NaNoWriMo 2015 Project

Day 6 - Outline Revision #1

Tuesday, Oct. 06
Required: Outline Revision #1 ▼

Building on your Premise/Idea from Oct. 1, compose the first draft of your outline.
Options:
* Using traditional outline format (Traditional Outline ):
         Define what happens at the beginning, climax, and the end.
* Using Index Cards (Paper or Electronic):
         Define your beginning, climax, and end. As you build your outline throughout October, you can easily shuffle around plot elements.
* The Snowflake Method :
         Write a provocative one-sentence description of your story.
                   Example from Randy Ingermanson's Transgression : "A rogue physicist travels back in time to kill the apostle Paul."

*** SEE ALSO: Outlining Tools in the Writing Tools section at the bottom of this calendar. *Down*

Beginning: the downfall of their relationship as I want to start in the action - maybe with Carson telling her he wants to start doing things on his own... as he doesn't want to be with her - he has another woman who is interesting in doing these more active things (zip lining, white water rafting, camping in Algonquin Park)

Climax: Taryn finds out he has been unfaithful.

End: Carson tries to get her back, but she refuses to go back to an unfaithful man who was so disrespectful to her... especially when she has met someone who is so interested in her and has been kind... she is a little nervous about new love but is thinking she may chance it.


From Storm Machine
I do a quick first-pass at an outline. It's about 20 words, but it often takes at least half an hour to figure them out.

Learned from Les Edgerton, author of Hooked.

Complication or inciting incident:
Debt endangers Pete (This is the complication that provides the occasion for the story. Every story must have an inciting incident to kick-start it. Something must happen that changes the protagonist's world and by doing so, creates a problem/goal. This is where stories must begin - not with setting or backstory. Act I, as it were.)

Development: (This is the second part of the outline. The development steps that lead to the resolution. Act II, as it were, following Aristotle's Poetics)
1.Tommy cons Pete into a kidnapping
2. Pete and Tommy botch kidnapping
3. Pete escapes

Resolution: (This is the third and final step. Act III.)
Pete pays for mistake

from http://lesedgertononwriting.blogspot.com/2010/04/outlining.html
(But i pulled out that example because it's a long post to read)


* Bonus: Literary Devices ▼
Select three literary devices from the list provided and work them into your outline.
OPTIONS:
*Foreshadowing: Hints of something to come.
*Chekhov's Gun: The gun on the wall in Scene 1 is eventually fired.
*Repetitive Designation: An object or fact appears over and over. - writing is the fact that is repeated.
*Symbolism: Small facts, objects, or characterizations represent something bigger.
*Self-fulfilling prophecy: Protagonist attempts to thwart prophecy but in attempting, fulfills it.
*Poetic Justice: Good guys are rewarded and bad guys are punished. - Taryn wins her freedom from Carson's dominance and controlling ways.
*Plot Twist: Surprises the reader with something unexpected.
*False Protagonist: The protagonist dies or turns out to be something other than the protagonist.
*Red Herring: A false trail diverts the reader's attention from what really happened.
*Unreliable Narrator: The narrator has been misleading the reader all along.
*Irony: The exact opposite of what the reader expects happens.
*Reveal: A hidden connection between characters or facts is revealed in time.
*Plot Device: Advances the plot forward, often pushing the main character past a hurdle. - conflict that is both internal (Taryn's struggles) and external (her relationship with Carson and his controlling ways)
*Object of Power: Either the protagonist wants it, or the object drives the plot of its own accord.
*MacGuffin: Something the protagonist wants for unknown and unimportant reasons.
*Quibble: Following the letter of the law, contract, or agreement instead of its intent, changing the outcome.
*Narrative Hook: Story opening that grab's the reader's attention.
*Cliffhanger: Ending a scene, chapter or story in the middle of action, hooking the reader.
*Ticking Clock Scenario: The threat of impending doom if the protagonist's objective is not met.
*Breaking the Fourth Wall: A character speaks directly to the reader.
*Or anything from this list: http://literary-devices.com/

Bildungsroman
Definition: This is a very popular form of storytelling whereby the author bases the plot on the overall growth of the central character throughout the timeline of the story. As the story progresses, the subject undergoes noticeable mental, physical, social, emotional, moral, and often spiritual advancement and strengthening before the readers’ eyes. It has often been seen that the protagonist begins with views, aims and dreams that are in contrast to the other character’s in the story and then fights his or her way through to achieve them.
Example:
Scarlet O’Hara in Gone With the Wind experiences immense personal growth as she learns the value of friends and hard work under duress, without compromising her own dreams.

This is very important to my story as it develops. Taryn tries to be what Carson wants and in doing so she looses bits of herself... by coming back into those things she finds the strength to rebuild herself and her self-esteem. Writing is within the essence of this.

I need somewhere to put these story thoughts...
"Your wearing that to see my parents?" Carson said as he looked over her form.
They were in the elevator on the way up to his parents apartment. Self consciousness rolled like thunder over TAryn as she looked down at her lacy, cream coloured blouse. It wasn't overly revealing and it was comfortable. She thought it looked rather good with her new navy skirt. Wearing a skirt always unnerved her and she had hoped she looked fine... she had asked before they left their place and Carson had muttered an absent assent.
Now she coward inwardly, shirnking as his words trimmed her confidence down to a fine thread. She felt the tears welling and fought them by blinking rapidly and refusing to meet his gaze.
A bloom of anger surged a moment... 'why had he not said something at home when she could have fixed the situation' Now she'd be walking in trembling with nerves.
Just inside the door, his sister Colleen greeted her and after pulling her into a hug, said, "you look lovely."
"You think... really." Taryn asked a bit of her anxiety hedging the words.
"Yes..." Collen said emphatically, "why? What has my brother done now?" she looked over at Carson but he meerly shrugged.

***

Carson finds her writing and gives her a mild scowl.
At his look, Taryn felt a fire of guilt sling shot through her.
This was followed by another more ___ emotion, one she struggled a moment to identify - anger. Anger at herself for letting his look get to her and anger at him. He had no right to condemn her for sitting here writing. He may be looking around for what she had done today, but she knew the things she did were not visiable here and he was being an ass.

***

She tries to 'fix' things by doing what he expects of her, but he seems more pissed that she's doing that - like she is trying too hard and will let things slip again when all is 'okay' again... he'd seen her do that enough.
But this time she keeps up the job consistently... having found a rhythm. It all comes to a head when she finds out he has been cheating on her.

** Image ID #1855238 Unavailable **