Yea, i been having trouble drawing up an outline for my fics.
Is there a way of doing it? I could really use the help.
How To Make an Outline?
Moderator: blackrose
-
Lady Casper
- Anime Junkie
- Posts: 1148
- Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2004 5:39 pm
- Location: .::Temporary Insanity::.
How To Make an Outline?
~Lady Casper ~ Casper 夫人
-
Lady Casper
- Anime Junkie
- Posts: 1148
- Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2004 5:39 pm
- Location: .::Temporary Insanity::.
-
GM1
- Pilot Candidate||Goddess in Training
- Posts: 37
- Joined: Sun Jul 11, 2004 7:12 pm
- Location: Walking through Dreamland
An outline!!
Ok guys, I'm going to warn you right now...I am the plan ahead geak! I am a programmer. Everything I do has to come with an outline or more preferably a diagram (I like visuals better)! 
Ok, on with the show...
Numbero Uno -> A theme!! (Otherwise entitled -> What the heck is this story about!!!) Try and keep this to two or three sentences tops!
So, for example, let's say we have a Heero/Relena fic on our hands... Um, maybe Rose's Traitor to the Cause...
Theme: No matter what the cost to herself, Relena is determined to protect the Gundum pilots from the bloodthirsty members of ESUN who are out for revenge.
So, every chapter in this fic must point to that theme. (Rose did a fabulous job!!!) Now, we have the job of introducing the conflict/resolution scenarios that lead to our climax, followed by the final resolution! (Or chapters, dear readers).
I like to divide my chapters with good old A, B, C, D method.
Next to each letter, I write a phrase that summarizes the point of the chapter. Then, under A, create subpoints for the major action items. In this example, it would be:
A - (Chapter 1) - Demands of ESUN; Relena's Refusal
1. Brief intro
a. Story Time, Place, Circumstance Information
b. ESUN demands names of gundum pilots
i. blame them for destruction in war
ii. are out for blood
c. Relena takes discisive action
i. Passes law
ii. Burns documents
ii. Presents empty files
iv. Resigns
v. Leaves
B - (Chapter 2) - New Lives
1. Brief into
a. Heero in college on colony
b. Heero plays soccer
2. Late night visit from Relena
a. Going to Mars
b. Loves him
DRAT! The indentations don't work!
Anyhoo, you get the idea. It's been a long time since I've read this, so I could be out of order or something. Anyway, the idea is to get a skeletal structure. Figure out what the main action in the story. There should be at least one per chapter that supporting the theme and leading to the climax. Each chapter of this story shows Relena's conflict along with the other characters involved about the action she took to protect the pilots and the ramification of it. Those ramifications are fully realized when she is taken by the Preventor to stand trial. During that time period, the conflict continues to build with the strugge until the climax and resolution where Relena is found not guility and lives and...H & R live happily ever after. Blah, blah, blah.
I really hope this helped a bit!!! It is long, isn't it???
Ok, on with the show...
Numbero Uno -> A theme!! (Otherwise entitled -> What the heck is this story about!!!) Try and keep this to two or three sentences tops!
So, for example, let's say we have a Heero/Relena fic on our hands... Um, maybe Rose's Traitor to the Cause...
Theme: No matter what the cost to herself, Relena is determined to protect the Gundum pilots from the bloodthirsty members of ESUN who are out for revenge.
So, every chapter in this fic must point to that theme. (Rose did a fabulous job!!!) Now, we have the job of introducing the conflict/resolution scenarios that lead to our climax, followed by the final resolution! (Or chapters, dear readers).
I like to divide my chapters with good old A, B, C, D method.
Next to each letter, I write a phrase that summarizes the point of the chapter. Then, under A, create subpoints for the major action items. In this example, it would be:
A - (Chapter 1) - Demands of ESUN; Relena's Refusal
1. Brief intro
a. Story Time, Place, Circumstance Information
b. ESUN demands names of gundum pilots
i. blame them for destruction in war
ii. are out for blood
c. Relena takes discisive action
i. Passes law
ii. Burns documents
ii. Presents empty files
iv. Resigns
v. Leaves
B - (Chapter 2) - New Lives
1. Brief into
a. Heero in college on colony
b. Heero plays soccer
2. Late night visit from Relena
a. Going to Mars
b. Loves him
DRAT! The indentations don't work!
