Applying the Snowflake Method: Step 4: Learning To Let Go

Hello!

I'm actually pretty excited to go over the formulas I've put aside yesterday. So, without further ado...

Lester Dent's master plot formula

First formula, first deception. This one is genre-oriented--pulp story. Next.

Nigel Watts' 8-stage plot structure

"Rather than using it to build a story, I find it most useful as a checklist against which to measure a work in progress." -Nigel Watts

Well, dang. Second formula, second deception. But while we're here, let's check if our current plot ticks all boxes.

• Stasis: Once upon a time there was a woman whose career threatened her marriage.

• Trigger: When her promotion slipped away, she counteracted by working harder, which resulted in drifting further apart from her husband,

• Quest: and seeking to strike a friendship with a stranger.

• Surprise: But their friendship evolved into something more,

• Critical Choice: forcing her to choose between an unhappy marriage and a second chance at love.

• Climax: She chose her marriage,

• Reversal: but realized her mistake and

• Resolution: set to conquer back her friend.

Okay. This doesn't match my current plot. But I like this. I like how Loreley chose duty and went back to her husband, denying her feelings to Aimeric. My heart aches in advance at the idea of putting them through this- bad, bad author!

The thing I don't like it the emotional affair. I'm a married person, and to me, it qualifies as cheating. I've been advised to show her husband's imperfection to soften the blow. Perhaps I'll have him not see her as a woman/spouse anymore.

Okay, nothing decided yet. Next.

Dan Wells' 7-point plot structure

This method is about plotting out of order, starting with the resolution. I feel like this project is too far plotted already for Dan Wells' structure. Next.

John Truby's 22- step structure

I like this detailed structure very much. It lists potential subplots and plot twists, and where to insert them (see this article by Luke James for more explanation). Too bad it's action-oriented. Next.

Eva Deverell's one-page novel

Eva created their own method, compiling their favorite bits of other formulas, and I have to admit, the whole folding-out a sheet of paper to create a little leaflet is making me giddy!

But the word-vomit challenge is in two days, and in the meantime I want to do other writing-related things: browse PitchWars mentors' wish lists, and roam TV tropes website to fluff up my outline. I'll thus save the workshop link in my bookmarks for another project, and play with the idea introduced by Nigel Watts' method (emotional affair).

Thank you so for sticking with me through today's ramblings.