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Workshop:Lois Wickstrom's suggestions: PLOTTING HELP -- "A Chapter A Day"

Karen MacLeod

Lois Wickstrom is author of the Orange Forest Rabbit children's book series, and co-author, with Jean Lorrah, of the award winning Nessie series.  


Lois and I had a discussion regarding an editing assignment I have been working on with an author. That assignment follows:

"I know what I need to do to make progress with IMM ((the initials of the "book" in progress)), I think. I sat next to Sandy Dees at a dreary booksigning, and she told me how she writes a book in six weeks. I soooo need to do that!

She writes a chapter in the morning.
Her mother--a retired editor--reads it in the afternoon to catch any holes in pace/plot/characterization etc. She also catches the typos that the spell check missed... but that is not as important. That night, they talk about what was good, what was not, where the plot is going, whether it is on track/balanced with sub-plots etc, and what the next chapter should be the next morning.

And so it goes for 15 to 20 days.
My mother is not in my back yard, and she is not on the internet! Is this something you feel you could help with, or do you prefer pretty much to stick with copy-editing?

I don't think I can afford a six weeks project. What I meant to suggest, and think I did in my Sunday e-mail was that I try it for the next six DAYS to see whether I can keep up the pace, and whether the system works for me given that I am asking something a little out of the ordinary of us both."

I'm working on the 6-day experiment with her. I may learn something from this that could end up being a useful editing skill....

Lois's response:

This (two recommended e-books) will help you with "a chapter a day" writing project.
I find the 14 Yes/ No pairs to be very useful in plotting.
If you want the book that this is based on: Carol Pearson's The Hero Within, get it here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/006254862X /rereadablebooksr/

This book is out of print but Amazon has plenty of used and new copies in Marketplace for as little as a penny, plus shipping.
You don't need the book to understand the method.
If a friend wants this e-book, send them to
http://www.totallywrite.com/ to buy their own copy. This is the method Jeff Schecter uses. He's the screenwriter of the Dennis the Menace Movie and some Disney flicks.

Novelist software (using this click through link) This year, don’t just read a bestseller – WRITE YOUR OWN! also has a good rep on the web for helping folks write a novel quickly.


Lois also writes, on a "passion test" e-book: Don't worry about the story. The test is interesting.
Again, if friends want a copy, tell them to buy their own copy:
http://www.stayinginlove.com/Passion/Home/index.cfm

Jacqueline's comments on writing a chapter a day:

Karen:

My 75,000 word Dushau Trilogy books are "6 week" books. Yes, it can be done that quickly if you know how to use an outline and have a specific editor whose parameters you know well to aim it at.

Writing hardly takes any time at all. It's POST PRODUCTION that takes months and months.

The typical romance novel takes about 3 or 4 weeks to write, because it's basically "paint by the numbers".
JL

 

 

 

HOMEWORK: Examine the information Lois has provided. See if it has value for you and your writing projects.   

Read the other lessons by Karen MacLeod

 

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