Anyhoo, you get the idea. It's been a long time since I've read this, so I could be out of order or something. Anyway, the idea is to get a skeletal structure. Figure out what the main action in the story. There should be at least one per chapter that supporting the theme and leading to the climax. Each chapter of this story shows Relena's conflict along with the other characters involved about the action she took to protect the pilots and the ramification of it. Those ramifications are fully realized when she is taken by the Preventor to stand trial. During that time period, the conflict continues to build with the strugge until the climax and resolution where Relena is found not guility and lives and...H & R live happily ever after. Blah, blah, blah.
I really hope this helped a bit!!! It is long, isn't it???
-
melrose_stormhaven
- A puddle under the tire of the procrastination truck|VP of the BI Hentai Club
- Posts: 3202
- Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2003 8:11 pm
- Location: smexing the night away...in fanfics, of course
- Contact:
Ah! GM1! That is how I do my stuff! I'm glad someone put that in 'writing'!
VP of the BI Hentai Club
Ennis Tremellyn, Director of CIA in The Man.
?We are only human, and the gods have fashioned us for love. That is our great glory, and our great tragedy.? ? Maester Aemon of The Night's Watch, A Song of Ice and Fire
"There are easier ways to die; this is NOT one of them!"
For ALL your anime/game sountrack needs: http://gh.ffshrine.org?r=23263
Avatar is from the Naruto Shippuden trailer, made by farlist in LJ.
Ennis Tremellyn, Director of CIA in The Man.
?We are only human, and the gods have fashioned us for love. That is our great glory, and our great tragedy.? ? Maester Aemon of The Night's Watch, A Song of Ice and Fire
"There are easier ways to die; this is NOT one of them!"
For ALL your anime/game sountrack needs: http://gh.ffshrine.org?r=23263
Avatar is from the Naruto Shippuden trailer, made by farlist in LJ.
-
Lady Casper
- Anime Junkie
- Posts: 1148
- Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2004 5:39 pm
- Location: .::Temporary Insanity::.
-
GM1
- Pilot Candidate||Goddess in Training
- Posts: 37
- Joined: Sun Jul 11, 2004 7:12 pm
- Location: Walking through Dreamland
Song fics & One shots
Sure! The same rules apply. If it's a song fic, typically there will be at least one line of the song, if not the chorus, that is the theme of the fic. If it's a one shot, what exactly is the one shot about. You should be able to state that in one or two sentences. Again, there's your theme. From there, your major action/drama/interaction points become your A,B,C,D. And so on and so on!
-
melrose_stormhaven
- A puddle under the tire of the procrastination truck|VP of the BI Hentai Club
- Posts: 3202
- Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2003 8:11 pm
- Location: smexing the night away...in fanfics, of course
- Contact:
You're a genius, GM1. XD
VP of the BI Hentai Club
Ennis Tremellyn, Director of CIA in The Man.
?We are only human, and the gods have fashioned us for love. That is our great glory, and our great tragedy.? ? Maester Aemon of The Night's Watch, A Song of Ice and Fire
"There are easier ways to die; this is NOT one of them!"
For ALL your anime/game sountrack needs: http://gh.ffshrine.org?r=23263
Avatar is from the Naruto Shippuden trailer, made by farlist in LJ.
Ennis Tremellyn, Director of CIA in The Man.
?We are only human, and the gods have fashioned us for love. That is our great glory, and our great tragedy.? ? Maester Aemon of The Night's Watch, A Song of Ice and Fire
"There are easier ways to die; this is NOT one of them!"
For ALL your anime/game sountrack needs: http://gh.ffshrine.org?r=23263
Avatar is from the Naruto Shippuden trailer, made by farlist in LJ.
-
Lady Casper
- Anime Junkie
- Posts: 1148
- Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2004 5:39 pm
- Location: .::Temporary Insanity::.
-
GM1
- Pilot Candidate||Goddess in Training
- Posts: 37
- Joined: Sun Jul 11, 2004 7:12 pm
- Location: Walking through Dreamland
I wish...
You're a genius, GM1. XD
I so wish someone would tell my boss that so I could get a nice raise to go with the ever increasing cost of the benefit program! ARGH!!
Eeek! I'm betraying my age. I've passed over the hump of college life...a few years ago in fact. Now, I'm an old working lady with too much stress!!!
Help!