Discussion How do you plot?

Discussion in 'General Chat' started by Okuri Ookami, Nov 19, 2017.

  1. Okuri Ookami

    Okuri Ookami 'Chi Chi Chi' calls the Sparrow

    Joined:
    Dec 16, 2015
    Messages:
    3,205
    Likes Received:
    1,787
    Reading List:
    Link
    So I was just going over how I plan to outline one of the scenes of the novel I'm planning, I thought this would be the best format in which to organize my thinking. I use the tool called Simple Mind with a freeform layout, its a Mind-mapping software that I originally had on my phone. I'm currently in the process of manually transferring over the data from my phone into the new program on my laptop via the same program, this got me to wondering, how does everyone else organize their thoughts for story planning?

    To be honest I don't remember any of the story planning I learned in school lol So this is the best way I can think of to format my thoughts in an organized manner.
    upload_2017-11-19_1-52-3.png
    Court room scene
    -Top branch (MC & friends prospective)
    -Mid branch (direct recounting of actions as they happen)
    -Bottom (side character prospective)
    My story will be taking from the Harry Potter style of writing were its neither the author or the MC talking its more of an outsider looking on an giving the bare minimum re-counting of what's happening outside of character monologue. I forget what that's called.....
    This map is a scene from maybe a small if not medium sized arc in the story, the symbols/letters mean absolutely nothing. The map just wont form a bubble unless you have some words or numbers in them so I just added some randomly so I can true up the way I had it in my phone.

    So how do you guys plan out your stories? I've seen some awesome stories with rich an complex thoughts behind them and would like to learn by example.

    Disclaimer: I've never written a novel just short stories and this will be my first time writing a planned series more than a chapter or two long. I want it to be a none linier story so the map is a little :sushi_sigh: all over the place...
     
  2. pentadrian

    pentadrian Wandering donut

    Joined:
    May 15, 2016
    Messages:
    1,146
    Likes Received:
    1,451
    Reading List:
    Link
    Usually I use matplotlib or something similar. Matlab, Python's Pandas and numpy frameworks and R in general provide great plotting capabilities. Usually you can plot better if you sit in a dark tower with a good PC. That sinister vibe allows you and the computer to plot faster!
     
  3. rook14

    rook14 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2017
    Messages:
    387
    Likes Received:
    244
    Reading List:
    Link
    You dont need shits like that. The only thing you need is how you Start and to End of the story. It will be easy then than making a spider web. I know dis, coz a making one. :blobowoevil_horns:
     
    TariganRd likes this.
  4. Cupcake Ninja

    Cupcake Ninja [Kind Sage][Lord Benevolence][ The Great Paragon]

    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2015
    Messages:
    5,991
    Likes Received:
    8,159
    Reading List:
    Link
    looks complicated. Me, i dont really plan. I mean why not just do what feels right? We read so many novels shouldn't we just have a sense for these things? Like me, i know what kinda stuff i wanna do and how i wanna present it. Cuz i know all the time i read a novel and am really into it when something happens, then the author pulls a fast one and cuts to something else and im like "this fucker goddammit now I HAVE to read". You know? That.

    BUT! That kinda style is prolly why i rarely finish stuff. Im thinkin' im good at the start of things but then just go like, "fuck it leave it to tomorrow." And continue that thinking till tomorrow becomes a week later. Hm. Maybe i do need better structure then now that i mention it...
     
    Igneus likes this.
  5. Okuri Ookami

    Okuri Ookami 'Chi Chi Chi' calls the Sparrow

    Joined:
    Dec 16, 2015
    Messages:
    3,205
    Likes Received:
    1,787
    Reading List:
    Link
    I... don't know what any of the things you listed are :blobdizzy: Dark towers? I'm afraid of heights :blobpeek:

    Barely remember what a spider map is I'll look it up I guess
     
  6. NewbArtist

    NewbArtist *Blubg

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2017
    Messages:
    130
    Likes Received:
    100
    Reading List:
    Link
    Dunno, I'm an ad lib type.
    But isn't connecting events together good enough?
     
  7. pentadrian

    pentadrian Wandering donut

    Joined:
    May 15, 2016
    Messages:
    1,146
    Likes Received:
    1,451
    Reading List:
    Link
    Well, it is known that best plotting often occurs in formidable fortresses, dark dungeons, terrifying towers and cozy caves.
     
  8. Scarecrow

    Scarecrow > dev/null

    Joined:
    Oct 22, 2015
    Messages:
    1,919
    Likes Received:
    1,860
    Reading List:
    Link
    What a coincidence.. I have been asking the same question for the last 2 hours. How to plot my model performance with tensorboard?
    #Halp #Urgent #LessThan12HoursDeadline
     
  9. Xane

    Xane Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 5, 2016
    Messages:
    1,416
    Likes Received:
    1,200
    Reading List:
    Link
    I have a question first. How do you come up with a story in the first place? So much detail is required.

    It can't just be "Ok so there's this guy that's a cripple, but then he encounters this thing and eventually becomes God." I Eat Tomatoes has to be the only one that writes his stories like that. Get a character in a shitty life, he finds something, writes the in-between by the seat of his pants, 2000 chapters later MC becomes God.
     
