tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post2293657238476212310..comments2024-03-28T06:16:39.508+00:00Comments on Help! I Need a Publisher!: STORY STRUCTURE AND SHAPENicola Morganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-38064379727214034322009-11-05T14:44:47.646+00:002009-11-05T14:44:47.646+00:00I use a different method to develop story structur...I use a different method to develop story structure, but your post is very interesting to me. I like the idea of trying a different approach. I wouldn't have said I'm a storyboard kind of gal, but I'll admit to being intrigued. :)<br /><br />I'm tweeting this one.<br /><br />Elizabeth<br /><a href="http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow"> Mystery Writing is Elizabeth Spann Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15625595247828274405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-53062114495097508432009-11-02T17:40:28.715+00:002009-11-02T17:40:28.715+00:00I would like the author to have mind controlling p...I would like the author to have mind controlling powers over readers in order to raise an unstoppable army, but those are some overlord tendencies from my father's side. <br /><br />The topic is important and usually quite tricky to nail, since it is more or less based on intuition as to how a story flows and the actual shape manifests after many sleepless nights. And there are still quite a Harry Markovhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09140305922494369576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-23875928914668847792009-11-02T11:30:03.003+00:002009-11-02T11:30:03.003+00:00What an interesting post. I like the story board i...What an interesting post. I like the story board idea. I am trying different methods so will try this one soon.<br />The picture was just scrummy!Glynis Peters https://www.blogger.com/profile/01175378917872403609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-16228565330973307662009-10-31T21:49:53.492+00:002009-10-31T21:49:53.492+00:00Yes, I tend not to take any notice when I get told...Yes, I tend not to take any notice when I get told I lick my fur the wrong way! I think the important thing is to what works for you.catdownunderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06959328192182156574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-21666337753237021682009-10-31T20:24:50.330+00:002009-10-31T20:24:50.330+00:00Gosh, lots to think about in this post. I took par...Gosh, lots to think about in this post. I took part in NaNoWriMo last year and made a storyboard much like yours. It was great for keeping me writing - every day I picked a few cards and wrote the scenes described on them - but I did feel rather restricted. This year I'm doing NaNoWriMo again and I have done no plotting at all. It's just an experiment to see what kind of novel will come Helenhttp://helencaldwell.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-20660963783323874382009-10-31T17:08:18.198+00:002009-10-31T17:08:18.198+00:00Catdownunder - never take any notice of people w...Catdownunder - never take any notice of people who tell you how you "should" get from A to B. As long as you get to B and the whole journey looks beautiful and perfect, it doesn't matter.<br /><br />Pen - you are way more organised than I am: those peaks were just a random impression. I guess i could try your excellent-sounding method, though.<br /><br />clare - I've neverNicola Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-35437333495423649682009-10-31T12:14:13.363+00:002009-10-31T12:14:13.363+00:00Thank you for another enlightening post (and it cl...Thank you for another enlightening post (and it clarifies your comment about my Hallowe'en entry)-the breathing analogy is particularly helpful.<br />My limited published writing has been mainly non-fiction and the word "structure" in relation to an article obviously means something totally diffferent.<br />I tend to write intuitively never having studied creative writing but I'Clarehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06466817234425104422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-8791329960209793562009-10-31T11:13:16.080+00:002009-10-31T11:13:16.080+00:00I always get my novel students to start with a lis...I always get my novel students to start with a list of questions including "Whose story is this?" and "What do they want?" Vagueness on those two central questions is what causes most of the unpublished MSs I have read to fall apart.<br /><br />Graphs and shapes are great if they work for you. I believe Robert Goddard (master of the tortuous plot) uses colour-coded cards Daniel Blythehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07487799866651688342noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-57399844520409953862009-10-31T03:48:54.485+00:002009-10-31T03:48:54.485+00:00Great post, thanks.
