tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post852958739579736827..comments2023-09-06T05:48:05.398-06:00Comments on Terry's Place: Storyboards and Dangling ThreadsTerry Odellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-32607660031713665522009-06-24T12:01:07.702-06:002009-06-24T12:01:07.702-06:00Terry, thanks for the story board information. I w...Terry, thanks for the story board information. I write on and on keeping everything in my head - not a good idea. I shall try your system and see how I like it.Anita Birthttp://www.anitabirt.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-31051125293108088512009-06-23T19:41:03.697-06:002009-06-23T19:41:03.697-06:00Cathy, you'll have to let me know how it worke...Cathy, you'll have to let me know how it worked for you.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-38585669850312756522009-06-23T19:20:39.563-06:002009-06-23T19:20:39.563-06:00Exactly my problem with computer work. Plus, flipp...Exactly my problem with computer work. Plus, flipping between screens makes it tough to keep my place. I'll try your suggestion on the closet doors of the guest room this weekend!<br /><br />CathyCathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01048083773255241000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-34392469355803966952009-06-23T19:01:39.492-06:002009-06-23T19:01:39.492-06:00Cathy -
Yes, the sticky notes give you the 'fr...Cathy -<br />Yes, the sticky notes give you the 'freedom' to know it's easy to move things around. Easier than cut and paste (where I cut and forget to paste, or copy instead of cut and have things in too many places or not at all)Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-57477534665382561582009-06-23T17:49:31.850-06:002009-06-23T17:49:31.850-06:00Love your idea. I've used poster board for tim...Love your idea. I've used poster board for timelines and character development - writing in different colored markers - but your idea is so much more flexible! The stickies can move from timeline to plot - saves time and rewriting. I'm also a visual person and keeping track of how often characters appear by color is a great idea.Cathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01048083773255241000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-92117424316031499092009-06-23T15:45:43.488-06:002009-06-23T15:45:43.488-06:00Bryan - congrats on having wall space in your offi...Bryan - congrats on having wall space in your office! I think everyone works out a system, and the important thing to remember is there is no 'right' or 'wrong' way to write, nor is there any obligation to stick with one method for one's entire career. Each book probably brings new challenges. <br /><br />Did anyone see the episode of Castle where he had pages hung to a clothesline in his office? <br /><br />Cops use whiteboards to organize their cases; they work well for writers too. <br /><br />Should I ever have a big enough office ....Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-10423893934571280722009-06-23T14:50:26.449-06:002009-06-23T14:50:26.449-06:00Terry, I've just started using your method for...Terry, I've just started using your method for plotting my new crime thriller novel (my third).<br /><br />I'm using two walls in my office rather than foam board. I picked a different color Post-It for each of my four main characters (with green for my hero and fuscia for my villain). On one wall, I have characteristics and plot "beats" for each of them arranged in their own columns. Slightly offset to the left in each column is a question I know I need to answer (such as, what's the villain's day job? What's the next crime I haven't thought of?) I've always found that being able to identify these unanswered questions helps avoid writer's block. If you know what you need to come up with next, you can research and brainstorm and fill that hole. If you can't immediately answer one question, you can move onto another one you've identified.<br /><br />On the other wall, I've made several rows, divided with painter's tape, from as high as I can reach to the floor, which will be the "outline" of the book. I have an opening scene idea at the beginning of the first row, and some orange stickies with the major "surprises" of the books near the beginning, middle and end.<br /><br />I will move the character stickies to the other wall as I decide in what order to reveal the information about each of them.<br /><br />Also, there's a blob of stickies with interesting ideas/notions that may or may not find a place in the book, stuff like "freegans," and "Identity theft."<br /><br />I really, really like the method so far. I have never used an outline or wanted to, but for my first novel, I did have the whole plot arc worked out in my head. For the second, I didn't, and I spent a lot of time cursing myself for not writing when the reason was that I didn't have the thing plotted yet, just an initial idea and characters. I wasted a lot of scenes and time feeling around that way, though I did eventually land the plane.<br /><br />Thanks for your posts. Can't wait to read more.<br /><br />Bryan Gilmer, author, Felonious JazzAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-7408251324474505662009-06-23T06:20:29.962-06:002009-06-23T06:20:29.962-06:00Skhye, I'm in central Florida. Ceiling fans ru...Skhye, I'm in central Florida. Ceiling fans run pretty much 24/7 (I got the 'extra sticky' variety notes!). So far, so good.<br /><br />Since I do the main stickies after I write the scene, it's not really a big deal. I figure I can use them for the synopsis, since my best laid plans to do it on the computer die out before chapter 3. :-)Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-45776882995948959662009-06-23T06:08:07.193-06:002009-06-23T06:08:07.193-06:00That would be "down here in Houston". LO...That would be "down here in Houston". LOL. Sorry for the confusion. The kittens are tearing my house apart!Skhyehttp://blog.skhyemoncrief.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-62070441395749374752009-06-23T06:07:06.556-06:002009-06-23T06:07:06.556-06:00I've seen storyboards for years. You know, my ...I've seen storyboards for years. You know, my luck would be I'd have the sticky notes up and in place, then my ceiling fan would blow them down... It's the subtropics in here. And then, I'm too lazy to stop and set up the stickies... But I think this is an excellent way to "see" one's character growth. Great post.Skhyehttp://blog.skhyemoncrief.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-62041204944574668352009-06-22T14:12:59.522-06:002009-06-22T14:12:59.522-06:00Thanks Teresa -
