#plottingandplanning

I have been absent from Tumblr for a while now, but some of these plotting method posts have been shared around, so I figured I ought to finish it up!

If you’ve ever participated in NaNoWriMo, you’ll have heard of “Planners” and “Pantsers”.

A Planner is someone who sits down and plots out their story to at least some meaningful degree. It might just be a rough outline hitting major plot points, or it could be a detailed, 30 page scene-by-scene, line-by-line outline.

Pantsers, on the other hand, are those brave souls that board that rickety ship held together with spit and prayers and strike out for uncharted territory, with no idea of where they are headed except a single scene, or a group of characters, or a loose concept.

I’ve been both of these people through my life, and--and this is going to upset a lot of people--and being a Planner is objectively easier. I know, I know. All you Pantsers out there are feeling personally attacked. I always felt personally attacked too when someone said that in my presence. But when I was a Pantser, I had... no finished stories. Not a single one. I had about a thousand started stories; a few chapters of a dozen different ideas that all fizzled out partway through with no real direction. Eventually, when I did follow one through to the end, the entire thing was a pretty big mess full of  pointless filler and plot holes, and required extensive rewrites I’m still working on to this day--despite the fact that I started it in 2009. Planner really does make the writing process so much easier, both to simply follow through, and to end up with a first draft you can actually work with without being intimidated by the amount of editing you’ll have to do later.

But, you say, planning a story out in detail takes all the fun out of it! All the mystery and excitement and the ability to let your world and characters develop organically without being shoehorned into pre-determined roles! 

Aaaand that’s where this plotting method comes in.

If you find yourself struggling to finish stories, or you end up with a big mushy mess full of tangent and plot holes, but you don’t want to over-plot all the fun out of the writing process, this may be a good way to strike a balance that gives your story a goal and a little more structure without boring yourself by writing what you already know is going to happen.

THE BEGINNING

You start here, obviously. This part of the story’s plotting could take form as any level of pre-planning. It could be as minimal as a single character, or you could have the entire beginning up to the inciting incident planned out. All you really have to have is somewhere to start: some characters, and a setting to let them roam in. Try to make choices you can work with later, and try to foresee elements that could leave you writing yourself into a corner later. For example, if you end up choosing a real-world historical setting, keep in mind you may end up doing a lot of research. If you start with a cast of fifteen characters, keep in mind that keeping track of that many characters can be challenging. If you have a magic system, FIGURE THAT OUT IN DETAIL. Know exactly how it works, even if it’s the softest of systems, and write the rules down, otherwise you could end up with huge plot holes later in the book that readers will 100% notice.

THE END

This is the most important part of this method. You don’t need anything else figured out going in--but you need to know how it ends, or at least where you characters end up at the climax. You need to know who or what antagonist they will be facing. It might be nice to know where the climax will take place, or why these characters end up being the ones who have to deal with it, but at minimum, you need to know the antagonist and what the antagonist is trying to do. 

An example: let’s say you’re plotting “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”. You might start with something like this:

THE BEGINNING: Four children travel through a wardrobe to a magical other land.

THE END: The climax is children with a evil witch who wants to control the magical land in a huge battle.

From there, you can fill the rest in as you write--but you know where you need to end up. You know, as you write, you need to introduce this evil witch. You need to give your characters a reason to want to fight against her, and a way to get involved with the side characters who can give them the knowledge and tools to do so. You don’t know HOW that’s going to happen, you can figure that out as you write; but you have a direction. You have a goal. You don’t even have to know how things end after the climax, you just need an ultimate location to drive your characters toward.

Just adding this single element makes a huge difference for those of you who struggle to finish what you start. Every time you reach a point where you don’t know where to do next, don’t know what your characters should do now, you can reorient yourself by your climax. “Okay,” you can say, “This is where I have them now. What is something else I need to do to make sure my characters get to this specific climax?”

Again using “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” as an example, let’s say you’ve written it through Susan, Edmund, and Lucy meeting the Beavers. Now they’ve all learned some more about the White Witch, but you’re stuck on what they should do next. 

Well, you know the ultimate goal is to get your characters in a huge battle against the witch to reclaim Narnia. So you might think, “My characters have learned about the conflict. Now I need to get them to a place where they can actually do something about it. I know--I’ll have them go to a special meeting place, and they can face all kinds of dangers getting there. And when they are there, they will meet with someone [Aslan] who can help them gather an army to battle the White Witch with.” 

And now you have somewhere for your characters to go, something for them to do, all based on knowing where they’ll need to be by the end.

Quran (8:18)

นั่นแหละ และแท้จริงอัลลอฮฺนั้น คือผู้ทำให้อ่อนแอ ซึ่งอุบายของผู้ปฏิเสธศรัทธาทั้งหลาย

Bir de Allah, kâfirlerin tuzağını zayıf düşürendir.

اللہ تعالیٰ کو کافروں کی تدبیر کو کمزور کرنا تھا۔

このようにアッラーは, 不信者の計略を無力になされる.

Itulah, dan sesungguhnya Allah melemahkan tipu daya orang-orang yang kafir.

Ecco: Allah vanificò l’astuzia dei miscredenti.

Toto je pro vás! A Bůh věru zmaří každou lest nevěřících!

Dit geschiedde opdat God de listen der ongeloovigen mocht verijdelen.

Ja kjo është e vërteta. All-llahu dobëson dredhitë e mohusve (kufarëve).

Så er det, Gud gjør de vantros renker virkningsløse.

¡Ahí tenéis! Y que Alá hará fracasar la artimaña de los infieles.

这个 (赏赐是真实的). 安拉一定使不信道者的计谋受挫.

Chris: Last time on Total Drama Island... The competitors were forced to conquer their deepest, darkest fears. Not all of them succeeded, but others surprised the group and faced their fears head-on. In a shocking twist, Tyler let the Bass down when he was too chicken to face the chicken. Get it? [laughs] And it was "Buh-Bye, Tyler." Once again, the Bass find themselves behind. Can they pull this one out of the water? Find out today on Total. Drama. Island!

Iris an the Others listed to Chris explain the challenge.

Chris: Bass, Gophers, today's challenge is a true summer camp experience. A canoe trip. You'll be paddling your canoes across the lake... [spookily] to Boney Island! When you get there, you must portage your canoes to the other side of the island, which is about a two-hour hike through treacherous, dense jungle.

"Wait you mean one of the most flocked to paranormal hot spots. That Boney Island!" Iris said alarmed Chris laughed "I take it you don't mess with that?" He asked looking at his daughter. "Why else would I carry sage and sault. They can do anything to you." She said quivering. "Are you sure it was blood you were afraid of?" He asked skeptically. Iris nods at him.

(Confessionals)

Iris

"Look you cant physically do anything to a spirit. But if provoked or even on a wim, they can seriously mess you up. That said please don't let there be a dip shit on this team. Oh wait Lindsay and Beth both dipshits."

*static*

(Confessional end)

Geoff: We've gotta pour what?

Chris: "Portage." [fly buzzes] Dude, walk with your canoe.

Geoff: Oh.

Chris: When you arrive at the other end of the island, you'll build a rescue fire that will be judged by me. The first team to paddle home and return their canoes to the beach is the winner of invincibility! Move, campers, move! Oh, wait! One more thing I should mention. Legend has it, if you take anything off the island, [spooky voice] you'll be cursed forever!

[thunder]

Iris looked at her whole team. "None of you do anything to piss off the Island. So many people have died at that place." Leshawna "White girl more superstitious than my granma. Take a chill pill we will be fine." She said patting Iris on the back.

Owen: Yeah, haha! A cursed island! Whoo!

Chris: Now, get in your canoes and let's have some fun!

Owen: Yes!

[toilet flushes]

Beth[coming out of the bathroom]: What'd I miss?

Chris: Canoes.

Everyone got in the canoes and made our way to the island. Leshawna was watching me. "Hey so how are you and Duncan doing?" She asked trying to get my mind off of things. "He wants Courtney. Thats ok did think we would get together anyway. " I said feeling my heart brake with every word. "Girl let it go he will see what a prize he lost. Far as I'm concerned you are one of the sweethearts on the island. If you ask me the best way to heal a broken heart is revenge." She said not knowing what she just suggested.

When we get on the Island and start walking. I look over to my right and there they were giant  Beavers.

We all started to run being chased by these over grown carpets.

