Writer’s Journey Part 4

Hi all,

Over the last three weeks you’ve read the start of how I develop a story idea. Now, I’m reached the part where I sit down and organize all the ramblings from the brainstorming, and the character interviews. From here I’ll pull open my blank outline form in my Scrivener Program and transfer the information I gained into it. (I know this seems like an excessive amount of overkills, but for me creating the rambles in Word and then organizing it and transferring it cements the idea in my head, while allowing me to see if I’ve got major holes that need filling before I start my free write. In the past when I’ve been in the middle of this an amazing starting point for the story reveals itself.)

Once I have the information transferred I go in and study the blank parts of my predefined outline. (The outlines I use to hold notes are a combination of lots of questions about a building story. From World Building, Character, Settings, and Plot.) Fill in other areas that I can see as useful later on. Once I have these all filled in, or all that I see as useful to the story I’m building, I’m done with my developmental stage. Which means, time to enter the free write stage.

Hope you’ve enjoyed this insight into how I develop a story.

Remember let your imagination soar when your read or write.

Have a Great Week,

Julia

Writer’s Journey Part 3

Hope you found the character interview information interesting. This week on my journey we are going to discuss some more major information that I gained from the interviews. 

One of the secondary character interviews was with the previous Click Leader. In his interview I gained information about what a Click is, the purpose of it, and loads of information about the second main character. When I interviewed him a second time I gained insight into why he didn’t take Mark’s name off of the Click leader membership. Also figured out how and why this particular supernatural being came about. This one interview also gave me insight into the location of the story.

The interview with the other Main Character gained even more than I was expecting about the Click and how it is organized. But the major find in this interview was the stages of the ceremony that will be taking place and the importance of it, which lead me into finding out how the Main Character will grow throughout the story.

It’s amazing to me that I sat down to find out one aspect of my Main Character, a basic description, but found so much more. Even better, I earned one of those rare moments with my mom. She was reading over my shoulder while I was working on an interview and she stopped me and asked what I was doing. I explained and she squinted her eyes, you know in that way when someone thinks you’ve lost your mind, and said, “Do you actually hear the interview in your head?” I said, “Yes.” She continued to look at me for a few seconds then said, “Don’t tell anyone else, it sounds weird.” I have to admit it took me a few minutes to understand why she thought that, but when I realized she was referring to how most people don’t like to hear someone hears voices I gave her one of my eye rolls, which had her laughing.

Some writers I know think developing the story is boring and stressful. It can be, but it can also be fun and entertaining. Another admission, I’m not one who usually does a lot of preplanning for a story. Most of the time my idea is coming so fast I can only sit down and write, jotting notes I’ll need later on down. But, there are times, like with this idea, that I have to preplan more to nail down where my mind is going because I have too much going on. Like at the time I’m writing this post I have two free write going, revision on another book, and edits on one. Way more than my mind can keep up with without forgetting.

Now that I’m armed with the characters, plot, setting, and loads of other insight, I can sit down and free write. Of course, the next part is the funniest part to me. I’m not sure how long it will take to finish this free write and then decide if I’m going to self-publish it or make it a blog story, but soon as I do, you will be the first to know.

Have a great week and I hope you’ve enjoyed the last three posts.

Remember let your imagination soar when you read or write.

Julia

Writer’s Journey Part 2

Last week you read my Brainstorming, which turned into a neat little story idea. Most of the brainstorming gave me information about the characters and the world, but when I sat down to start writing this post my mind leaned more toward developing the characters, so that’s what this weeks writer’s journey post is going to be consumed with.

There’s many ways you can go about developing a new character. Most of the time I use an outline and jot down all the basic information, hair color, body style and so forth, but when I pulled up my outline that I use for this I found myself stumped. To try and unblock my mind I started searching for an image to relate to the main character, but once again I found myself unable to locate the spark I needed. I was just about to take a break when I decided to try an approach that I use when I have a Main Character who is misbehaving or I can’t narrow in a certain emotion I need to portray for him/her. What I do is an interview with the character. I’ll warn you sometimes they turn more into an interrogation, the type you see on those TV shows, but they usually have some comical issues arise in them. So, we’ll see how it works, because I’ve never tried this on a sexless, nameless, and faceless character before.

My Interview

Julia: You are buzzing around in my line of sight, but I can’t find anything out about you. Not even a name. Why don’t we start this off by you giving me a name?

Mark Taz: Names Mark Taz

Julia: Nice to meet you Mark Taz. Care to tell me what role you are going to fill in my newest story?

Mark Taz: Thought that was up to you.

Julia: It is, but if you care to share your opinions then I’ll gladly listen and take it into consideration.

The deep hardy chuckled told me that Mark got my point.

Mark Taz: Well let’s just say I may not live long enough to tell you exactly who I am once I enlighten my son, Talon Taz about who and what he is.

Oh, I hadn’t’ expected to be handed the father character first. Nice turn of events. Most of the time I get slammed with the main characters first, not a secondary/minor one.

Julia: Can you blame him? You are about to admit to hiding a major part of your life and his own life from him. I’d be pissed at you as well. Do you really think he will kill you?

Mark frowned and shook his head.

Mark Taz” No, but he’ll be pissed to high heaven, and you’re right he has reason to. He’ll ignore me for a bit, and that hurts worse, in my opinion. I’d rather him vent his anger out, but my son will bottle it up and stash it away until he’s taken all he can an then he will let lose on me.

Julia: So, Talon will become a ticking time bomb?

Mark Taz: Yep, but only I will be impacted by his explosion, which I guess I deserve.

Julia: Why did you keep such a secret from him?

Mark Taz: My family caused major destruction among our people and the humans. I thought by choosing a human wife and rejecting the Click that I’d save my son from the hardships of our race, but Click Leader Jaguar didn’t do as promised.

Julia: People saying one thing and doing another sucks ass, but happens all the time, which is why you should’ve been honest with Talon from the get go. Now you’re in  tight spot and so is he. Do you think it could’ve been avoided if you had told him the truth about who he was?

Mark Taz: I’d like to say yes, but fate and destiny has a way of getting their own way, no matter what we as a person want.

Julia: I don’t envy you. I know my parents lied to me about such a major issue I’d be ready to rip their heads off, but I wouldn’t because they taught me that sometimes people make the wrong choice.

Mark Taz: Talon will be and he’ll come to the same conclusion, but it may take him awhile and I’m not sure how I’ll handle that. My son and I are close, which is why my decent will be enve more painful to him.

Julia: I don’t mean this harsh, but I’m glad I’m not in your shoes. So, I’ll tell you this, let Talon know if he needs to discuss things with me, I’ll be here to listen.

End of Interview

The above interview gave me information on two characters. Mark, the father, and Talon, the son. From here I went on to interview two other characters, the other Main Character and another Secondary Character. All four characters ended up being interviewed on two different occasions. Each interaction gained me more and more knowledge about the characters’ descriptions, some personality traits, some personal insight, and gave me a better sense of the plot, as well as a villain.

Now, it’s time to sit down and organize the information I gained into separate files about each character, about the plot, and see what else I may gain from these interviews.

I’ll be back next week with more. Have a great week and remember:

Let your imagination soar when you read and write.

Julia