Plotting With Michael Hague's Six Stage Plot Structure By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy So far we've discussed the Three-Act Structure, the Hero’s Journey, and the Save the Cat Beat Sheet. That leaves one more popular structure--Michael Hague's Six Stage Plot Structure. (Side note, if you ever get an opportunity to sit in on one of Hague's workshops, I highly recommend them.) This structure is a great choice for those who want a minimal amount of outlining. Extra tip: It's also a solid template for writing a synopsis when you're getting ready to submit your manuscript. Act One: First 25% Like every other act one so far, this starts out with the protagonist being who he is and getting an opportunity to act. 0-10% - Stage One: The Setup: The protagonist is fully in his identity. 10% Mark - Turning Point One: Opportunity: Something happens that provides an opportunity for the protagonist to act, and this will lead him to what will ultimately make him happy and complete. Act Two: 25-75% 75-100% - Act Three And there you have it.
Zombieland Story; 102 Resources for Fiction Writing « Here to Create UPDATE 1/10: Dead links removed, new links added, as well as Revision and Tools and Software sections. Are you still stuck for ideas for National Novel Writing Month? Or are you working on a novel at a more leisurely pace? 10 Days of Character Building Name Generators Name Playground The Universal Mary Sue Litmus Test Priming the idea pump (A character checklist shamlessly lifted from acting) How to Create a Character Seven Common Character Types Handling a Cast of Thousands – Part I: Getting to Know Your Characters It’s Not What They Say . . . Establishing the Right Point of View: How to Avoid “Stepping Out of Character” How to Start Writing in the Third Person Web Resources for Developing Characters What are the Sixteen Master Archetypes? Character: A compilation of guidance from classical and contemporary experts on creating great dramatic characters Building Fictional Characters Fiction Writer’s Character Chart Character Building Workshop Tips for Characterization Fiction Writer’s Character Chart
How to Create a Formal Outline ~ Writing Simplified About a month ago, I promised to follow up my blog post about informal outlines with one about formal outlines. It’s taken me a while but here is that subsequent blog post. Never let it be said I am not a woman of my word! When a teacher or supervisor asks you for a formal outline, she or he is requesting a document that has very specific formatting rules. Some rules will differ according to the kind of project you're working on and any specific instructions given to you, but there are a few general rules you should be aware of that govern all formal outlines. Items should follow logical order. Items should follow logical order. First of all, make sure that the content of your outline is logical before you start nitpicking on the format. The higher the heading level, the more general the statement. Don’t let this rule confuse you. I. To further clarify the levels of specificity, here is a short example. I. Every “A” must be accompanied by a “B”. Items must be in parallel structure. I.
Fill in the Blanks: A Plot Template to Keep you on Target By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy Last week I shared some great plotting tips from Southpark creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. I've been using them myself as I revise, but I couldn't stop thinking of other ways to apply this technique. I was also thinking about something a commenter said, and how this applied to the bigger marco issues, not just in the smaller goal-driving aspects. I was working on a blog post for that when it hit me. This could make a really cool plot template. The tip works on a micro level to see if your protagonist's actions are driving the plot, but when you pull back, you can also see how the entire scene works on a larger scale. Nya is trying to steal eggs for breakfast when she's caught by a night guard. This describes the first scene. Nya goes to the Healers' League to get rid of the pain she healed the night before. The cause and effect between these scenes: The boys see her shift pain, therefore/and so they tell the Elders about her. Trying to.
Character Creation Form By Crissy Moss In learning more about creating characters for my novel I learned far more about creating the world around them, and the history to them then ever I thought I would, or would need to. A person is not only a personality, but they are experiences, hopes, joys, passions, and foibles all rolled into one little package. For a writer you must not only create these in yourself, but for several, if not hundreds of other people as well. Those with the fullest detail, I have found, are actually far easier to write about then those who I know nothing about. With that having been said, I have devised a way to have all of this in one easy place, a list of questions to answer about any character for any setting so that I can have a complete history, personality, and everything else all at my finger tips. This list of questions makes that a lot easier. Remember: The questions are about your character, not about you, so answer appropriately. The Questions Physical Appearance: Favorites: Goals:
reference for writers Creating Outlines Creating Outlines by Kathleen Lietzau (printable version here) What is an Outline? An outline is a way of formally arranging and developing your ideas. The purpose of an outline is to help you organize your paper by checking to see if and how your ideas connect to each other, or whether you need to flesh out a point or two. Besides the basic structure (Roman numerals followed by capital letters followed by Arabic numerals, etc), there is no right or wrong way to make an outline. Macro Outlines Macro outlines, also known as topic outlines, help you to see the larger picture through a series of short phrases. For example, an outline for this page may look like this: I. A. II. A. 1. III. A. IV. A. V. A. As you can see, each part of the outline consists of just a few words, and conveys the basic idea of what belongs there, without going into too much detail. Micro Outlines Contrary to what its name might suggest, micro outlines can be even longer than macro outlines. I. A. II. A. 1. III. A. 1.
Free Beat Sheet Template – Simple Story Development Tool There are many ways to create a “beat sheet.” On a computer. On a sheet of typing paper. On the back of an envelope. 3 by 5 cards. If you aren’t familiar with the term, a “beat sheet” is a bulleted listing of the scenes in your story. Your beat sheet can be generic (such as, “Hero meets prospective love interest”)… or specific (“Butch sees Rachel being interviewed on the news and realizes he has to meet her”). In fact, one of the ways you use a beat sheet is to evolve the generic toward the specific. If you can identify your major story milestones here, you can begin to identify the ramp-up and reactive scenes that surround them. When you’re done, you’ve got your story on one or at least several pages. Each of the four sections shows 14 beats, or scenes. Huge thanks to Storyfix reader Rachel Savage, who provided this for us. Click. Yes, you can. Will it be final? That’s what the beat sheet is for. Enjoy. CLICK HERE to get your reprintable beat sheet template.
Character Traits navigation Writers.com: Online Creative Writing, Nonfiction, Screen Writing, Genre Classes & More Worksheets for Writers The writing community is fortunate to have many great resources. Based on things I learned from phenomenal teachers like Larry Brooks, Michael Hauge, and Martha Alderson, I developed these worksheets* to help all writers, from plotters to pantsers (those who write by the seat of their pants). Let me know at my Contact page if there are other worksheets you’d like me to create. Scroll down to see all my worksheets, or click to jump to the one you want… Story Arc Beat Sheets Writing Craft Worksheets Publishing Process Worksheets * With the exception of the Save the Cat Beat Sheet, which was developed by Elizabeth Davis, all worksheets were created by Jami Gold. New to Beat Sheets? Need examples? Note: I love sharing these worksheets, but if you give others the direct links to the files, the links won’t work. Want to Thank Me for These Worksheets? Stay Updated with Jami’s Book Releases and Blog Posts! Want to hear when Jami’s books come out and get pre-order sale prices? Save the Cat Beat Sheet: