#rainbowing

The guardian of the skies has a fabulous new look, and a loooong overdue character sheet in need of a remake!

Hello, hello! I thought I’d drop in to share how I finish a first draft.

That’s right, I said finish.

This is always my second to last step. It comes after writing most or all of the thing, rainbowing the story, and considering what I need to change and adjust now that I know the scope of the narrative. I call this step the 

Plot Re-Order

I use it to make sure the story is going in the direction I need it to, and to make sure all of the information is being given/released at the proper times for the reader to understand everything.

What I do:

Get a blank piece of paper (or a large mirror/white board and some expo markers)

Read the story and mentally take notes of where the information is out of order (write them down if you need to, but make sure you have a clean writing surface left over!)

Go through the story again and write down the plot you want the story to have on that nifty piece of paper.

This way, you’ll be able to see the narrative and character arcs more clearly.

Go back through the story and shuffle things around until you’re satisfied, referencing the Plot Paper. (I stick mine on the wall next to my laptop.)

Rejoice, for thy plot is now clean(er)!

It’s kind of like an essay outline, but completely backwards.

I find this to be super helpful, especially since I tend to get my different drafts mixed up in my head. Having two different things in front of me on two different mediums helps me keep track of what I’m doing vs what I should be doing.

This can also be helpful if you get stuck or lost while you’re drafting. 

More about my own process under the cut, including pictures and more in-depth explanations!

Rainbowing You are a living treasure; rainbowing peace love ‘n’ happiness. (C)BJG(Blair Gaulton)Aug 2017