I'm That Boi

“My entire day has been nothing but bad luck. I’m not sure I want to risk ghost hunting in the woods tonight.”

“The only reason I let you talk me into shenanigans is that I can’t let you be alone when you do them. Someone has to watch your back.”

“I’m not mad at you, but I’m definitely not happy with what has happened here.”

“I would not be surprised if you told me that you’re a vampire. See, I already have all these theories-”

(I’m a day late to this gig so I’m gonna jump straight in to day 2 of @inky-duchess​‘ 10 day WIP challenge for my project, Truth  (read it in progress here)

“I just always thought…”

“That Prince Charming would sweep you off your feet? Would you settle for a knight in shining leather?”

“I think I’d kill to see you on a horse~”

Lydia is the short-tempered gun-for-hire trying to bull-in-a-china-shop her way through a world she barely understands. Tori is the sweet-beyond-words supersoldier from that world, trying to survive with even a scrap of self-worth left.

So naturally, they’re real fucking gay for each other.

It starts as a soft protectiveness – Lydia sees this sweet wee thing, so shy and quiet she can’t even stand up for herself against her own overprotective brother. But she quickly realises that not only can Tori look after herself; she’s damn good at it. Watching the girl kick ass to save her? Well, where else could this friendship go but Deep Bisexual Disaster Feelings

“I’m glad you’re still here.”

“That’s the weird thing.” Lydia’s voice was almost a whisper, like she was afraid of saying the words out loud, “So am I.”

Do you ever find yourself over-using the word “run” (or “ran”) in your writing? Try using these words instead:

sprint / sprinted

dash / dashed

dart / darted

bolt / bolted

race / raced

speed / sped

hurry / hurried

jog / jogged

bound / bounded

hustle / hustled

scurry / scurried

tear / tore

rush / rushed

charge / charged

barrel / barreled

zoom / zoomed

scuttle / scuttled

scamper / scampered

book it / booked it

With NaNoWriMo around the corner, I thought I might show you how I plotted my novel.

This is the story structure I used:

0% inciting incident

0%-20% introduction in the world, ends with a point of no return

20% first plot point: the hero receives his marching orders

20%-50% response to the first plot point

35% first pinch point: reminder of the nature of the antagonistic force

50% midpoint: big fat plot twist that changes the hero’s AND reader’s experience

50%-80% attack: the stakes are higher now

65% second pinch point: again reminding the reader of the antagonistic forces at hand

80% second plot point: the final injection of new information into the story to give the hero everything she needs to become the primary catalyst in the story’s conclusion (no new information past this point)

80%-100% resolution + final conflict + return home

I didn’t make this up. I think it’s by Larry Brooks, if The Internet informs me correctly. Fun Fact: once you pay attention to it, you’ll see this structure everywhere. Just take a look at any Harry Potter book, for example.

These points are the “bones” of my story. Next, I decided what “flesh” to put on them.

I simply made a list of things I like to read about:

Books about books and libraries

Magic

Quirky characters

Intelligent, fast-paced and sometimes silly

So, I combined this list and the structure points into a story that makes sense. Because I don’t want to spoil my plot / I am still to shy about my wip, I will make up a new plot for this post, so I can show you.

0%: The hero does something magical without knowing how she did it. She discards it, because everybody knows it can’t have been real.

0%-20%: We see the daily life of the hero: she is unhappy because all she wants to do is read, but she is not allowed to. She reads in the dead of night and is punished for it by her evil stepcousin. She finds a book on magic.

20% It all clicks together: she can do magic!

20%-50% The daily life for the hero changes. Instead of reading all night, she practices magic. She now loves books even more. She has little victories over her evil stepcousin, but hasn’t won yet.

35% The evil stepcousin finds out that she can do magic and takes away the magic book.

50% She discovers she can do magic without the book.

50%-80% The hero is not the only one who is bullied by the evil stepcousin. Her younger cousin is a victim as well, and he doesn’t have magic to defend himself. The stakes are raised, this is bigger than herself now. The younger cousin also wants to read, so they have several bonding moments over reading.

65% The evil stepcousin hurts the younger cousin, he’s in a coma now.

80% The hero discovers the evil stepcousin could do all these evil things because he knows magic too.

80%-100% The hero confronts the evil stepcousin, fights him off, nearly loses but wins in the end. He gives up and releases his power over the younger cousin who wakes up from the coma.

It’s not the most genius plot ever, but I literally made this up in minutes. So can you! And imagine the genius plot you can come up with if you spend more than a few minutes on it.

Then I calculated how many scenes I need in which part of the story. My wip is a YA or 12+ book, so I want it to contain about 75,000 words in total. I want my scenes to be around 1,000 words long to keep it snappy, so I need 75 scenes.

Scene number 1 (0%) is the inciting incident, scene number 15 (20%) is the first plot point, scene number 26 (35%) is the first pinch point, scene number 37 (50%) is the midpoint, scene number 49 (65%) is the second pinch point, scene number 60 (80%) is the second plot point and scene 75 (100%) is the last scene.

Some sidenotes on the 1,000-word scenes:

That’s more of a vague rule of thumb than a strict rule. If your scene needs to be longer or shorter, make it longer or shorter of course. My wip has some 2,300-word scenes as well.

Having 1,000-word scenes does not mean I have 1,000-word chapters, that would be really short. I will divide my novel into chapters after I’m finished writing my first draft.

For NaNoWriMo, maybe you could write scenes of 1,667 words, so you do one scene per day. A 50,000-word novel has 30 scenes of 1,667 words. Inciting incident is at scene 1, first plot point at scene 6, first pinch point at scene 11, midpoint at scene 15, second pinch point at scene 20, second plot point at scene 24 and scene 30 is your last scene. That’s just an idea, you got to see what works for you.

Then I made up in one sentence what will happen in every scene. For example: “They meet the dragon and he sends them on a sidequest.” Now my outline consists of 75 one-sentence scenes. This way, I prevent the problem of the sagging middle and other pacing problems and I still get to surprise myself when writing.

From those one-sentence scenes, I flesh out every scene into a first draft, using the process I described in my post How I never have to face an empty page when I write.

And that’s my first draft! I hope everything is clear. Feel free to ask me questions if it isn’t.

I’m gonna tag a few people I admire, who I hope are interested. If you aren’t, feel free to ignore me, or message me to take you off my tag list. If you would like to be added to my writing advice tag list, let me know.

This is gonna be a long list.

ab intra - from within

ab origine - from the source

absit iniuria - “let insult be absent”

absit invidia - “let envy be absent”

absit omen - “let omens be absent”

ab uno disce omnes - from one, learn all.

abyssus abyssum invocat - deep calleth unto deep

a capite ad calcem - from head to heel

acta non verba - actions not words

ad altiora tendo - “I strive to higher things”

ad astra - to the stars

ad fontes - to the sources

ad meliora - towards better things

ad oculos - to the eyes

ad undas - to the waves

ad victoriam - to victory

adsum - I am here

a fortiori - from the stronger/from strength

a mari usque ad mare - from sea to sea

audeamus - let us dare

audentes fortuna iuvat - fortune favors the bold

audi, vide, tace - hear, see, be silent

beatae memoriae - of blessed memory

bona fide - in good faith

bono malum superate - overcome evil with good

capax infiniti - holding the infinite

carpe diem - seize the day

carpe noctem - seize the night

cave - beware

ceteris paribus - all other things being equal

circa - around

citius, altius, fortius - faster, higher, stronger

clavis aurea - golden key

cogito ergo sum - I think, therefor I am

compos mentis - in control of the mind

concilio et labore - by wisdom and effort

concordia cum veritate - in harmony with truth

concordia salus - well-being through harmony

coniunctis viribus - with connected strength

consummatum est - it is complete

corruptus in extremis - corrupt to the extreme

crescit eundo - it grows as it goes

de novo - from the new

de profundis - from the depths

dies irae - day of wrath

dona nobis pacem - give us peace

ego te provoco - I challenge you

esse est percipi - to be is to be perceived  

esse quam videri - to be, rather than to seem

esto quod es - be what you are

ex animo - from the soul

ex luna scientia - from the moon, knowledge

ex scientia tridens - from knowledge, sea power

ex silentio - from silence

ex undis - from the waves of the sea

experientia docet - experience teaches

fac et spera - do and hope

fac fortia et patere - do brave deed and endure

faciam quodlibet quod necesse est - I’ll do whatever it takes

faciam ut mei memineris - I’ll make you remember me

facta, non verba - deeds, not words

fortis et liber - strong and free

fortis in arduis - strong in difficulties

gloriosus et liber - glorious and free

hic abundant leones - here lions abound

hic et nunc - here and now

hic sunt dracones - here there are dragons

hinc illae lacrimae - hence those tears

hinc itur ad astra - from here the way leads to the stars

igni ferroque - with fire and iron

in memoriam - into the memory

in nocte consilium - advice comes over night

libra - balance

littera scripta manet - the written words endure

locus standi - a right to stand

luceo non uro - I shine, not burn

luctor et emergo - I struggle and emerge

mare liberum - free sea

memento vivere - remember to live

more ferarum - like beasts

natura non contristatur - nature is not saddened

nec spe, nec metu - without hope, without fear

noli me tangere - do not touch me

ophidia in herba - a snake in the grass

pro se - for oneself

propria manu - by one’s own hand

quaere - to seek

quod abundat non obstat - what is abundant does not hinder

resurgam - I shall arise

semper ad meliora - always towards better things

semper anticus - always forward

semper apertus - always open

semper fortis - always brave

semper liber - always free

stet - let it stand

tuebor - I will protect

For you however, it was anything but.

