October Novel Prep Challenge

The revisions assume that your initial outline was incomplete, so your initial chronology would be incomplete. This is a way to get things in the right order or show that things happen simultaneously. Pretend you were writing Lord of the Rings. Your first outline revision might be really rough:

Beginning: Bilbo leaves ring to Frodo
Complication: Gandalf reveals it to be the One Ring
Climax: Frodo destroys the ring
Conclusion: Mordor is destroyed and the King returns to Gondor

Your first chronological timeline might be to do some quick research:

If the Shire is X kilometers from Mordor, and they go there on foot, it would take X months to get there. They start in the early springtime and walk through summer so that the weather cooperates with my plot.

In your next revision, you add some details:
* Frodo waits for Gandalf at the Prancing Pony
* Frodo first goes to Rivendell first and pick up some friends
* The path to Mordor takes them over the mountains, and they must choose the best path
* The Fellowship tries to go over the mountains but must backtrack due to weather conditions
* The Fellowship makes another pit stop in Lorien

Now you add details to your timeline:

Frodo waits X days in Bree
The initial trek to Rivendell adds X days
It would take X days to attempt the mountain pass.
It would take X days to make it under the mountain
They stay X days in Lorien

Meanwhile, you're adding subplots:
Saruman begins to build an army of cross-bred orcs
Gandalf is delayed when he confronts Saruman

These need to be added to the timeline, too:
- exactly when does Saruman begin building his army?
- exactly when does Gandalf leave the Fellowship
- exactly how long is Gandalf imprisoned?

These facts will determine when Gandalf is able to return to the Fellowship.

So, with each revision, as you're fleshing out details, the bonus assignment is to add any new plot elements to your chronology. You may find the need to change the order in which things happen, whether main or sub plots. The chronology will help you understand what works best for your story.


Regards,
Michelle