    Igneus and Cupcake Ninja like this.
  10. Cupcake Ninja

    Cupcake Ninja [Kind Sage][Lord Benevolence][ The Great Paragon]

    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2015
    Messages:
    5,991
    Likes Received:
    8,159
    Reading List:
    Link
    google-bro can help you fam. Prolly.
     
    Scarecrow likes this.
  11. Cupcake Ninja

    Cupcake Ninja [Kind Sage][Lord Benevolence][ The Great Paragon]

    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2015
    Messages:
    5,991
    Likes Received:
    8,159
    Reading List:
    Link
    isn't it just about the idea and the characters? You have the kinda setting or idea you want. Then you gotta know your characters and show how they respond to the events that idea thrusts upon them. You just gotta have something happen, then have a response. And go from there. Right? Thats how i think of it, nothing too complex. Just gotta flesh it out as you go.
     
    Xane and Okuri Ookami like this.
  12. Okuri Ookami

    Okuri Ookami 'Chi Chi Chi' calls the Sparrow

    Joined:
    Dec 16, 2015
    Messages:
    3,205
    Likes Received:
    1,787
    Reading List:
    Link
    I hate those novels that just move forward and add things later.. how many Xianxia and western novels have we read that the author just plot armors over everything with a rabbit (the author pushing the story along with no planning) a hat (the plot armor set up) and a wand (the event that will absolutely protect the mc) recipe? I don't want that type of formula for my story.

    To each their own, I can respect the ad lib but I like thinking out the story to get rid of plot wholes. I'm also not that imaginative so most of my events are modification on top of modification.

    Will my dark room work just as well? I'm pretty sure its haunted

    Don't know if its the same but good luck

    Ummm I plan my character around me and have them live the way I would want to if I was in their world. I myself only read stories that I can put myself into and say this is how I would do it and this is an expected result of an action I made and what would follow. I like Transcending the Nine heavens author, Er Gen as well as IET's novels so story planning is just as important as character development. I set up a few plot devices and goals I want them to reach and what they would do to achieve it and blam I have an idea for an arc. For the over all story and end goal I know what I want my character to do I just don't know where I should finish..
     
    Xane likes this.
  13. Cupcake Ninja

    Cupcake Ninja [Kind Sage][Lord Benevolence][ The Great Paragon]

    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2015
    Messages:
    5,991
    Likes Received:
    8,159
    Reading List:
    Link
    depends how you do it fam. Its like cooking see. First you gotta make the base. The thing that's gon hold it all together, the core, the skeleton. Foundation. Then you slowly work your way up and put some layers on that shit. Muscle to the bone, get me? Spice up that bitch right good. Add an explosion of flavors so that when you take a bite it's like your mouth is having an orgasm.

    Nothing wrong with adding' stuff later on. Its like when you're making a nice tenderloin, right, then you go and add chocolate to it as it cooks and you fuck up the entire thing. The chocolate is the cheat item, see, or some kinda othe miraculous event that has no reason for happening. Cant do that. Not without an explanation. You'll burn the chocolate and the ternderloin wouldn't even be fit for a dog to shit out.

    S'all about the harmony of the flavors my man.

    Most authors dont use this kinda method right and just pull stuff outta their asses. There's a difference between making things up as you go along and just throwing your shit at people. One requires you at least have some ultimate goal. Its simply figuring out how to get to it as you make up the story, in a way that's believable, that you gotta worry about. The other? The other is deus ex machina-type shit cuz yer a lazy fuck or something like that.

    Now that i should really be talking i guess. Im a lazy fuck too, heh.

    Also in case you were wondering, yeah, im hungry. And im tryna get my 25k nuffies back, Lys swindled me outta my fortune. So long ass rants is gon be more common in the future even for me.
     
  14. Okuri Ookami

    Okuri Ookami 'Chi Chi Chi' calls the Sparrow

    Joined:
    Dec 16, 2015
    Messages:
    3,205
    Likes Received:
    1,787
    Reading List:
    Link
    Your making me hungry... now I have to make that siracha honey chicken that's going to fuck up my stomach even though I was holding off till after breakfast. Also chocolate actually goes pretty well with certain meats depending on what type anyway.

    I generally consider most novels done by these amateur authors to be more of a rough draft that got published rather than an actual work. These authors post 2 chapters a day most with out editing and they can't go back later and retouch them because people would complain. So in a way I understand the reason Deux ex exists I just don't like it especially since they start a new novel right after and don't take a month or two to go over what they did and republish it like the Japanese do. But there is a reason for that as well so...

    Anyway I agree with all of what you are saying but that approach just isn't my thing, I'm a step by step kinda guy. I won't post unless I'm 5 to 6 chapters arcs ahead and am sure everything fits in. That's if I ever post at all. The hardest part might be to actually start writing and stop planning :facepalm: I'm the classic INTJ lol I've been planning this series for 6 or 7 yrs but this book (1 of 3) has been in my head for the last 2 and I'm just now putting out all the points I've had in my head on paper even if its just plotting it.

    I consider what I'm doing now the bones, next I'll do a rough draft which will be the tendons, then an edited draft for the organs, a finished draft for meat and lastly the publishing draft for the finish/flesh.

    I ain't afraid of no rant, Come @ Me!:blobhero:
     
    Cupcake Ninja likes this.