In all honesty, you couldn’t find it in you to enjoy anything about today, even the sweet scent from the beautiful garden around you, seemingly growing sour to your senses. Though who could blame you, when you were all but being shackled to a stranger you didn’t know, nor care for.

Although this secret little garden usually brought you so much joy, right now, it only served as a hiding place. Though you knew you’d have to go back home eventually.

Hearing the faint rustle of someone walking closer, you didn’t bother to look up, as there was only one other person who knew of this little spot. One of the only people who actually cared about your thoughts and opinions anymore. A somewhat ironic notion, given the fact that you still hadn’t told each other your names.

You’d both met a few years ago, when they’d come across you in this very spot, a few days after you’d found it. Apparently it was a favourite get away of theirs too, and thankfully, they’d been more than happy to share the place with you, especially since you both ran on very different schedules. It was unlikely that the two of you would run into each other anyway.

Or at least… that’s how it was meant to go.

Instead, you found yourselves stumbling across each other quite often, and despite some hesitance, you both eventually grew very close. Though you both agreed to keep your status’s and positions in society a secret, wishing to do away with any potential barrier that could come between your budding friendship, you still came to trust each other deeply.

Even now, you simultaneously knew so very much, and so very little about each other. It was how you both liked it.

As they settled beside you, you kept your gaze forward stubbornly, knowing you looked a wreck already, thanks to the emotional night you’d had previous. All your attempts to remain strong however, faltered the moment they gently wrapped their arms around you, your body falling into their embrace as you instantly started to fight back bitter tears again.

For a time, there was nothing but silence, but when they finally broke it, you couldn’t help but feel your heart skip a beat.

“Let me take you away from here.”

Their murmur was soft, and yet seemed so loud with how serious an offer it was.

You knew that they were going through something of their own right now, and though they hadn’t told you what was going on, even though you had hinted about what was happening with your own situation, you still knew that their offer could potentially put them in a lot of trouble. 

1) They both shot back from the contact like they’d been electrocuted. The protagonist wished they hadn’t, because in the seconds that followed the force of the reaction filled the space between them both too strongly. They’d only brushed hands - there was no need to act like it was something contagious. Yet, they could imagine their fingers tingling even now. Imagining that touch. They curled their hand into a fist and the other huffed out a laugh to diffuse the situation - grabbed the protagonist’s hand and squeezed. Making light. “You’re allowed to touch me in public you know.” Oh so deliberately, they drew the protagonist’s hand up to press a kiss to the fingertips. The protagonist managed a little laugh too. Of course they were, it was just a novelty still. Old habits. Oh so carefully, they continued moving hand in hand.

2) It was an accident. Close quarters, crowded on the bus, of course it was difficult not to touch. One small shift at the wrong time and it could be difficult not to hurtle right into someone’s arms as they took a quick corner. It was not quite an accident that the protagonist didn’t move away - counting the seconds silently and feeling the longing spread up from the brushed edge of their fingers along their palm, their wrist, and up their arm until the longing throbbed in every hollow of their body. Their companion didn’t seem to have even noticed the accidental contact. It lasted 42 seconds.

But as time goes by, they realise that the guy isn’t interested in either of them, and that fighting will get them nowhere. So, they put aside their differences and start to be friends. And gradually, as their friendship gets stronger, each of them separately has their own little epiphany: that maybe they were competing with each other because each wanted to impress the other. Really, the boy had very little to do with it.

Eventually the two girls end up dating (one is bi, and the other is gay, but didn’t realise because hey - girl friendships can be oddly personal, so she just thought it was normal to think about how pretty her friends were), and the dude gets a cat. 

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I—" they take a deep breath, wringing their hands together nervously. "I don't think it's possible to feel so brutally devoted to you. So incurably devoted to you. I mean...you're all I think about and whenever I see you my heart does this weird thing—"

"You're in love."

In terror they fled or cowered, desperately trying to put distance between themselves and Them. For a moment all you could do was stand frozen, eyes wide and heart pounding rapidly in your chest, not quite sure if what you were seeing was real. It was only when someone who was fleeing jostled your shoulder as they passed, that you finally snapped out of it. Without a single moments extra hesitation, you ran.

Your feet pounded against the ground, eating up the distance rapidly thanks to your adrenaline, your eyes wide and desperate as you remained intently focused on your goal.

You could feel the exact moment their gaze landed on you, your heart skipping a beat, even as your feet continued to move. All at once their hellfire eyes seemed to glow brighter, lips pulling into a devilish grin as you put on one last burst of speed, heart beating to a frantic tune.

They had just enough time to open their arms up wide, before you slammed into them, their rich chuckle sounding like music to your ears as they embraced you tenderly, careful not to harm you with their impossible strength. You all but melted into their embrace, taking in their scent as the screams faded from your mind.

Romantic fantasy writing prompts for Narnia.