Another character had to take his place and try to live up to his status.

But the question was how? How was my character going to die? I knew he was going to die in war, but there are so many sides fighting in the war I didn't know who would kill him off, or why, even. I mean, this character was a pretty good soldier and could whip almost anyone.

So I made a list of possible killers and their motives. And I came up with the most brilliant idea, which even tied in back to my main character and gave me a time line to work with.

I agree - lists are love. Majorly. And it's so much fun thinking up all the possibilities!