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When you absolutely, positively, HAVE to get the story done.
The trick to speed writing is to Plan out the story first, more commonly known as Plotting.
"Diabolic" was written in 30 days -- all 15 chapters at 2,500 to 3,000 words per chapter, adding up to around 80k. A novel is 90k to 100k. I was able to do this because I already knew my main characters really well, (Vincent and Sephiroth of Final Fantasy VII,) and I knew where my story ENDED. Basically, once I knew where I wanted to go, all I had to do was figure out how to get there.
The plot outline I used only had 5 points:
- Beginning - The Protagonist gets involved with their Antagonist
- Complications - Clues as to what's really going on > confusion
- Emotional Turning Point - Feelings (angst) > Fight or Flight
- Reversal - The worst possible thing that could happen
- Climax - The absolute last thing anyone wants to do > outcome
Where did these five points come from? Basic Plotting found in most How-To writing books.
-- Does this look more recognizable?
- Introduction
- Conflict
- Ordeal (Dark Moment)
- Climax
- Resolution
"Plot the story out…? But that’s so…Uncreative!"
-- EVERY story follows the same basic pattern, from Aristotle and Shakespeare to Underworld and Constantine. It’s up to the individual author to do something Creative within that pattern, up to and including, going back and forth between points before progressing onto the next step.
Also, plotting your story out doesn’t mean you have to do exactly as planned. View it as a guide, a road-map that tells you where you are verses where you want to be. There’s absolutely no reason why you can’t take alternate routes. “I could take this left-hand turn in Albuquerque…?”
However -- if you don’t know where you want end up, right from the beginning, You’ll NEVER Get There.
High-Speed Plotting -- in Action!
Let's say that THIS is what you're starting with...
Full Metal Alchemist
- Where I am: I’m Edward Elric and I’m trapped in a world with no magic.
- Where I want to be: I want to go home to my world, and my brother.
Okay, now that you know where you're going, this is the pattern you follow to get there.
- Beginning - The Protagonist gets involved with their Antagonist
- (Who or what is preventing me from achieving my goal?)
- (Who or what is preventing me from achieving my goal?)
- Complications - Clues as to what's really going on > confusion
- (Current life: my friends, my job, my investigations, my questions, my conclusions…)
- (Current life: my friends, my job, my investigations, my questions, my conclusions…)
- Emotional Turning Point - Feelings (angst) > Fight or Flight
- (There is a way, but it will mean a major sacrifice. Am I willing to pay that sacrifice?)
- Reversal - The worst possible thing that could happen
- (What major obstacle must I overcome before I can even attempt my goal?)
- (What major obstacle must I overcome before I can even attempt my goal?)
- Climax - The absolute last thing anyone wants to do > outcome
- (Will I take that chance to make my goal happen? What happens if I succeed?)
- (Will I take that chance to make my goal happen? What happens if I succeed?)
Not a whole lot of details, are there? That's where you get to be Creative! I don't know about you, but simply LOOKING at these points suggested a story to me, (and I don't mean the FMA movie - Conquerers of Shamballa, though it follows this pattern too!)
No matter what story you have in mind, if you can fill in these five slots, you can FINISH any story. Seriously.
xXxHolic
- Where I am: I’m Watanuki Kimihiro and I get chased around by spirits that wanna eat me on a regular basis. My acquaintance, Doumeki Shizuka saves me from the spirits far too often for my own sanity. (I don't call him my friend 'cuz his personality, or rather lack there of, drives me up the frikken walls.)
- Where I want to be: I want to save HIM for once, damn it!
- Where I am: I’m Harry Potter and I go to an amazingly cool school of magic. Life is great, except that one of the teachers, Professor Snape, hates my guts.
- Where I want to be: I want to change the professor's opinion of me.
Saiyuki
- Where I am: I’m Cho Hakkai and by my own hands, turned myself into a demon. I have a crush on my traveling companion, Genjyo Sanzo who happens to be a short-tempered, foul-mouthed priest with a nasty habit of pointing his anti-demon gun at anyone that pisses him off. Sanzo think's I'm a 'nice guy'.
- Where I want to be: I'm not a nice guy, I'm a demon and I want to screw him so badly I can literally taste it.
In Conclusion…
When you’re on a time limit, plotting out the major turning points in your story is a far, far faster method than simply waiting on the muse for inspiration.
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no subject
Date: 2007-09-08 12:42 pm (UTC)From:* Where I am: I’m Cho Hakkai and by my own hands, turned myself into a demon. I have a crush on my traveling companion, Genjyo Sanzo who happens to be a short-tempered, foul-mouthed priest with a nasty habit of pointing his anti-demon gun at anyone that pisses him off. Sanzo think's I'm a 'nice guy'.
