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IndyDude11 t1_iwcz56w wrote

What is your story making process? What tools do you use? Say you have a story idea in mind where you're going to take a female through college where X, Y, and Z situations happen and she ends up changed in some way. How do you go about organizing everything and plotting the plot out?

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franhawthorne OP t1_iwd7lck wrote

Outline outline outline! I know that a lot of novelists don't use them, but my novels would wander hopelessly out of control if I didn't start with a detailed outline-- for the first draft. Along the way, wonderfully, the characters and plot take on lives of their own and discover trails (and new characters) I hadn't envisioned. So I just add them to my outline. So I guess I'm saying I need a combination of structure and flexibility. (Maybe like making a marriage or relationship work???)

I hope this helps. Thanks for asking.

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IndyDude11 t1_iwd9g26 wrote

Very interesting. Thanks for responding. Are there any books that you know of that are helpful on the topic?

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