The Road to "The 10,000 Word Novel Outline"

Well, as this whole novel planning thing unfolds, I'm coming up with an outline for my outline almost. What to outline. A process for it all. And my goal is to have a 10,000 word outline.
That number may change as I finish the outline and all the things I want to do. See how much I want to go in depth of the novel before I actually write it.

So far, these are the things I have written or will have written when I finish. I'm sure that this will change dramatically as I continually plan for this novel. I actually have no idea if this outline will even reach 10,000 words. It might. It depends on how many characters and places that the novel will include. I should probably come up with a different name for it, but for now:

The 10,000 Word Novel Outline: "Draft 1"

Character:

• 1 sentence description (must be 20 words or less) and motivation for every character ever mentioned
• physical description for every character mentioned
• names for every character
• paragraph descriptions for characters that affect the plot
  

Setting:

• list (and organize by city in my case) every place that shows up in plot (I wrote scene list first...)
• 1 sentence description of setting (20 words or less)
  
• 5 senses list for each setting
  

Plot:
List every scene that will happen in the novel:

• side notes of what is happening in other parts of the world if important to know
• characters involved in each scene
• place the scene takes place
• 1 sentence description of the scene (still 20 words or less)
• notes of quotes, descriptions, etc. that should be included in the scene
• divide into chapters if you want

So, what do you think? Anything you would add? Any huge part of a story I'm missing in the outline?

Keep It Simple

I recently, as of last night, had a lovely little break down and was freaking out about my life in general. And then I had a wonderful discussion with a very special someone (after a nice little conversation with a stuffed blue dinosaur) who made my life a whole lot easier and we came up with this little phrase to keep me going for this week at least.
Keep it simple.
Don't stress about everything. Don't question how what you're doing will affect your life later on. Don't look for a deeper meaning in everything.
Keep it simple.

In case you haven't noticed; I get stressed fairly easily, but I ignore it until the stress is so great that I can't function.
Also, I absolutely fail at communication. And I just didn't learn some of the things I should have as a child.
I have big dreams and sometimes they seem so far out of reach. (I feel like those are song lyrics from some where.)
That's okay, though - because I'm going to fix it. I'm going to become all amazing and such. It's going to happen. With some help that I have dubbed my "training wheels."
So, here it goes.
A toast...
keep it simple.

Wish me luck.

What is This Planning You Speak Of??

Well, in efforts to actually accomplish this novel writing and finishing process, I am actually planning an entire novel before writing it. I've never took it to actually plan an entire novel I'm seriously in to writing before writing it. It's weird.

But, I'm actually enjoying it quite a bit. The fact that I know what's going to happen is almost building my anticipation to write the novel.

As far as outlining and everything goes, I'm combining lots of different techniques I've been taught over the years as well as adding my own ideas. It's really fun to see how it all fits together. And actually taking time to get to know my characters before starting to write about them.

I took a few days to free write and figure out what's going to happen and got it all down on paper. And figure out who the characters are piece by piece.

I know this is a bit of a short post, but I'll discuss how I plan more later on. I'm just heading back to writing now. It calls to me.

JulNoWriMo Manifesto

Today, I write a manifesto.Today, I write a manifesto about how I will accomplish JulNoWriMo 2011.
All the skill and time it will take to win. I will win. And along with that I will also finish the novel. My first. Novel. Ever.
The first novel I will ever have completed. By outlining. By planning. By following in Tina's footsteps. I will both win JulNoWriMo 2011 and finish my first novel ever in my entire life. Accomplishment.

Manifesto taken from the guidline: A Sentence by Sentence Guide to Writing a Manifesto

This is my proclamation that I will finish a novel. I have someone (whoever you 6-readers-a-day are) to hold me accountable. Hopefully as it gets closer to July, there will be a few more people to hold me accountable. But until then, I'm off to plan.

Script Frenzy: 12 pages, 11 pages behind.

I Should Really Pick Something

Well, I forgot about NaBloPoMo in my haste to take over the world in Civilization IV and try and write lots of pages for Script Frenzy. So that's out.

Um, I'm writing lots of character monologues right now. I have this really intense idea in my mind about this one monologue I want to do. I don't even know if I'm writing a story based on this character in July, but I really want to write this monologue. And it'll give me another 5 or 6 pages at least.

I'm actually going through all the leaders in Civilization IV because I can. Also, instead of making an entire new blog on Civilization IV. I'll just start a new page where I'll write about the crazy adventures of taking over the world. And how each game played out. Hopefully, I'll get through them all.

Pinstriping is going well. I found I'm pretty good if I'm just drawing them with pencil. Paint just makes it a whole bunch more difficult. I'll get it down eventually. Practice makes perfect!!!

So, I have way to many things to keep you updated on. But maybe I'll narrow it down one day.

Oh, and college is going really well. I'm about to head off to history class. It's pretty interesting. I haven't gotten a whole lot of homework thank goodness. I'm a bit surprised that I haven't had much homework though.

I'll write again soon, I'm sure.