* Where I want to be: I'm not a nice guy, I'm a demon and I want to screw him so badly I can literally taste it.
[waits]
Oh. I thought you were going to write the smut. XD
no subject
Date: 2007-09-08 09:56 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2007-09-09 04:07 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2007-09-09 05:44 am (UTC)From:Well, what many might not realize is that Kanzeon's Japanese name is Kanon, and Kanon is a Hermaphrodite - both male and female. S/he has both boobs and a dick. (It's in the first volume of Saiyuki too.) Kanon is quite famous for screwing (or being screwed by) anything that moves, human or otherwise. (There was this story about a horse...) Anyway, THAT'S why Sanzo has a problem with her. Not because Kanon is female, but because Kanon is a complete and utter sexual deviant, in every sense of the word. (grin)
Now, since Hakkai is trying to get into Sanzo's pants, what would be the absolute worse possible situation Hakkai could be found in?
no subject
Date: 2007-09-09 05:58 am (UTC)From:-- Hakkai is a sexual deviant too. The woman that he killed 1000 demons over, his one great love, his wife - was also his sister.
no subject
Date: 2007-09-09 10:57 pm (UTC)From:I think Hakkai and Kannon will get on very well. XD Fun over torturing Sanzo for one thing.
- was also his sister.
I was confused about this one. The anime implies that they were just kids from the same orphanage. I haven't finished reading the manga yet so I haven't really confirmed that they were blood related. >.> Although I've read a lot of fics saying they are so it's cannon?
no subject
Date: 2007-09-09 11:43 pm (UTC)From:- I have a LOT of mythology books in my personal library. I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I can't remember which book I read it in, though the story might be in the 'Sacred Texts Archive' online...
"I think Hakkai and Kannon will get on very well. XD Fun over torturing Sanzo for one thing."
- That's exactly what I was thinking. Kannon LOVES teasing Sanzo, every chance S/He gets.
"...was also his sister."
"I was confused about this one. The anime implies that they were just kids from the same orphanage..."
- English dubbing for Anime is traditionally watered down for children. For several episodes, FMA tried to pass off Envy as a Girl -- using a female voice and everything. Check the subtitled version.
"...I haven't finished reading the manga yet so I haven't really confirmed that they were blood related. >.> Although I've read a lot of fics saying they are so it's cannon?"
- It's canon. Take a look at Volume 7, Chapter 42, "Ten Years Ago", page 18: "I suppose you're somewhere, my other half. I wonder if you'll love me?"
no subject
Date: 2007-09-10 12:52 am (UTC)From:Ive watched the sub but I didn't catch on that they were real siblings. Must watch again.
"I suppose you're somewhere, my other half. I wonder if you'll love me?"
Hmm.. so it really isn't stated in blunt terms. But I suppose that's as clear as they're going to get. Japanese people love to be vague. >.>
Now this gives me motivation to finish reading the manga. XD
no subject
Date: 2007-09-10 01:35 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2007-09-10 06:40 am (UTC)From:this means you love sanzo, yes? LOL.
hmm.. i get the urge to write again. back in highschool i used to put out at least 1000 words a day, no problem. now i can't even generate a 100 word drabble. ugh.
maybe ill do plotting. XD about what though, i have no idea. i need plot bunnies.
no subject
Date: 2007-09-12 03:00 am (UTC)From:YEEEESSSS!
-- Because I understand him perfectly. For a very, very long time I WAS Sanzo.
I have three younger brothers that I practically raised from diapers. It was nothing for me to whap them on the head with whatever paperback I happened to be carrying and threaten to kill them if they didn't Shut UP!
no subject
Date: 2007-09-12 03:29 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2007-09-08 04:55 pm (UTC)From:Interestingly enough, I've always done something very similar to this in all my silly and inept writing.
PS - Mmmm, great idea for an xXxHolic story!
no subject
Date: 2007-09-08 09:52 pm (UTC)From:-- I, on the other hand, actually had to LEARN this stuff.
no subject
Date: 2007-09-09 05:46 am (UTC)From:Oh goody! Then you'll write it?
no subject
Date: 2007-09-08 08:47 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2007-09-08 09:54 pm (UTC)From:- I'm really good at coming up with stuff. I just WISH there was enough time in the day to actually write it all.
no subject
Date: 2007-09-11 11:08 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2007-09-12 03:03 am (UTC)From:- I'll take Smut Stories as my divine tithe, thank you very much.
no subject
Date: 2007-09-12 06:25 am (UTC)From:Oh, goddess of Smut Stories, please except my offering. *sacrifices on her altar all the pretty boys she could found (of course they are all tied up)* xD