Post by Siana Blackwood on Nov 6, 2011 1:03:12 GMT -5
1) Who is your protagonist? At the start of your book, what distinguishes your protagonist from other people? What central strength does he/she have? How does this strength get him/her into trouble?
2) When the novel opens, what is s/he on the brink of doing? Why does he/she say she's going to do this? What does this action represent for the protagonist?
3) What external situation will require the protagonist's participation throughout the course of the book? How does this connect with #2? Does it help or interfere? Can you build in a deadline for extra tension?
4) What is the protagonist's goal for the time the book covers? How does this connect with the external situation? Or does the external situation divert the protagonist from his/her goal? Why does the protagonist SAY he/she wants the goal? Is there a deeper motivation as yet unknown to him/her?
5) What problem (external conflict) does the external situation present? How can the protagonist eventually resolve that conflict?
6) List at least three obstacles in the way of her resolving this conflict. Make one an internal obstacle/conflict.
7) How will the protagonist grow because of confronting these obstacles?
8) What do you want to happen at the end of the book?
9) What will have to happen to the protagonist against his/her will to make your ending come about?
This is more of a freewriting exercise than an actual way to plot out a story, but. it can really help you figure out a few of those writers block-inducing problems. Ideally you should be able to answer all these questions in thirty minutes.
2) When the novel opens, what is s/he on the brink of doing? Why does he/she say she's going to do this? What does this action represent for the protagonist?
3) What external situation will require the protagonist's participation throughout the course of the book? How does this connect with #2? Does it help or interfere? Can you build in a deadline for extra tension?
4) What is the protagonist's goal for the time the book covers? How does this connect with the external situation? Or does the external situation divert the protagonist from his/her goal? Why does the protagonist SAY he/she wants the goal? Is there a deeper motivation as yet unknown to him/her?
5) What problem (external conflict) does the external situation present? How can the protagonist eventually resolve that conflict?
6) List at least three obstacles in the way of her resolving this conflict. Make one an internal obstacle/conflict.
7) How will the protagonist grow because of confronting these obstacles?
8) What do you want to happen at the end of the book?
9) What will have to happen to the protagonist against his/her will to make your ending come about?
This is more of a freewriting exercise than an actual way to plot out a story, but. it can really help you figure out a few of those writers block-inducing problems. Ideally you should be able to answer all these questions in thirty minutes.
