tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post6643908453623161793..comments2023-09-06T05:48:05.398-06:00Comments on Terry's Place: Storyboard Saga ContinuesTerry Odellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-66778395459933067382009-06-09T04:53:12.118-06:002009-06-09T04:53:12.118-06:00Jacqueline: Once you get into series, you need a c...Jacqueline: Once you get into series, you need a character notebook too, if you're going to have a continuing cast of characters. <br /><br />But the storyboard comes in handy--just yesterday it helped me remember that one of my characters made a doctor's appointment in chapter 1, and I needed to make sure I didn't forget to deal with it. Since time moves slowly, from a chapter perspective, it was chapter ten before the appointment day and time rolled around. <br /><br />I recently finished "Gone Tomorrow" by Lee Child. He's a master at tying everything up--not simply physical clues, but conversations. If a character mentions something, it's going to show up later. <br /><br />I've also used the Document Map feature in Word to help me keep track of where and when things happen.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-8748399613469639582009-06-09T04:25:26.773-06:002009-06-09T04:25:26.773-06:00I've never used this approach but it makes a l...I've never used this approach but it makes a lot of sense. I can see it working well with mystery novels where the devil is in the details.<br /><br />Incidentally, I hope you're enjoying THE DROWNING POOL. I believe it's very different from THE INFERNO COLLECTION. I'd like to create a series but only if each book can be unique and stand on its own.Jacqueline Seewaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09177500620940251009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-63040067625730759122009-06-08T17:18:35.276-06:002009-06-08T17:18:35.276-06:00Hey, Kelly - good to see you here. Missed you at S...Hey, Kelly - good to see you here. Missed you at Sleuthfest. And thanks for all the tips -- all the way back to my "early" days. Not that I'm out of them yet! I'm loving the dual approach - ideas and then tracking implementation. <br /><br />Pat, I'll definitely track my progress with the system here.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-43473621972022527322009-06-08T16:59:47.589-06:002009-06-08T16:59:47.589-06:00The storyboard method seems very flexible and bett...The storyboard method seems very flexible and better than my habit of leaving notes all over the house as I think of questions or problems. Keeps us posted. I'd like to hear if it continues to be as useful once you have more chapters completed.<br /><br /><a href="http://patriciastoltey.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Patricia</a>Patricia Stolteyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-47147382735707651062009-06-08T16:46:12.306-06:002009-06-08T16:46:12.306-06:00Hi Terry,
PJ Parrish/Kris's sister, Kelly here...Hi Terry,<br />PJ Parrish/Kris's sister, Kelly here. I read your DL post and thought I'd come take a look. I think its fabulous you're using the 'sticky storyboard' approach. And I agree - if you only use it to track what you've done so far, it works wonders. But it's also a technique that can help you 'save' a manuscript that is so full of action and/or POV switches it is cluttered with issues the author can't always see. <br /><br />I had an experience recently in my own project where our agent said the last third felt rushed and jumpy, more than it should have even given the escalating action that comes as the climax nears. (It was a double POV with lots of mid-scene breaks and switches.)<br /><br />By rearranging my stickies and looking at the board laid out with dfferent POV colors and clear chapter breaks, it helped me see the problem. Agent loved the rewrites.Kelly - PJnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-62591525316676788632009-06-08T12:10:22.474-06:002009-06-08T12:10:22.474-06:00I often use this type of system. And it totally h...I often use this type of system. And it totally helps to use different colored post-its;-)Plotting makes my job so much easier!Dara Edmondsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03074955377079380225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-92204630305455381472009-06-08T06:46:03.652-06:002009-06-08T06:46:03.652-06:00Galen, I'm aware that there are software progr...Galen, I'm aware that there are software programs. However, I'm enjoying getting away from the computer for some of these notes. I think it changes the neural pathways or something, to see an entirely different medium.<br /><br />I know something as simple as printing a hard copy of a chapter instead of reading on screen makes things that I never noticed jump off the page.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-40616281575812477002009-06-08T06:35:07.794-06:002009-06-08T06:35:07.794-06:00Hi, Terry, I know several folks who like story bo...Hi, Terry, I know several folks who like story boarding quite a bit. By the way, there’s some pretty inexpensive software that does story boarding. In fact, several pieces of software. One is <a href="http://%20http://www.writewaypro.com/" rel="nofollow">Write Way Pro. </a> It integrates the function into a word processing program that is very much like MS Word. So, if you’re a software junkie like me, that’s a route to consider. <br />Best Regards, Galen.<br /><a href="http://www.galenkindley.com" rel="nofollow">GalenKindley.com </a>joe doaks-Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05283066862112820202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-72593969373522046422009-06-08T06:29:45.428-06:002009-06-08T06:29:45.428-06:00Sam - I'm about 100 pages into the MS, and it&...Sam - I'm about 100 pages into the MS, and it's working well. We'll see how it continues. I consider myself to be a relative newbie, still discovering processes that work.<br /><br />Thanks for mentioning it to Kris -- guess she doesn't read my blog! :-)Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-82528834179883412002009-06-08T06:26:10.968-06:002009-06-08T06:26:10.968-06:00Jenny - that's why the system is modified -- i...Jenny - that's why the system is modified -- if you check the picture, you'll see I only have stickies on the chapters I've already written. And the myriad little stickies on the other board just help me remember all the ideas running through my head. I don't think I have anything "spelled out" -- even after it's written, I'm likely to go back and change things. (And if I want to, I can carry the board to the other room and watch TV at the same time.)Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-73309269979251955612009-06-08T06:15:40.150-06:002009-06-08T06:15:40.150-06:00I'm glad to hear it's working for you. I s...I'm glad to hear it's working for you. I saw Kris Montee at the Mystery Florida conference on Saturday and told her you were trying the method. It made her smile.Samhttp://www.salvatorefalco.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-89988963810778201922009-06-08T05:32:17.998-06:002009-06-08T05:32:17.998-06:00Terry, I definitely can understand why with such a...Terry, I definitely can understand why with such a complex series of plot threads, a visual approach would offer a way to keep track.<br /><br />My worry for me personally is that seeing things spelled out would dilute the sense of surprise I need to keep working. Maybe surprise insists on cropping up though anyway--hence your dead character in ch. 11.<br /><br />Sounds like the work is going great! I look forward to hearing more!Jenny Milchmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04410805792044518458noreply@blogger.com