NaNoWriMo 2018 Project

October 9 - Plot: Rising Action

Oct. 09: - Plot: Rising Action (How does the story get there?) ▼
Review your notes from the "Premise" and "Beginning" plot exercises, and tweak the conflict(s) and inciting incident as needed before proceeding with the "Rising Action" plot exercise, as follows:

(1) Describe any initial refusals on the part of your protagonist(s) to face the conflict.

Arlynn is generally not one to upset the basic balance of things. She stays in a job she is not so happy in because it helps pay the bills (which Lance expects her to pay half of even though it is his place and he makes more money than she does) and she hopes that at some point she will be promoted out of the pile to do something far more extraordinary. She is afraid to strike out on her own and does not see Lance a supporter of a freelance career. Lance has a way of making Arlynn feel like she is 'losing her mind' and he often projects his actions onto her - accuing her of being unfaithful when it is actually him who is.

I have a list of "The 9 tems and phrases you need to know if you think you are being manipulated" in my blue binder. Lance does may of these, if not all.

Monitoring - Lance is in constant contact with her - texts and calls frequently. If she does not respond to his attempts at communication he gets upset.

Object Constancy - when upset Lance can hurl insults that make him appear like he is a completely different person - like he doesn't like her at all. (He can't keep positive feelings about her when he becomes angry or annoyed with her). Arlynn alters her behaviour to make him happy.

Moth To A Flame - Lance is draw to the positives in her (This could be Sheila as well) Behind the scenes they bring you down, start to break your confidence - lowering her self-esteem so Arlynn is less likely to leave.

Flipping The Script - accusing you of doing what they themselves have done

Gaslighting - making Arlynn feel like she is going crazy - Manipulators lie, make things up that never happened, but say this in such a convincing way and with such conviction, that Arlynn ends up believing him. This happens slowly over time.

Perspecticide - Not allowing her to think or do anything on their own terms.

Trauma Bonding - give their partners intermittent periods of love and compliments to get them to stick around.... these happen when Arlynn has done something right. "But he didn't hit me" - psychological abuse in damaging and toxic

Bargaining - Lance does not like to lose. He will beg for a second chance if he thinks he can
gain something from her.... when he freelancing starts to take off he goes and tries to 'rescue her' from herself and this god-forsaken back water of a place. Empty promises... but Arlynn is strong enough by then to kick his ass to the curb. Sheila has a lot of these characteristics as well.
When Arlynn leaves she does not leave a forwarding address and Lance has to 'find' her... but not before he is sure Sheila is really a loser after all.

(2) Describe the moment when your protagonist(s) makes the choice to face the conflict.

It is not until she discovers Lance's infidelity and his stealing her designs to given them to Sheila that Arlynn decides she has had enough. Her life is crumbling and she decides this is not the place for her.

She stays at home the night that she finds out - sees Lance kissing Sheila, but in the morning after he leaves for work she packs up her stuff from his tiny bachelor pad and loads up her car. She goes to work and heads in to talk to her boss, Mr. Reid - but not before finding out if her collegue, Jim Daniels can put her up at his place over night - he can.

The conversation with Mr. Reid is also enlightening and gives her hope.

She does not actually face to face with Lance. She leaves him a note.... and a pair of frilly underwear she found when making the bed.

She takes back her flash drive from Sheila when she is away from her desk and Jim helps her to make sure the designs are all off her computer. She avoids her as well. There is a conversation but that is before she talks to Mr. Reid.

She leaves her a note as well... with the key to Lance's place (to pass Lance off).
She stays one night with Jim and his boyfriend, Dave, then is able to work from home for 2 weeks and heads north to cottage country.

(3) Describe the moment when your protagonist(s) crosses the point of no return and cannot change their mind.

Packing up her stuff and loading up her car while Lance is at work.

(4) Fill in some of the blanks: How will your characters get from the point of no return to the climax?

This is where I am unsure... I really don't know my end point.
Arlynn needs to build up her confidence again (Lance has caused some damage to her self esteem and confidence levels) she needs to learn she can be self sufficient - living partially off the grid and on her own and finding her creative passions and following them with her freelance career - that begins to take off.

By the time Lance locates her and comes to 'get' her or 'rescue her' from this god-forsaken place, she is doing pretty well and has gotten a lot of her gumption back.
Her standing up for herself may be the point at which Ryan decides he is willing to take a chance with this woman - she is staying and she knows what she wants.

** Image ID #1855238 Unavailable **