Are you excited? I'm excited. I got my scene list/outline created yesterday. Now I just have to figure out some biological questions regarding my sea serpents. (Mostly, should they be mammals, reptiles or fish? I'm leaning towards mammals for reasons related to another character, but there are downfalls to the mammal option as well.)
OMG! This sea serpent is totally badass! I LOVES it!
Have any of you other plotters out there started your outlines yet?
OOOH check out this fun website I found!
It's a random plot point generator!
This is really helpful for me because I'm always looking for bad things to happen to my characters. When I cant' think of something off the top of my head, I always default to "a fire breaks out"
Needless to say, I think you can really only have so many fires in so many novels before you need to break away from that.
At this fun website it generates random bad things that can happen. Obviously not all of them pertain (especially since I write fantasy and there aren't things like phones or cars) but I would say a good 50% of them are usable.
For example:
"Aliens attack"
"Peer pressure is fun. Especially when it convinces your character to shoplift, trespass, or go naked"
"There is battle/conflict/fight/duel and the loser gets their ass kicked so badly it is just embarrassing for everyone involved. This conflict should upset the balance of power, with the winner walking away with all the spoils" (I really like this one)
How is everyone else's NaNo idea coming along? (for those of you who plan ahead, anyway).
That's some sea serpent you've got there.
ReplyDeleteMy outline is coming along but there are still huge gaps in it. I like to keep it loose until I actually start writing. Otherwise I just end up erasing the outline and rewriting it as I go.
Duuuude, I wanna be that sea serpent!!
ReplyDeleteanywho, since judging took a little longer than planned, I have only gone as far as writing another longer synopsis but I figured out who one of my characters looks like!
Ooh scary sea serpent.
ReplyDeleteI've got a rought outline, but I like to discover things as I go aong. The main scenes are planned, I just need to join the dots as I NaNo. ;)
I'm *not* a fiction writer at all--but my sis (Ann Foxlee:)) writes fiction. So you may wonder why I'm hanging around here...because I'm fascinated getting to look into this window of a process that is mostly a mystery to me! It's really fun being a mouse in the corner, listening to how a bunch of fiction writers actually go about doing that. I feel a bit like an anthropologist...(I'll be quiet now and just continue observing:))
ReplyDeleteAny story with a serpent like that in it is sure to be fun to write! Good luck with it :)
ReplyDeletei wish i had more time to sketch up some serpent idears. because that = fun.
ReplyDeletestupid November being right around the corner
Dan - i'm a bit worried my outline may be a bit too short. But we'll see what happens once i actually start writing it
ReplyDeleteHannah - ooh i'm excited to see the results!
And who? WHO?
Lindsay - oh yeah, me too. My outline consists of - Pier finds sea serpent. So and so dies. How all that stuff happens is my pantser side
Yokohama - Hah! i'll try not to look directly at you in the corner, so as to not ruin your data
Jaydee - i know, right? That thing needs to eat some people, right away
Anne - but but but - you have a whole week! You can get some things sketched up! I need lots of different serpents!
Josh Hartnett but as he looks in 30 Days of Night. I turned it on yesterday and I was like, YES!!! THAT'S HIM!! It was amazing because that's never happened to me before, I mean never!
ReplyDeleteMy outline is ready for NaNo. No fires, although there will be some explosions!
ReplyDeleteI've just recently been talked into NaNo, and I'm clueless what i'll be doing.
ReplyDeleteLove the colors in that picture!
I've just recently been talked into NaNo, and I'm clueless what i'll be doing.
ReplyDeleteLove the colors in that picture!
I've just recently been talked into NaNo, and I'm clueless what i'll be doing.
ReplyDeleteLove the colors in that picture!
For once I am outlining, but it is a macro-line. I can't do the scene-by-scene, or even chapter-by-chapter outlines.
ReplyDeleteI have to go with the big points only, maybe a one-page summary of the book, and then write to fill in the details.
I'm writing already, but I'll be using NaNo as a tickler to urge me to write at a faster clip.
- Eric
Hannah - yeah that doesn't ever happen to me either
ReplyDeleteAlex - space explosions? SPACESPLOSIONS!
Tara - yay! That's half the fun!
Eric - i don't separate into chapters until the draft is done. My outline consists of a very broad list of scenes
I haven't outlined yet, but I spent some time Saturday developing the story and feel like I at least have enough to fill the pages.
ReplyDeleteThough I still have to figure out the details of my MacGuffin...
First, I'm sorry about your grandma pig passing away. :(
ReplyDelete(I just read Friday's post, sorry I'm running a little behind.) And happy birthday to Yvie. :)
Second, LOVE the sea serpent. And I love that you're writing the sea serpent story...you said you were eventually gonna, and now you are! I cannot wait to read your badass sea serpent story!! (and that picture IS full of gnarly badass serpent-ness!)
And last but not least, I, natch, have no clue what I'll be writing for nano. I'm trying to stay focused on revision of current WiP until the last (nano)second.
(see what I did there?)
So, no. No outline. No clue. I'll cross that bridge Nov. 1st.
Have a fabulous Monday, S.
Love,
Lola
Happy Monday! I love the thought of a random plot generator - must give that a try. Good luck with NaNo!
ReplyDeleteTeebore - we can chat about it tonight, if need be
ReplyDeleteLola - aww thanks! And when i wrote this post i actually thought "no way Lola has anything planned" ;)
Talli - you too! and yeah, so much easier than "let's throw in a fire!"
damnit, where'd my second comment go?
ReplyDeletefirst, i love Lola's comments
second, you need to decide if the serpents are mammals or what not, because that changes how they might look, doesn't it?
I love the pic too. Awesome site!!! So much fun. =D
ReplyDeleteI am being honest with myself this year - I DO NOT HAVE TIME TO NANO! Lol... I know, who does, right? This year I'm taking a break from the pressure, but it is really a fun experience. Good luck to you! Your sea serpents sound awesome!
ReplyDeleteHaven't tried a random plot generator yet but that might be a good idea for some short story or flash fic exercises! Thanks for the idea!
Good luck with NaNoWriMo! I'm not participating, but hope everyone that is reaches their goals.
ReplyDeleteAnne - i've decided on Mammals for at least Rule's species
ReplyDeleteRaShelle - thanks!
Dangerous - hey, i held off doing NaNo for many years until i was fairly confident i'd have time to fit it in
Kelly - thanks!
Ooh, thanks for that link! Super fun! :D
ReplyDeleteThat is a cool sea serpent. It's a tough deciding the little things.
ReplyDeleteI really want to do it this year, but I just don't have the time. =(
ReplyDeleteThat is one bad ass sea serpent :)
ReplyDeleteI had no idea a random plot generator existed. Off to give it a try now...
I can't wait for NaNoWriMo :D I've got my plot outlined, but I need to work out what to write for each day (nearly 2k a day - eep!). Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI tend to goto the strange news stories on the BBC or other news sites for plot inspiration :P