Outlining a Book

Let's take it from the top! NaNo doesn't start until November 1, which means that we have a couple weeks to prepare. Shall we take advantage of that?

In NaNoWriMo, you must start your book on the 1st day. That means that you can't continue a book that you've been writing before November 1. However, you are greatly encouraged to use outlines!

I highly, highly, highly suggest outlines! Of course, there are some writers who don't need them, but I think that only people who have tried the outline thing and it didn't work should claim they don't need one. I thought I didn't need one. But last NaNo, I knew that I wouldn't be able to remember all of my awesome plot, so I wrote it down in an outline.

Before, I had problems with continuing books. After the first chapter (or page, or paragraph) I would lose track of the path. It seemed like I could never get through. But when I had an outline, that changed.

With an outline, I actually have a sense of direction. It lets me know that I can't spend forever on this one scene because something else needs to get done after it. If your greatest problem (or one of them) in writing is stalling, like me, then you might want to try an outline.

But where do you start?

I suggest starting with the simple, bare bones. I'll just make up a simple, kind of silly story that I can show you as an example.

Okay: point A. The introduction. This will contain stuff like the character's name, the current situation, just basic stuff you and your reader will need to know.

Point B: The rising situation. This is the point where the problem is realized and things begin to look like trouble.

Point C: The climax. Everything comes to a boiling point.

Point D: The wind-down. The problem is solved (unless your story is a tragedy, that is), we see whether or not the character makes it through, and we see what happens afterward.

Now here's the example:

A: Introduction
1. Maximilian James III lives in France.
2. A collector who rescues animals.
3. Has dogs, cats, parrots, monkeys, and the occasional elephant.
4. Max is very rich.

B: Rising Situation
1. Maximilian finds a kitten in Paris.
2. Kitten has a small message around its collar.
3. Max finds out he's intercepted a secret code.
4. The code is a communication between two infamous spies.
5. Josephina and Katharina D'Eli, twin spies, are angry at him.
6. They need to get the code back.

C: Climax
1. Josephina and Katharina begin spying on Max.
2. They find out where he lives.
3. When Max is away, they break into his house.
4. They find the kitten, which still has the code on its collar.
5. One of the monkey quietly sets loose a parrot to tell Max.
5. Josephina and Katharina begin to sneak away.

D: Wind-Down
1. The parrot finds Max, who is walking back to the house.
2. It tells him about the spies.
3. Just as Josephina and Katharina leave, the police and Max show up.
4. Max arrests them and reclaims the kitten.
5. The police use the code to intercept many secret messages from the spy ring Josephina and Katharina were involved in.
6. The police break up the spy ring, Max has the kitten, and they all live happily ever after.

(this story is mine. I claim the right of property laid out in law and in the Bible. Do not copy)

As you can see, it's pretty general, but it works for me.

Also, this is just the outline I use. There are many other kinds, but I like this one. It's enough to keep me writing. =)

After I've outlined the skeleton of the story, I like to go back and flesh out some in the outline. However, don't get in to too much detail, unless you have a brilliant idea for detail that you think you won't be able to remember until November. Outlines can get from just a quarter of a page to nearly a novel in itself.

Even if you think you're a non-outline writer (also known as seat-of-the-pants writer), I suggest just giving it a try if you never have. If it doesn't work, then you can just ditch the outline. If it does, then you might have never known if you hadn't tried it.

Unique and Beautiful (Book Character Tips)

I want my book characters to be rich and filled-out, like a landscape. The colors may be different, but the result is the same: beauty. Unique quirks that sometimes are so small, you can't notice them unless you're the maker.

If book characters could be translated into a painting, we'd have a vast wealth of completely different works of art. Some would be vivid, like a sunset. Some would be delicate and genuine, like a white flower. Others would be like black islands, unreachable and mysterious, and then if you look close you find a merry figure laughing and dancing on the grimmest cliff.

Have you ever looked at a character in a book and been so stunned by the 'picture' they created that you based one of your characters on that one? And then, your character just seems so flat and dull. You might have gotten discouraged, and maybe even deleted that character.

And of course it would seem flat. It's an unoriginal copy. Naturally the colors would be dimmer--they aren't even the characters real colors.

Don't make the mistake of basing your character off someone else's. Yes, the first character does look great, but that character isn't yours. As writers, it's our job to find the undiscovered and bring it to the world.