PS What do you think of the new design for the blog?

The Brilliant Script Idea

So, while writing my script for script frenzy, that honestly I'm not all that into because I don't know what's going on, I came up with this idea.

Okay, I rediscovered this idea, because I didn't come up with it. And I was given this idea last summer. Oh well, here's what's going on:

I'm doing Script Frenzy and need something to write about.
I'm planning for JulNoWriMo so I can actually finish a novel.
I'm combining the two together!

A while back, while taking a class on character and plot development, a wonderful writer-slash-publisher named Jeff Gerke taught me many things.
One of those many things he taught me about was in-depth character development.
If you work it right, it involves writing scripts. Which is what I need to do.

You take your character that you would like to develop. Then take a topic if you wish (This is optional, really.) Then, have them on a stage. They have their setting of choice. Whatever actions are going on. They're basically directing. And then have them talk about this topic or show this topic. If there's no topic. Have them tell a story. A story about themselves.

I personally like the having them tell a story about themselves. It lets me discover these events that happened in their lives that I never really knew about, but makes my characters who they are.

And it gets things written.

So, that's the brilliant script idea.

Also, I seem to be keeping up with NaBloPoMo this month. So I guess I am doing it. Maybe I'll get further than in March.

A Community Reunited: Thank You TimeTurner and Jay

All right. So, the HPFF craziness has finally been brought to a close.

What happened?

It seems that taking HPFF and making it the new SHFF site was an April Fools joke.

However, selling the site was not. Jay made an explanation and an apology on the HPFF forums. I would like to thank him for owning up to what he did and being mature enough to do that.

I would like to thank the wonderful timeturner (You HPFF fans all know who she is.) for saving HPFF and talking a bit of sense into Jay. Who does do a lot for the site - I don't think anyone in their right minds can deny that. However, the quick and rash decision to sell the site was uncalled for at the least.

Jay, even though I was quite angered at you and your decision making, I am extremely grateful that you created HPFF and have kept it running for 10 years. And thank you for deciding not to sell the site. I hope that if you do decide to sell the site eventually that you will find someone extremely dedicated to keep the site running for even more years.

TimeTurner, there are no words great enough that I can thank you with. You saved an entire community and family. We would be nothing without people like you.

That is all.

A Community has Been Violated

All right. I stayed up until midnight so I could post this because I feel bad posting more than once a day.
Fact is. I need to rant. And the site I would like to complain to has rules and I can't. I made my mature plea with them politely as possible - obviously they don't really care.

Here's the truth:
harrypotterfanfiction.com is DEAD. Not just dead, it has been mutilated and tortured and then finally put out of its misery.

What's wrong with that do you say? It's only a website. It can't actually be tortured and mutilated. Except for it can.
Not only has harrypotterfanfiction.com been destroyed. Before its death, it was changed to a Sherlock Holmes Fan Fiction website. Then put up for sale later that day.
Before it was completely taken down. All mentions of the name "Harry" were changed to little Sherlock Holmes emoticons. I feel like my writing has been violated and it's not worth it.

Now, I can take a joke like making HPFF into a SHFF site for a day. However, I am now under the impression that this is not a joke. After reading Jay's (Jay is the site owner and creator) wonderful twitter page (with quite immature and colorful language I might add) I'm almost certain this isn't a joke.

The site is for sale and the person known as timeturner is desperately trying to save it. Only, Jay's making that a bit difficult.

In my opinion, he is being totally immature about this. He is destroying a community that's been around for 10 years. On top of it, he's letting everyone just explode in the forums. The moderators are working their asses off to control the masses of angry people. I feel sorry for them and this turmoil he has created.

On top of it all, I'm honestly offended and disappointed. If it's a joke, it was funny for a little. However, now, it's just pathetic and stupid. And I feel like after running this site for 10 years, Jay would be a bit more mature than this.

Jay, if you ever read this. I thought you were better than this and I can't believe that you are so immature. I understand if you no longer want to have the site or don't want to run it. I won't say "think of all the people you're hurting" because I don't believe that's how you should live your life. But to go and just get rid of it with no warning. You're pathetic and you're a coward. You could have done more and you know it.

And another note to all of you saying that "It's about time for a change" and "Harry's done with" and "He's a whimp, Sherlock is better" would you please explain to me what you're doing on a HPFF site in the first place?

Script Frenzy '11

Well, I'm not doing NaBloPoMo. Why do you ask?
Because I forgot that April is Script Frenzy. (Link in the doo-blee-do -->)
So, an hour before April began. I began frantically planning a basic plot for a story that I could write as a script in the month of April.

Thankfully, I have a reserve of story ideas I keep handy. I just had to pull up one that I could write as a script. And I found one. Yay!

I am now 3 pages into this story and I figured, being 3% done with the entire thing. I should start procrastinating.

I'll let you know more about what the story is about soon! As soon as I figure out what it's about.

Here's my little catch line:
Becoming a superhero, is like falling in love. It happens by accident.

It's an action, superhero-y, romantic (comedy?) story.