Off the Cuff: Writing about what? · 11:46pm Aug 24th, 2015
Gonna try something new with blogs or something while I'm in between stories or in between completing one story and finishing the next. Off the cuff blogs, where I just write what comes to mind when it comes to mind and throw it at y'all.
Today's topic that brought up an off-the-cuff idea was writing about what, and reviving a dead or dormant story.
What, or more specifically, what question should be asked to revive a story?
Myself, I've been asking myself of late "What needs to happen next?" Not "What does happen?" but needs to happen. What does happen is that the scene can continue indefinitely into the minutiae of a life. What needs to happen is more pointedly directed at the storyteller aspect of every writer.
What needs to happen next?
You need to click the break.
In my most recent explorations of What needs to happen next? I've been working on the sequel to The Last Vacation, or, more specifically, its outline. I'm up to about 2k words of outline and thoughts on plots for the characters who are going to be POV characters, some outlines for potential subplots and plots within each POV character's arc (and yes, there are going to be multiple POV characters. I'm not sticking with just Sunset, or just Sonata this time. Right from the start, there's going to be a variety of characters that will get their own POVs.
I had stalled for about a week after finalizing TLV's last minute epilogue chapter, a little frozen on how to proceed. I knew what needed to happen (namely start outlining, dipweed) but I kept stalling because I was torn on where to start it and what to put down.
So, instead of doing more, on Sunday I sat down, opened a fresh google doc separate from my other plot and summary doc, and the first thing I wrote was "What needs to happen next?"
Well, actually, I started working on a silly sex comedy story called Anatomy Lessons... thanks Skype... but the point remains the same. I wrote down that question, and then set about answering it in as broad a scope as I could, with bullet points and an idea of what needed to happen by the end of the story. Since I didn't yet have an idea of how to actually start either story, I started by putting down the last character we spent time with (pre-epilogue) in TLV. Sunset Shimmer.
Below her name, I asked "What needs to happen next?" With her, I decided what needed to happen first. Then expanded from there.
When I ran out of steam on her plot (after almost a full page of outline for the first chapter and prologue) I moved on to Sonata. And then on to AJ and Rarity. And so on and so forth. I just let it all flow, and then went back and commented on what would fit where. Six pages later, I have a near fully outline plot for the Sirens, a near fully outlined plot for Rarity and Applejack, and a starting point for Sunset, and a few scanty notes for other characters that will appear with POVs, including Twilight Sparkle and, finally, Rainbow Dash and a couple others.
So how can this work for you? Well, take a look at your story ideas folder. Or notebook. Or just dig things out of your head with a spoon (because it hurts more), read it, think about it, click it, whatever... and once you've read it, write out a character's name that goes in the story, and ask "What needs to happen next?"
If "Next" is the start of the story, start there. If "Next" is the end of the story for an already completed outline, then fish out the main plot thread and figure out "What needs to happen next." If that involves talking to someone about it, always a good idea, do that. If it involves rolling it up and starting over, do that. Maybe the idea won't work as written.
That's fine. False starts happen, and you just move on and start over.
Sometimes, after having explored an idea that won't work, you gain a better understanding of what needs to happen to make it work, and that's important. We learn by failing and picking up and trying again. Or we learn by succeeding, and then dissecting the success and figuring out what might have worked better for the next time.
Remember, there is no such thing as a golden goose. There's only what works for you and what doesn't work. Insofar as writing is concerned, anyway. Don't go try to breathe water or something.
Unless you're a fish, then totally do that.
Um. Toodles, I guess.
This has been an off-the-cuff writing blog! Let me know if you'd like to read more of my rambling about writing! I'm good at rambling.
You're welcome!
Not bad ideas, here. It's always good to have someway to get the ball rolling. Law of physics and all.
I'm taking the most credit here! ^_^
... Upon reflection, it occurs to me that I may not be the best of artistic influences. I always encourage the really silly/weird/maybe-just-plain-dumb ideas. But hey, at least I get you guys writing!
You know where I stand on it!
I'd like to see more of these, its interesting to see how different people go about writing stories.
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But of course! I'm not sure when writing will resume on it yet, but it will resume now that I have a direction and a start.
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I would... if I knew what you were taking a stand on.
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There will likely be more as I continue to work on stories and come across particular things that get my brain ball rolling.