Chris: [confessional] A remnant of the Pleistocene Era, the woolly beaver is a day-active rodent indigenous to Boney Island. Oh yeah, and they're meat eaters.

(Confessional Off)

After losing the overgrown carpets and dodging the diving birds trent gets caught in quick sand.

(Confessionals )

Iris

Ok maybe the spirits are not behind the killings in this place. The Island is still a death trap though honestly this is a place Antonio would love.

*static*

Trent: Right. How am I supposed to know what quicksand looks like? It looks just like sand.

*static*

Chris [laughs]: Can you believe they fell for that?! Haha, I set it up, but I didn't think anyone would walk into it! Haha, that's just great! [laughs]

*static*

(Confessionals Off)

After getting trent out of the sand pit we make it to the beach. The bass got their fire going. What a shocker with someone who carries a lighter.  "Beth stand here look up at the sun and smile." The sunlight reflects off her  braces strategically placing a magnifying glass the fire was started. Izzy made a bomb out of tree sap and other things. This giving us the edge. We stayed to head back, when Izzy gave the bass advice on how to get to shore. "They are the enemy dip shit don't help them." I said Glaring at Courtney and Duncan.

(Duncan Confessionals)

I think she is gunning for me and Courtney. Whatever bring it on small town girl.

*static*

(End Confessionals)

We were almost there when DJ swam past us taking victory for the Bass. Leshawna: You cost us the game! You are dead!

Izzy: Right. Okay, you are so lucky that my license to kill is currently expired.

At the Elimination Cerimony.

[dramatic music]

[wolf howls]

Chris: And now, the always anxiety-inducing marshmallow ceremony. When I call your name, come and get a marshmallow. Beth. Trent. Gwen. Cody. Owen. Heather. Leshawna. One last marshmallow. The person who doesn't get this marshmallow will walk off the Dock of Shame and take a ride on the Boat of Losers. Who's it gonna be?

[helicopter blades whir]

RCMP Guard: Izzy! We know you are down there! You are under arrest!

Leshawna: You mean all that trash you were talking was true?

Izzy: No. Just the RCMP part. See ya! You'll never get me alive!!! [laughs maniacally]

Chris: Well. That wraps that up. Night everyone.

I stayed by the fire Leshawna's words in my mind. "Yes revenge sounds good to me." I said with an evil smirk.

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion, Sigismund Dijkstra & Jaskier | Dandelion, Jaskier | Dandelion & Original Character(s) Characters: Sigismund Dijkstra, Jaskier | Dandelion’s Father, Jaskier | Dandelion’s Mother, Original Male Character(s), Original Female Character(s), Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Additional Tags: Angst and Humor, heavier on humor I guess, Plotting and scheming, Nobility, Politics, BAMF Jaskier | Dandelion, Smart Jaskier | Dandelion, Experienced Jaskier | Dandelion, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sort of Worldbuilding, Jaskier & Dijkstra Love/Hate on friendly terms, Little shit Jaskier | Dandelion, Authorial Narrator (partly), Alternative Perspective, Unreliable Narrator, Slow Burn Summary:

After death, what comes next? Eternal life in the afterworld? Purgatory? Reincarnation? Oh, hohohaha — no. The business policy of afterlife is as follows: non-existent. Their only philosophy: some problems resolve themselves, life resolves the rest. What happens very, very rarely, but does happen: administrative errors. And life doesn’t deal with administrative errors.

1. develop your character with a flaw (or several!)

2. what does the character want? in other words, which tangible thing do they think will fix their lives? describe it. all of it. like if it’s a boyfriend, what are some of the ‘perks’? a date to the dance, physical affection, someone to talk to, etc

3. start writing, and within the first 8th, the audience should know what the characters want

4. don’t give the character what the want.

5. instead, give them pieces of it. in the example above, maybe introduce a new character that they can talk to

6. just keep it going. you don’t have to make every plot point about the want, but a healthy number

7. 5/8 of the way through, your character needs to realize that their want isn’t that great after all, and the way that they realize this is through their flaws, which have hopefully still been in action, effecting their life

8. once they realize this, you now require a need. now the character needs to strive towards this, and be more conscious of their flaw while doing it

9. then you get to finish the story with a nice, grand finale