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Any tips for planning?



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Fri Jun 17, 2011 6:07 pm
Maisie says...



Any tips for planning a novel? Step by step preferably.

Thanks in advance! :D
  





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Sun Jun 19, 2011 4:22 pm
tigershark17 says...



Wow, that is a very broad question. First, you have to have an idea, obviously. If you need any help coming up with things or developing ideas you already have, I would suggest reading The Writer's Idea Workshop by Jack Heffron. Then you start developing your characters. Give them names, appearance, characteristics. Figure out what/who the antagonist is in your story. Why does he/she want to hurt the protagonist, and how far will he/she go to do so? Add the who, when , where, what, why of your story. Use the five senses at all times to develop good scenes. Develop your plot. What happens to the MC, and why? How does the MC react to this? Don't forget subplot either. In real life, is anyone always focused on just one thing? No, of course not. They always have a lot going on at once. Give you character some troubles: marriage, kids, school, love life, work/boss, illness, religion, siblings, money. Also, a tip for dealing with keeping you MC just that, and not letting your secondary characters take over: give your MC at least three general characteristics; let your secondary characters stick with just one or two. For some, outlines help to plan novels. For others they are only a hassle. Everyone is different; find what works well for you and stick to it! If something doesn't work, change it. You will only frustrate yourself by trying to use methods that don't suit your style. Anyway, good luck; hope I helped!
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Sun Jun 19, 2011 7:17 pm
Rosendorn says...



I go a slightly different method, and when it comes to novel planning there really is no set method to actually going about planing one.

What I do is come up with an idea and start writing out scenes in a rough timeline, either on Index cards or in a word document. I then look over my timeline to see what order I want the scenes to be in, how much time should pass between each event, and look for thin spots. The thin spots then get filled out with more scene ideas, until I've got what I'd call a solid timeline (that will probably get added to as I go).

The character I usually just write out some rough details: a few key traits, defining quirk and maybe some rough description of features (which is very optional). Usually I just leave it at basic temperament and the special things that make a character unique. As I write I flesh out the character more, letting them develop as the story progresses.

Once that's done, all that's really left to do is write. I try not to plan in great detail, especially for a first draft. I try to write the whole thing before moving on to editing.

The second draft is where you start looking at the story more in-depth and really getting it to the detailed planning stage. That's when you plan out the arcs and the motivation, and take all the things you learned about your character as you wrote to form a more solid story. You make sure things make sense in the second draft, too.

Basically, the above process gets repeated with more detail and certainty until you're happy.
A writer is a world trapped in a person— Victor Hugo

Ink is blood. Paper is bandages. The wounded press books to their heart to know they're not alone.
  





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Mon Jun 20, 2011 4:43 pm
Maisie says...



Thankyou for your responses! I have come to learn that I don't like the idea of jumping right into a story without knowing it vaguely. But then, If I plan chapter by chapter and then want to change things, I feel like I've not stuck to my original plan. And if, say, I know I definitely want something to happen, I always plan it too early on in the story. Any other tips for these additional problems?
  





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Mon Jun 20, 2011 5:07 pm
Rosendorn says...



Write them all out and let the story twist around as it sees fit! I've gone through at least 7 plot overhauls and the story is so far from its original plan it's not really the same story— it's so much better.

The outlining method I gave you might work for filling in the gaps. Write out everything you really want to happen and see what's a reasonable time between these events, and what could happen in the mean time. Then you plan the big things before all the little things, then everything tends to fit.
A writer is a world trapped in a person— Victor Hugo

Ink is blood. Paper is bandages. The wounded press books to their heart to know they're not alone.
  





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Mon Jun 20, 2011 5:20 pm
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Maisie says...



Thanks again, Rosey! :)
  





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Mon Jun 20, 2011 5:41 pm
kjr5horses says...



Okay so here is my step by step fool proof plan to writing a novel in a year.

1. Name your characters.

2. Throw away your outline! All of it! I find that people who follow their outlines fail and their stories fall apart.

3. Have a vague no detail idea of how you want your story to end like for example, "The (Bad Guy's Name) will die." Don't plan the end out your story will change, and what happens happens. Let your story evolve and take control.

4.Let your fingers go, don't hold anything back! Just write don't think just write!

5. Edit later! It gets in the way of the writing process. Editing is what you do once your story is complete not when it is only half way done. Editing while you are writing slows down the writing process!

6. Let the story write itself, do not take control!

7. Planning is pointless, can you plan out step by step how your life goes? This is the same with your characters, let them choose what happens, let them make the decisions. Don't plan out their lives, you can't they are the ones who make the choices.

8. Be prepared to fall in love with your characters! If you don't then..well I don't think you have found the story or the characters that you are meant to write. It takes awhile but its true, the one story that you do not get bored of and the characters that are always on your mind are the ones that you should write about. Your writing will also be amazing and come naturally if you love your characters, if your heart sinks down to your stomach when something bad just might happen, or you are filled with joy every time something good finally happens. If you don't laugh, jump for joy, or cry with/for your characters then..well you aren't attached to them.

That's what I have, trust me the story develops itself. Without you thinking too hard it just happens. It comes naturally. Just remember these things and you will be fine oh! and I almost forgot the most important step!

9. Write for yourself! NOT FOR EVERYONE ELSE (Like us who you just asked) If you love your characters and your story the chances are someone else in the world will too. I have seen too many good authors start writing for the crowd/readers and not for themselves. It ruins the story and it becomes predictable...and basically falls apart until it is just a memory....

Anywho....have fun!

KJR
"Me I'm dishonest but a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly its the honest ones you have to watch out for because you can never tell when they are going to do something incredibly...stupid." ~Capt. Jack Sparrow
  





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Mon Jun 20, 2011 9:32 pm
Maisie says...



Thank you so much for your advice! :) The thing is, I never stick with plans anywho, but wanted to have a vague idea of what was going to happen.
  





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Mon Jun 20, 2011 10:38 pm
Stori says...



Regarding what Tiger Shark said: don't be afraid of that! If a secondary character wants to become the main character, let them.
  





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Tue Jun 21, 2011 2:00 am
EloquentDragon says...



Best plan ever?
Just write. Write anything, write everything.
Write your book, stay on track, don't get board, but mostly write.
And call me when you get back dahling, I enjoy our visits.
No more countin' dollars... we'll be countin' stars.

Enter, if you dare.
  





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Tue Jun 21, 2011 8:29 am
Maisie says...



Thanks for all the responses
  








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