Wednesday, October 12, 2011

19 more days!

Holy moses... 19 more days until NaNo!

I've been so busy shopping planning for my IRE trip that my book outline has been lovingly placed on the back burner. And that doesn't bode well for this plotter. I need to have a better idea of what is going to happen and when so I can add in the proper clues and hints and foreshadowing where needed.

(Sidenote: I just love how I made that sound like I've perfected the art of foreshadowing... HA!)

I mentioned in a previous blog that I was trying to do this year's NaNo with Scrivener. So far, that's been working. Last week, I sat down with index cards to order the scenes I've been flirting with. I listed the scene in one sentence and at the bottom of the card I wrote SETS UP: xyz, where I listed what each scene or information revealed.

I then sat down with the cards and laid them out on my desk in a somewhat logical order. A large part of me wanted to pull up a Word doc and begin the outline process there, but I remembered Scrivener had a feature specifically for the index card process called the Cork Board.

I typed up all the cards I had, using the colored tacks to designate if the cards were points of conflict, scene ideas, or questions to consider, first.

Once I got all my cards entered, I kept making new ones. Adding cards was a breeze and I was soon on a roll. I especially enjoyed having a color (green, I think) specifically for questions that I would need to answer or situations I would need to introduce before the next plot point. And if something needed to move? No problem, I simply dragged the card to its new spot in the story.

Scrivener is pretty easy to use, but I am by no means a pro. I'm still fairly confident that I'm only using about 30% of its power, but each time I use it I become more comfortable. 

Next on the to do list? First, find an ending that I'm happy with (though I know I'll likely change it later). Then I need to do some real character development. I might interview them. I might just fill out questionnaires about them. Or I may mine through Margo's now dark Urbanpsychopomp blog or the ever-informative Wicked & Tricksy blog for past posts on how plot your novel before you write it. Like this one. Margo, FTW!

9 comments:

  1. Love the screenshot! I may have to post one or two from Scrivener in my next post =D I'm sure you'll get you're outline all up to snuff before your IRE trip! I can't wait to read pieces from your story (if you post them) - I'm sure they'll be excellent.

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  2. Ooooh cool screenshot! How helpful to have them all in one place like that. Sometimes I'm envious of the plotters of this world ;)

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  3. I'm in love. Colorful organization = my heart.

    I'm going to have to look up more about this Scrivner business...is it only for writing, or can I use it to organize anything?

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  4. @Zeke, I probably won't post story excerpts here, though I'm not sure if it's because I'm afraid of someone stealing my work (HA!) or because I'm afraid of letting on how poor my writing can be... :)

    @Miss Cole, trust me... sometimes I'm jealous of the pantsers of the world. It would be so much easier of the story was a surprise to me as well!

    @Linz, I knew you'd love it. Scrivener is software for writing, but I imagine you could easily use the outlines, split screens, full screens, binder, and cork board functions for organizing just about anything. Home projects, resumes, shopping lists, wish lists, etc. Hit up Zeke for her thoughts on the Windows version!

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  5. "Margo, FTW!"

    Speak of the devil and who should appear... :)

    Looks like you are having fun with Scrivner like I have with Dramatica Pro. May it be a great NaNo for you.

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  6. Very neat! Thanks for sharing. And have fun in IRE!!

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  7. Oooh, pretty. I'm going to try Scrivener for the first time ever as I dip my toe into the plotter waters. Wish me luck!

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  8. Thanks, Nicole. I plan to!

    Ade, best of luck! I'd offer to help if you had any questions, but yeah, I'm a novice myself...

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  9. Bleeeggghhh I cannot figure these software systems out. I spent the first few hours of last year's NaNo trying to understand Storyist and just going back to Word. lol

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