A month-long novel-planning challenge with prizes galore. |
Story breakthrough/experience that might be helpful to other pantsers: Roseille ♥ wrote some great advice in her response "Re: Oh NO!" about how to approach figuring out a climax and how your story might end. In thinking through her basic questions, I began to get bogged down with my character just wanting to live her life, and that doesn't get anyone anywhere. But I kept digging and was able to clear up where I'm going with this without making firm decisions, because I know anything I decide now will probably change once I start writing because my characters drive the plot, and they can be stubborn. I know my protagonist well. Or, I think I do. There isn't anyone or anything preventing her from getting what she needs - what she needs is to be happy and have friends. But that's the surface, and how boring is that? I know she has a lot of baggage she's buried deep inside, but I don't know exactly what it is, though I have some ideas. My plan is basically to throw rubbish (mostly unknowns) in her path to build tension while the decisions she makes about the rubbish set in motion events (still mostly unknowns) that force her to make decisions that ultimately lead her to a climax where she'll do something that will make or break her (hopefully make her, but she'll be much changed by what she's done, or not done). The resolution will be her returning to her old life and figuring out how to make it work with her new outlook on life–or making a new life based on what's changed. Is that enough for a first outline? I didn't realize until now that that's what was coming out in this message If you're curious, the genre is Urban Fantasy, my protagonist is a witch in current day alt-Atlanta, and she's recently pledged fealty to a high-ranking fae noble. Any comments would be appreciated Angela |