Izori

Book Review: Castaways of the Flying Dutchman

Been a while since I've done a book review. I've been meaning to review several books, actually, but it slipped my mind and my to-do list. I also might (MIGHT--key word) review 'A Series of Unfortunate Events', which I'm greatly enjoying.

'Castaways of the Flying Dutchman'
by Brian Jacques

'The Flying Dutchman! The legend of the wind-tattered ghost ship and its mad sea captain, cursed to sail the seas forever, has been passed down throughout the centuries. But what of the boy and his dog who were trapped aboard that ship? What was to become of them?

Send off on an eternal journey of their own by an avenging angel, the boy and dog roam the earth throughout the centuries in search of those in need. Braving wind and waves and countless perils, their travels lead them to Chapelvale, a sleepy 19th-century village whose very existence is at stake. Only by discovering the buried secrets and solving the dust-laden riddles of the ancient village can it be saved. This will take the will and wile of all the people - and a very special boy and dog!'

(Book description taken off of BRIAN JACQUES' WEBSITE)

Well, I'm kind of have a mixed opinion about the book.

The good things about it: Captain Vanderdecken is severely punished for blaspheming God. Ben and Ned (also known as Neb and Den) are saved for their 'pure and innocent hearts', to paraphrase the book. There is not a spot of romance, thankfully, and friendship, loyalty, bravery, and purity of heart are strong points in the story. It was for the most part (some parts were a little cheesy, cliche, just plain first draft-sounding) well written, and I found myself very attached to Ben and Ned. They help and care for others, which is also very good. Oh, and the Bible and God are treated very respectfully, with the exception of Captain Vanderdecken.

The bad things about it: (SPOILER) I'm not sure that it's exactly Biblical for an angel to curse/bless people with immortality. (END OF SPOILER) For some odd reason, I felt like Jacques was treating God more akin to a Greek legend or something like that--something to be respected, but outside of a story, not to be taken seriously. It may have just been me, though. Oh, and a lot of book descriptions for 'CotFD' make it sound like Ben and Ned are ghosts. The book has them more like guardian angels. That was why I was a little hesitant to read it.

Overall opinion: It was good. Catchy plot, strong characters, bitter-sweet endings (which I usually hate, but this one was pretty good). I'm looking forward to reading the next one, 'The Angel's Command'. I'll rate it 3 out of 5 stars. Would have gotten a 4.999999999999 if I hadn't gotten the impression that I had in the previous paragraph.

Oh, and I've met Brian Jacques a few years ago! He also wrote the Redwall books, and he's absolutely HILARIOUS!!! Had a complete blast at the book signing. And it was really cool, because we were last in line and there weren't much other people, we got to talk to him and took a picture with him. It was so inspiring!

Izori

Trilogy that you MUST read!!

The Door Within Trilogy--by Wayne Thomas Batson.










I first followed Mr. Batson's blog about a few months ago, and thought that getting his books out of the library would be a really good idea. However, procrastinator that I am, I kept on forgetting until one day I randomly happened to pick up one of his books off the library shelves! (Where do I recognize that name? Oh, yeah, it's that dude that had all those cool books!)

Wondering if it was a providential 'coincidence', I took the book home ('The Door Within', which is the first book of the trilogy) and began to read it.

It was AWESOME!!!!! I read it in one sitting, with the exception of getting up to do my chores :)

First off, it's an allegory, and it was very good to read spiritually. It made me think, 'Wow! If you put it in the way that resisitng temptation is like having a sword fight, I think I'll try harder!". Next, the characters were really strong. Sir Mallick is one of my favorites! :D And Bolt, of course *sniff*. It didn't take me long to read the next two in the series! Third, all the sword fighting and action kept me completely hooked. As I have mentioned before, one thing that really draws me into a book is all the adventure...and this trilogy has TONS of adventure!

You must, absolutely MUST, read these!

Oh, and click HERE to get to Mr. Batson's blog. I would suggest it!

Izori

Books to read if you're thinking of writing an allegory

'The Door Within Trilogy' by Wayne Thomas Batson

'The Lord of the Rings Trilogy' by J.R.R. Tolkien

'The Chronicles of Narnia' by C.S. Lewis

'The Wilderking Trilogy' by Jonathan Rogers

There are so many more....what do y'all suggest?