#FirstDraftFall Check-In: Sooo, my brain may have been hijacked by La Llorona for a short story & she might not let me go until I get that draft done, so my specific goal is to appease her. Like you do.

This week is shaping up to be a disaster, but I have fingers crossed I can start tackling some character bios.

(Might need to cross my toes, too)

#FirstDraftFall #WeeknightWriters #l#HostageSituation #YA

#FirstDraftFall #CourtroomGhost I'm working on my focused outline, outlining the book I should have written as opposed to the one I did write. It's got a better ending.

Good afternoon #FirstDraftFall!
This week I want to plan the cafe where Nori works. I hope to have a name and possibly a logo by the end of the week. But it’s tentative because I have an order to fill and pride on Saturday, I will do my best!

Monday #FirstDraftFall Check-In: What aspects of story planning are you going to work on this week? Do you have a specific goal?

#WeeknightWriters #FirstDraftFall I usually need an idea of the character, a hint of a setting, and something happening. I decide later if any of those are plot-relevant.

Yes, I'm a pantser usually.

#WeeknightWriters #FirstDraftFall

I plan out the setting, main story beats, and major characters' personalities and roles. I often also set playlists to match the story and characters. Everything else just kind of comes up on its own.

the main conflict is helpful but not 1000% necessary depending on the story

sometimes it's something small but significant, like what a particular item is and how the characters might find it

always a good bit about the characters (but not everything)

#WeeknightWriters #FirstDraftFall

#FirstDraftFall
I need to get a better handle on how each beat will play out. The broad strokes of the characters and events are mostly there, but it's going to take some time to really pin down the world Missy lives in and how she relates to the world around her.

#FirstDraftFall The most important thing for me is figuring out my characters’ core personalities, especially any fatal flaws that I can tie into their story arcs. And with Fealty Among Bastards, that’s super important because the MCs & antagonist spend the vast majority of the plot together.

idk i usually start with a simple premise (like, "what if the big bad returns 10 years after magical girls defeat it?") and just start a new WIP whenever inspiration strikes.

then after i have a beginning, i'll map out a basic outline for the rest of it in my head

#WeeknightWriters #FirstDraftFall

#WeeknightWriters #FirstDraftFall

THE CHARACTERS

I swear if I don't have a clear character in mind for a project I lose interest in it immediately

Exactly. I can come up with some initial ideas, no problem, but until I write about them -- even if it's just freewriting a random scene -- I can't get into their head enough to define how they would act. #weeknightwriters #firstdraftfall