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Write Your Novel Step By
Step
by Melanie Anne Phillips
creator StoryWeaver,
co-creator Dramatica
Step 1 -
What's The Big Idea?
How many times have you heard someone
(perhaps even yourself) say, “That’d make a great story!”
Usually this is uttered right after some unexpected event (observed in
life or on television) or after hearing or reading about some new bit of
information (in a conversation with a friend, on the radio or in the newspaper).
Such an idea is called high
concept because the very notion is so intriguing that anyone who hears it
becomes enthralled with the potential for how interesting and involving a story
built around that idea could be.
High concepts are rare.
Otherwise, as they say, “Everyone would be writing them.”
But even if you are lucky enough to recognize a great idea for a story
– even that only gets you partway there because you still need two other
ingredients:
1.
You need to have the abilities to write that particular kind of story.
After all, just because you can recognize what would make a great story
doesn’t mean you actually have the natural skills or insider knowledge that
may be essential to bringing that concept to life.
2.
You need to have the interest in the subject matter of such a story.
No matter if the idea’s great and you have the required skill set –
if you just aren’t personally excited by the material it doesn’t matter how
great the idea is, you’ll never have the drive to carry it through to
completion.
Take Step 1:
One: Since high concept ideas are few and far between, be sure to
note them down at the moment when they occur.
All too often a wonderful idea crops up in the midst of some frenetic
activity, and by the time you get back home you can’t remember what it was for
the life of you.
So, record it on your cell phone or mobile device, call your own number
and leave it in voice mail, jot it down on a scrap of paper, or even just share
it with someone you are with which doubles your chance of remembering it.
Two: Also, great new ideas generally don’t spawn from the same
old ****. The more you expose
yourself to new experiences, venture into new locations, different social
circles, or even just watch television programs you’ve previously avoided –
the more you fill yourself up with unusual (for you) information, the more
likely you are to come up with an unusual idea.
Three: Once you’ve been fortunate enough to come up with a high
concept, don’t just stop there. Though
it is getting ahead of our step by step approach, it pays to do any development
you can when you first think of the idea.
At that time you are enraptured with it and, if you are like most writers,
a lot of other tangential ideas grow from that fascinating core.
Take the time to follow them as far as you can before the inspiration
evaporates, charting out as many details and timelines as you comfortably can.
Every minute spent in this early stage will be worth an hour of effort
later on.
Looking
ahead to Step 2
Not surprisingly then, most books are not completed because the core idea
was astonishingly captivating to begin with.
Rather, it is because the author had some core interests and the skills
and drive to make it happen.
So, if you haven’t got a high concept idea as we’ve outlined in step
one, it makes sense that the second step in writing any book is coming up with
an idea that isn’t high concept but will inspire you and falls within your
experience and abilities.
Based
on StoryWeaver Step By Step
Story Development Software
(click
for details)
$149.95
$29.95
*Try either or both for 90 days. Not working for you?
Return for a full refund of your purchase price!
About Dramatica and
StoryWeaver
What They Do
Dramatica is a tool to help you
build a perfect story structure. StoryWeaver is a tool to help you build
your story's world.
Dramatica focuses on the underlying logic of your
story, making sure there are no holes or inconsistencies.
StoryWeaver
focuses on the creative process, boosting your inspiration and guiding it to add
depth, detail and passion to your story.
How They Do It
Dramatica has the world's only
patented interactive Story Engine™ which cross-references your answers to
questions about your dramatic intent, then finds any weaknesses in your
structure and even suggests the best ways to strengthen them.
StoryWeaver uses a revolutionary new
creative format as you follow more than 200 Story Cards™ step by step through
the story development process. You'll design the people who'll inhabit
your story's world, what happens to them, and what it all means.
How They Work Alone
By itself Dramatica appeals to
structural writers who like to work out all the details of their stories
logically before they write a word.
By itself, StoryWeaver appeals to
intuitive writers who like to follow their Muse and develop their stories as
they go.
How They Work
Together
But, the finished work of a
structural writer can often lack passion, which is where StoryWeaver can help.
And the finished work of an intuitive writer can often lack direction, which is
where Dramatica can help.
So, while each kind of writer will
find one program or the other the most initially appealing, both kinds of
writers can benefit from both programs.
Try Either Program
Risk Free!
We have a 90
Day Return Policy here at Storymind. Try either or both of these
products and if you aren't completely satisfied we'll cheerfully refund your
purchase price.
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