Well it is another day to post, and if you are just finding this blog, there are only three posts now. One talks about the purpose of this blog as well the other two, which focus on my personal writing style. Note I am not a published author, but I think it is important other writers published or not talk about how they move through the process of writing. That is what this post is on, but it is the second in the series of six, so you will want to read the first post before reading this one you might get lost. For those who have read the first post let’s jump into Developing.
Developing:
At this time, when enough ideas have been grouped together I start to think about the plot of the story. Most times, one of the first ideas I had is what the plot will be about. Other times when I merge two groups together, I get the story. It is just takes sometime, but it is not a rush to figure out the story that is why it is called developing. I am more then likely doing this in my head. I need to the basic beginning of the story and what will be the conflict. More then likely the story I start to form at this point will change greatly be the time I go to write it, or might be the same just happen different then I thought.
Beginning:
Like I said before, once the story start to form I start to think where will it begin, for the current Marks of Eilira I got this idea of a kid who woke up with a tattoo on the back of his neck and he did not know where he got it. The beginning was totally new, but the overall story is a merging of two different ideas one that got the main conflict from just happens way different, where I got part of the magic from another completely reworked.
With my beginning I had a starting place, I knew where the story would take begin, which I mean where we start, not where the story actually begins. I am very much into world building and will spend a good amount of time defining the universe that it takes place. Well I should say World then universe, but I lay the foundations of how things work more on that later.
Ending:
With the beginning now I start to think of an end, and will not start without the ending, I have tried to many times to write without knowing where I am going and get after there and find out I have no clue where I am going with this. So, an ending is a must for me, an author I like to read, he is a best seller D. J. MacHale author of the Pendragon Series that just had the final book come out, book 10. He has put it this way:
“In a mystery you need to know how it is going to end so you can leave the clues that get you there.”
D. J. MacHale is a believer in mapping out the books before he writes, he mapped out all ten books of the Pendragon series in three page outlines in about two weeks before he started writing them. I am very much an outline, but again that will come later.
Name:
With the story, I need a name for the story not something that will just be kept it separate in my head, but something to call it. This name has to be what I will call it when I write it, and will more then likely it will be some how related to the name I used to keep the ideas grouped in my head. Sometimes not, the TV series I am still working on was once called Omen’s, but I knew it would never be the title. I could never think of a good title for a while. One day I called it Echoes and it has stuck; now I have a reason for that name.
Character Name:
With the name of the project, I need the main character’s name for it really to take root. Echoes I have named the main characters three times and will more then likely will rename them again because I cannot off hand tell you their names. Which usually means I don’t care enough about the character, the name is very important to me and if it does not fit the character I see in my head, I might call them the name I have on paper but will not keep it until I can remember the main character(s) name on command.
Once I know the main character’s name, as well remember it I will remember all the major characters names in the story for the most part. At least the heroes, some of the villains, like I said names are important so are the name of the villain. In Marks of Eilira, the main villains were seven different people, after a while I decided to make an actual main villain. Don’t get me wrong these seven are major characters, but not the one Zack has to beat at the end of book eight. A good strong villain name is needed, not one that sounds stupid. In Marks the villains name was like Nanagog, but I thought it was too cheese and eventually named him… Well I am not going to give that away that is part of the mystery of the series.
Tomorrow we will be talking about Project Folder, which is a big step when it comes to my process of writing, it is at that point the story is decided if it will go in the Idea File or get it’s own spot to take up space on my Hard Drive. Check back tomorrow and fill free to post thoughts and questions. I am always interested in reading about how other write.
Tim
