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the muddle in the middle
Oct. 28th, 2025 12:38 amEvents are moving. Forward in the outline, backward in the outline, out of the outline entirely.
I think I didn't think this part through clearly enough.
I think I didn't think this part through clearly enough.
twisting the tale
Jul. 3rd, 2025 09:52 pmSo I'm off and considering a story. A fairy tale world in which they know the tales, after the manner of The Princess Seeks Her Fortune.
So when the stepmother and stepdaughter end up running away to seek their fortunes, they know they have an odd tale.
Unfortunately, so do I.
I think I may have to poke about tales with twos to joggle something loose.
So when the stepmother and stepdaughter end up running away to seek their fortunes, they know they have an odd tale.
Unfortunately, so do I.
I think I may have to poke about tales with twos to joggle something loose.
Yes, there are always questions about "what goes here?" while writing, but this time, after I put a question in a crucial moment, the muse starts to babble about questions.
At the turning points, the heroine's victories will turn on her having correctly framed the questions. Victory turns on that.
Not, of course, that I have three questions (and answers) for the three crucial points. I may have to generate one. sigh
At the turning points, the heroine's victories will turn on her having correctly framed the questions. Victory turns on that.
Not, of course, that I have three questions (and answers) for the three crucial points. I may have to generate one. sigh
something happens here
Mar. 17th, 2025 10:52 pmJuggling two outlines -- trying to keep them traveling in separate lines -- and the one that seemed to have more of a story has proven -- sketchy. The heroine has to solve problems, but that means I have to define the problems.
Meanwhile the other one is revealing that there are animal themes among the magic involved. Go figure.
Meanwhile the other one is revealing that there are animal themes among the magic involved. Go figure.
muddle in the middle
Feb. 26th, 2025 07:05 pmHad a story idea, months ago. It dumped a character into the middle of a big problem, and I had no idea how the problem existed or what she could do to solve it.
Had another idea, wherein she figured out that there are two sets of spell-slingers, one of which is evil, one of which is as much a victim of the first as anyone else -- perhaps more. And resolved the matter.
All right! Plunge into the outline! Discover that the middle is still entirely vague!
Oh, well, I have a few inklings.
Had another idea, wherein she figured out that there are two sets of spell-slingers, one of which is evil, one of which is as much a victim of the first as anyone else -- perhaps more. And resolved the matter.
All right! Plunge into the outline! Discover that the middle is still entirely vague!
Oh, well, I have a few inklings.
rule of three
Nov. 15th, 2023 11:57 pmThe hero is about to kill another evil wizard living under the protection of the king's knights.
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outlining out of order
May. 1st, 2023 11:54 pmOne advantage of a plot structure -- Save the Cat, Hero's Journey, Lester Dent's, what have you -- is that it gives you a place to put story ideas in order when the story is incomplete.
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in media muse
Feb. 1st, 2023 11:36 pmAlong comes inspiration: a vivid and moving scene. In the middle of the plot -- in media res.
I ponder how on earth the characters in it met.
Needless to say there's no inspiration there. (I can't even start the story in media res because the question of how they met will come up even if I did so.)
sigh
I ponder how on earth the characters in it met.
Needless to say there's no inspiration there. (I can't even start the story in media res because the question of how they met will come up even if I did so.)
sigh
juggling ideas
Oct. 13th, 2022 11:46 pmGot ideas. Got a lot of ideas. They go together nicely but do seem to spell out a series.
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series and structure
Oct. 11th, 2022 06:57 pmAnd how long can you make a series? Was pondering this question and hit on a blog post that made me think more on the answer.
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next stop on the quest
Mar. 31st, 2022 11:21 pmThe heroine is on a quest.
Go to I Know Not Where, Bring Back I Know Not What --
Which is technically true. She wants something to solve a problem, but she doesn't know exactly what. Those are fun to organize.
Fortunately, though she is not in a fairy tale and doesn't get a mysterious figure to advise her, she had a clue from the start, and followed it to where she has another. It introduces a complication.
Go to I Know Not Where, Bring Back I Know Not What --
Which is technically true. She wants something to solve a problem, but she doesn't know exactly what. Those are fun to organize.
Fortunately, though she is not in a fairy tale and doesn't get a mysterious figure to advise her, she had a clue from the start, and followed it to where she has another. It introduces a complication.
oh you prince
Aug. 1st, 2021 11:50 pmThere I was having happily matched up the princes to their tales and plugged along with the story.
Then I thought of having her father's coronation in the story to provide some variation and set up a location.
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Then I thought of having her father's coronation in the story to provide some variation and set up a location.
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twists and turns
Jul. 2nd, 2021 09:08 pm Knowing how the story ends does not tell me how the middle goes. I could do a travelogue, but that would mean no rising action, and there's too much plot for that. (Ironically enough, the first outline had to be junked because it rose too fast, too soon.)
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