Nano Prep October 2019

Day 9 - Plot: Rising Action (How deos the story get there?)

Oct. 09: - Plot: Rising Action (How does the story get there?) ▼

Review your notes from the "Premise" and "Beginning" plot exercises, and tweak the conflict(s) and inciting incident as needed before proceeding with the "Rising Action" plot exercise, as follows:

This is where I need to 'braid' in the romantic beats of the story.

(1) Describe any initial refusals on the part of your protagonist(s) to face the conflict.

Initial fears keep her in her unhappy position. She puts up with it because it is familiar and because she can create her own designs in the evenings on her own time. She is a homebody, so not going our all the time in the Big City does not bother her.

(2) Describe the moment when your protagonist(s) makes the choice to face the conflict.

The first thing Arlynn does is put a password on her computer. Lance gets very angry about this, but though she gives him the impression that she will comply, she has no intension of doing so. The next morning she packs up all the possessions she has (not many in a bachelor pad) and moves everything into her car.

(3) Describe the moment when your protagonist(s) crosses the point of no return and cannot change their mind.

This is when she packs up all her things and puts them in her car. She then moves her car to a lot closer to Jim and David's place as Jim has told her she can stay with them. She decides to go that route. Then she quits and heads for the part of Ontario that has always been 'home' to her.

(4) Fill in some of the blanks: How will your characters get from the point of no return to the climax?

Just before arriving in Cottage Country, Arlynn gets pulled over for speeding... the officer is Ryan. That is the beginning of their relationship.
She moves into her aunt and uncle's cottage and begins to set up her life there. Beginning a freelance career and developing her own stories and illustrations for Children's books.
Ryan is her neighbour just through the property line. He is also a great help and friend to her aunt and uncle. Nicky adores him almost as much as he adores his cousin, Arlynn.
Though contacts that her ex-supervisor gave her, she is able to work with a children's book author and that woman arranges a meeting for Arlynn to meet her agent - who signs her. Being in the Big City makes her miss Ryan all the more and realize she needs to take a chance with him - stop holding back. Ryan goes through a similar realization - fearing he may loose her to the Big City. When she comes back after her business meetings and also from visiting her family and buying a truck, their relationship takes on a new level.
When Arlynn leaves to go to the Big City for business, Penny is figuring she can now have Ryan.... but then Arlynn returns and she needs to step up her game and find this ex-boyfriend.
It is not long after that that Lance shows up.

Do I have Lance try to take her with force?
Does Ryan threaten him with legal charges if he doesn't leave?
Does Lance leave peacefully or does something more sinister happen?