…but it IS writing related, I suppose.
I’ve been outlining a lot. I’ve got a new method I love for developing a story plot and outline. It’s a lot more work than just filling in the milestones or sections of a story map like I’ve done in the past. I think the payoff, however, is going to be richer stories for the effort. At least, I hope so. Some of that payoff, naturally, depends on my skill as a storyteller, so there’s a risk.
Doing this, I’ve outlined my old, beloved manuscript (I mentioned this before), it’s sequel, a new stand-alone novel (which I initially worked over with my beloved wife using The Hero’s Journey model), an idea I’ve had about a haunted woman which is now a developed plot, and my languishing literary attempt, which didn’t have an outline, map, goal, or anything else which would have made it a real story. So…all that in the last month or so. Not bad.
I have a few more on tap, too. I can’t wait to run them through this mill and see what turns out the other side!
I like this new method, which is a sort of streamlined version of utilizing Dramatica Theory of Story (Google it if you’re interested), which provides me with some key elements to the story I’m working on. When I segment those key elements in the existing story map I’ve mentioned before, I end up with four markers for each act, which are then broken nicely into four sequence of events each, and each of those sequences has four events, giving me sixteen events per act, for a total of sixty-four. But this varies; it could be as few as forty-eight events, wherein each act has four sequences which are broken into only three events each. See how that works?
I hope so. At any rate, this new method provides a great structure, but I’ve also been reading another book which posits another way of looking at those sequences. They all work together for the story, so it’s not that big a deal, but I’m always on the look-out for an easier way, a simpler way, a way which more clearly defines things for me so I understand and execute them better.
I’m learning about subtext too, and how to create it, and how much readers love it. So we’ll see if there’s the possibility of getting that included in the stories too. But that’s more at the scene level and the outline level, frankly.
So not much writing, but a whole lotta learning and outlining. It’s good stuff. I guess maybe next month I’ll get back to writing.
In other news, I also uploaded another stand-alone version of a short (long) story from my collection books. This one’s called Remember Me, and it will be free (provided it’s live) from Monday (today as you read this) through Wednesday this week, so be sure and get your copy while it’s free! At the time of this writing, however, I don’t have a link to give you with the correct title, so it’s not “live” yet. When it is, you’ll be the first to know it!
Also, BIG – and I mean BIG – stuff happening at work. Prayers are appreciated.
Hope you had a good weekend!
-JDT-