Something I often do which hel...Great post, thanks.<br />Something I often do which helps me visualize my story is to draw the zig-zaggy valleys and peaks and jot at each point the event it is related to. (I.e.: first crisis or peak - pro's father's murder, then a slight dip when she is rescued, another high as they escape the castle etc etc.)<br />This kills two birds with one stone plot and structure = DONE!<br />DoesPenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06605428306080473273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-31215380354000501602009-10-31T00:18:04.339+00:002009-10-31T00:18:04.339+00:00Great info! I don't/can't/won't plot o...Great info! I don't/can't/won't plot out before hand - takes away the fun for me. But it works. I love how we all vary so much in our styles.Jemi Fraserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02214408467456320167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-79214851682890661422009-10-30T21:04:26.660+00:002009-10-30T21:04:26.660+00:00But Ms Morgan I was told I should have the whole t...But Ms Morgan I was told I should have the whole thing planned in detail before I start! I was told that pre-planning in detail is the only way to ever write anything good enough for publication. You mean you do things differently? <br />I know when I put my paws on the pedals and get some fresh air through my fur things happen. I may not even be thinking about what I am writing but, suddenly, I catdownunderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06959328192182156574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-6491987195670522642009-10-30T20:33:02.181+00:002009-10-30T20:33:02.181+00:00The breathing analogy really helps me wrap my mind...The breathing analogy really helps me wrap my mind around building and releasing tension in my chapters :). Thank you for that!Rebecca Knighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15214077952378770753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-6206899369243990612009-10-30T19:16:25.829+00:002009-10-30T19:16:25.829+00:00Thank you! You are always so informative and helpf...Thank you! You are always so informative and helpful, and you manage to wrap it all in the most entertaining words.Patience-pleasehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13262203054740351060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-27280084415139358392009-10-30T18:38:56.118+00:002009-10-30T18:38:56.118+00:00Proe - I know: you do everything so much better ...Proe - I know: you do everything so much better than I do.<br /><br />Sally - i'll be looking out for your words of erudition: you always add a touch of class to the class.<br /><br />Marisa - me too. But I would *like* to plot in an organised fashion instead of something hastily scraped together after the event for my editor. Mind you, the second draft is where i usually get my Nicola Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12189894289540344094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-14215739432939872962009-10-30T17:08:14.298+00:002009-10-30T17:08:14.298+00:00Thank you. Structures of novels terrify me. I'...Thank you. Structures of novels terrify me. I'm off to make some pointy mountain pictures.<br /><br />Thank you again.Flixton Mumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17786998532681180809noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-15895742744061030892009-10-30T15:57:57.012+00:002009-10-30T15:57:57.012+00:00Personally, I like the infinity story structure--y...Personally, I like the infinity story structure--you know, the one that's shaped like the infinity symbol. I once had a CW prof draw a whole lot of story shapes on the chalk board, and that was one of them. I always wanted to try it.Jillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05536293384635588296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-89434356996646485642009-10-30T15:42:47.617+00:002009-10-30T15:42:47.617+00:00Heartily concur about breathing analogy. But don&#...Heartily concur about breathing analogy. But don't stop at just story & breath control. You can control their breathing through the language within your sentences. Microbreathing.Sulci Collectivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03293833259808943096noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-63235309842561183542009-10-30T14:18:02.748+00:002009-10-30T14:18:02.748+00:00I love the breathing analogy, it's very helpfu...I love the breathing analogy, it's very helpful.<br /><br />And that was a very sweet photo at the end!Tangledallyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00832116206807907835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-12385215946917143482009-10-30T13:58:54.275+00:002009-10-30T13:58:54.275+00:00Love this post, structure actually gets me really ...Love this post, structure actually gets me really excited. I love it!Frankie Diane Mallishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06066659801542129040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-16102435162874726522009-10-30T13:39:57.475+00:002009-10-30T13:39:57.475+00:00Instead of Deathwatch, you should've called th...Instead of Deathwatch, you should've called the book Deathblow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkwJ_Iyvilk<br /><br />Also, you're doing it wrong. You should plot the way I plot. <br /><br />ProeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-58571619608944836422009-10-30T13:05:13.400+00:002009-10-30T13:05:13.400+00:00Interesting...I have only one question.
Won'...Interesting...I have only one question. <br /><br />Won't you have to polyfilla the holes where you put in the nails to hang the pictures that cover the filled holes the shelves made?Lexihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14404818053292364819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-65978613553425670642009-10-30T12:56:17.631+00:002009-10-30T12:56:17.631+00:00Thanks for making a control freak get happy about ...Thanks for making a control freak get happy about structure!Donna Gambalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00317767593205769881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-28516111352943756472009-10-30T12:15:34.091+00:002009-10-30T12:15:34.091+00:00Yes, an excellent post. Structure is so important,...Yes, an excellent post. Structure is so important, as well as the "hearbeat" is, to the novel. I love your description and explanation of "breathing" with reference to novels. I've never heard of this before but it hits the nail on the head exactly; it's an excellent concept to keep in the mind, helping enormously the pacing and emotional aspects, I think.David John Griffinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01524610087056533062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-7561606720423803372009-10-30T11:20:39.527+00:002009-10-30T11:20:39.527+00:00Thank you very much! My last two posts were about ...Thank you very much! My last two posts were about my inability to plot or structure (or my perceived inability anyway) and this helps an awful lot :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05075292153806720848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2488887316391780144.post-26722260523504155332009-10-30T11:06:31.510+00:002009-10-30T11:06:31.510+00:00Wonderful post, as always! Yes, important to leave...Wonderful post, as always! Yes, important to leave reader waiting to exhale at end of section so they have to turn the page before they turn blue, eh?<br /><br />I find it difficult to have storyboards and to plot, plan, organize everything ahead of time. Maybe I should learn how to do this but, so far, I sit down and begin.<br /><br />So. Red or white?<br /><br />And, while there wasn't a Marisa Birnshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17945909737147497606noreply@blogger.com