This is my story line idea I need opinion's on it from horse lovers and riders?
Great! I want to read it! I would have the Father forced to run away in the storm and go missing. Talk about the nasty elements out there he'll be facing. Visit his situation periodically to tell what its been like for him while you unfold the story of the foal and the girls. The goal is to find him...over hill and dale and lots of adventures. If he went to the meat packers, he's already gone and done for, no hope. Make him lost and the adventure to find him. At the same time that Robyn runs away to search for her Father, start the story on Fleur and have them meet along the way, as well as Tabitha. You could create two stories of meetings with these two girls and plenty of adversity along the way, to a big climax of finding the Father, a family and all living happily ever after! The possibilities to the adversities to overcome could be endless, from illness, to bad weather, to bad horse people, to accidents and balanced with good things like a night of happiness, warmth, rest, a good meal, lots of love, and hope to carry on. They could even run across events, like steeplechases, races or a fair, where they can ask if anyone has seen the Father (give him a name and description) and maybe get clues to where they need to go for the next leg of the journey. It will help to carry the journey forward and strengthen resolve. Research the land/weather/feed available in Scotland and use the proper terminology to describe it. It's not the same as North America. You've got to know enough to make the foal and Fleur be Scottish and know what they are up against in that country. Good luck!
What is the climax (the turning point) of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows?
I'm having difficulty pinpointing the actual turning point for a plotline. At first, I thought it was the second battle against Voldemort and Harry, but that sort of felt like the conflict resolving and not mention, I also need to find the falling action and resolution. I know for a fact that epilogue would most likely fall under "resolution", but it's the climax that I find challenging. Any ideas on what the climax of the story is? Thank you
How can I turn a simple idea into a full novel?
Motivation, persistence, and the capability to let go and just push through scenes that don't seem satisfying to you.Yes, there are many methods out there. You will invariably run into the whole "pantser" (someone who writes by making it all up on the go, basically "by the seat of their pants") vs "planner" argument. You will see people recommend following the structure defined by the classic Hero's Journey because it will allow you to create successful characters and situations. You will run into people recommending multiple tools to do the job as a simple word processing program is not the right tool in their eyes (btw, I belong to that camp and recommend Scrivener and no, I am not getting paid to recommend it, I just really like it).The truth, however, is that none of that is even 1% as important as being motivated, being persistent, and letting go of mistakes or imperfections. Without the motivation, you will not write. Once you are motivated, persistence is what will keep you at it as there will be days that the motivation will fail. This persistence will see you through the times that you're tired and unable to keep up with writing and real life. The capability to not linger on your failures will help you to accept that the novel that you're writing need not be perfect. That, right there, is my biggest challenge btw. I constantly tweak and change things because I have a hard time letting go and just keep lingering around the scenes that I don't like, tweaking endlessly instead of continuing with the story. Just, let go (I'll try to follow that advice when I sit down to add a few thousand more words to my current project tonight).Oh, and once you're done, remember that it was just the first draft! It's time to take a rest for a few days and then read it and go at it again, tweak things, fix spelling and grammar mistakes, and make it ready for publishing. Hey, I told you that persistence was important, didn't I? :)
What are some great anticlimax stories?
A man was ordered by his doctor to lose 75 lbs. due to very serious health risks. As he wondered how in the heck he would ever do it, he ran across an ad in the newspaper for a GUARANTEED WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM. “Guaranteed. Yeah, right!” he thought to himself. But desperate, he calls them up and subscribes to the 3-day /10 pound weight loss program.The next day there’s a knock at his door, and when he answers, there stands before him a voluptuous, athletic, 19-year-old young lady dressed in nothing but Air of Nike running shoes and a sign round her neck. She introduces herself as a representative of the weight loss company. The sign reads, “If you can catch me, you can have me!”Without a second thought he takes off after her. A few miles later, huffing and puffing, he finally catches her and has his way with her. After they are through and she leaves, he thinks to himself, “I like the way this company does business!” The same girl shows up for the next two days and the same thing happens.On the fourth day, he weighs himself and is delighted to find he has lost 10 lb., as promised. He calls the company and orders their 5-day /20 pound program.The next day there’s a knock at the door and there stands the most stunning, beautiful, sexy woman he has ever seen in his life, wearing nothing but Reeboks and a sign around her neck that reads, “If you catch me, you can have me.” He’s out the door and after her like a shot.This girl is in excellent shape and it takes him a long while to catch her, but when he does, it is worth every cramp and wheeze.For the next four days, the same routine happens. Much to his delight, on the fifth day, he weighs himself and found he has lost another 20 lbs, as promised.He decides to go for broke and calls the company to order the 7-day / 50 pound program. “Are you sure?” asks the representative on the phone. “This is our most rigorous program.” “Absolutely,” he replies, “I haven’t felt this good in years”.The next day there’s a knock at the door and when he opens it, he finds a gigantic gorilla standing there wearing nothing but pink running shoes and a sign around his neck that reads, “If I catch you, YOU’RE mine.”
Writers...a question about NOTE-CARDING as a plotting tool...?
I keep seeing references to the "note-carding" technique, and I've never tried it myself, but I'm curious. Plotting my novels gives me so many headaches - it's the aspect of writing that spooks me the most, and I'm wishing I could find some way of easing the pain a little. Has anyone here ever used the note-carding method for plotting novels? If so, please share some of your experiences and thoughts with me... Or any other plotting tools/methods/ideas would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance, Hafwen x
Outlining a novel, what should I do?
If you benefit from a master plan, so be it. There's nothing wrong with needing that. I usually plan novels with a spreadsheet. Columns are characters and anything else I need to keep track of, from seasons and weather to how much money somebody's got to how long until her ex gets out of jail or the army or how sick his dad is. Rows are for plotting, starting with basic structural elements. I tend to end up with around 50 rows and 50 columns. The Hook: sentence, paragraph, or page which draws the reader in Stage One: setup showing how things are for main character (0-10%) First Turning Point: the opportunity for change (at 10%) Stage Two: the new situation and what it brings (10-25%) Second Turning Point: the change of plans possible because of new situation (at 25%) Stage Three: progress toward the new goal (25-50%) Third Turning Point: the point of no return when character commits irrevocably (50%) Stage Four: complications and higher stakes (50-75%) Fourth Turning Point: the major setback (75%) Stage Five: the final push (75-90/99%) Final Turning Point: the climax (90 – 99%) Wrap It Up: the aftermath When my plan is done well, I see significant development in any column or row picked at random. Here's the kicker, though. As I write, following my plan, I virtually always get an idea I like better. The rule I *have* to follow is that I copy my spreadsheet, then change the copy to reflect the new idea. (The original is intact in case I later decide it was better all along.) In the manuscript that's already written, I add comments noting what changes I'd have to make to incorporate the new idea, then I proceed as if I'd already done that, following the new plan. There's no shame in benefiting from a plan.