Sounds interesting, although I lo...Thanks Teresa -<br /><br />Sounds interesting, although I love the idea of this system NOT being on my computer!Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-1573328974987263622009-06-22T14:05:00.129-06:002009-06-22T14:05:00.129-06:00Terry:
I'm also a storyboarder. Since most of...Terry:<br />I'm also a storyboarder. Since most of my plots are braided plots, I really need the story board to help me keep track of everything. <br />I recently wrote an article about storyboarding for the Smoky Romance Writers Newsletter.<br />I'd be happy to share it with you if you're interested.<br />It gives you some other ways to do it. And even a way to do it on the computer. <br />I don't know how I'd ever keep track of all my plot lines without it. <br />Write on,<br />Teresa ReasorTeresa Reasor https://www.blogger.com/profile/18204579039577235727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-19612096978332031002009-06-22T13:09:28.639-06:002009-06-22T13:09:28.639-06:00Theresa - this is my first venture away from Word ...Theresa - this is my first venture away from Word or Excel for plotting. (And I can plot or brainstorm when the power goes out!)Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-44164977581869613852009-06-22T12:57:52.880-06:002009-06-22T12:57:52.880-06:00I like this, Terry. I did sort of the same thing o...I like this, Terry. I did sort of the same thing on a word document for my last book. As I finished each scene I wrote a one sentence blurb and highlighted in color of POV character. I like yours though because it's right there at all times, big and easy to reference! <br /><br />Thanks for sharing!Theresa Raganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15815320170046221853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-54123514429612981252009-06-22T10:54:58.638-06:002009-06-22T10:54:58.638-06:00Mine's only as big as it is because the foamco...Mine's only as big as it is because the foamcore came in a package of 3. I cut one in half, and turned them sideways and taped a small half to each end of the full sized board. They will fold closed. The third board was left over, and after PJ Parrish's workshop at Sleuthfest, I realized I could just note scenes or ideas without actually doing the dreaded "plot the whole book in advance" thing.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-89203256820825423922009-06-22T10:26:55.676-06:002009-06-22T10:26:55.676-06:00Great board. Mine is only the size of a large post...Great board. Mine is only the size of a large poster divided into 30 squares for chapters. But the colored stickies worked perfectly. I also used stickies for scenes I wanted to write.<br />And a color coded chapter by chapter outline. <br />I guess I'm visual <br />or too old to hold it all in my head at one time.Amber Polohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07750025353402230624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-7324646356310833352009-06-22T09:52:38.698-06:002009-06-22T09:52:38.698-06:00Thanks, Katie -- but I think the organization is a...Thanks, Katie -- but I think the organization is an after-effect of using the storyboard. You'll notice my boxes are only filled in for what I've already written!Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-35975785353539526202009-06-22T09:27:02.688-06:002009-06-22T09:27:02.688-06:00Wow! Your organization is very impressive! I keep ...Wow! Your organization is very impressive! I keep character charts and work a story outline as my story unfolds, but I've never done a story board quite that big before :)Katie Reushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18085461796363818906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-87246470640625831302009-06-22T07:54:22.122-06:002009-06-22T07:54:22.122-06:00Elena -- I did read a series where a character had...Elena -- I did read a series where a character had a baby girl at the end of one book and it was a boy in the next.<br /><br />And I'm still trying to figure out the reappearing barrettes in a book I just read. The author didn't do an effective job of showing whether or not time had elapsed, so when they were first taken off at her house, and reappeared at his, I was lost. Mistake on the author's part, or had more time than I thought gone by.<br /><br />I don't recall whether the author made a point of showing those flashy barrettes as a daily accessory or if she'd just put them on with that particular outfit.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-8494668728120074572009-06-22T07:51:25.918-06:002009-06-22T07:51:25.918-06:00Drue - I've got blinds in my office, no drapes...Drue - I've got blinds in my office, no drapes! I don't pretend this is the "only" method I'm using -- I still have my character notes and a spreadsheet or two. And thanks for mentioning tactile. I think that's a big part of it as well.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-31619432109851433882009-06-22T07:48:40.198-06:002009-06-22T07:48:40.198-06:00My all time favorite in print blooper was when a h...My all time favorite in print blooper was when a hapless character had an unanticipated gender reassignment. I finished the book looking in vain to find out if the author did it intentionally. Apparently not.<br /><br />ElenaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-85046026179677332402009-06-22T07:45:09.800-06:002009-06-22T07:45:09.800-06:00This is very cool, Terry. I had a grad school prof...This is very cool, Terry. I had a grad school professor who pinned pieces of paper to her drapes - - I like your way better. <br /><br />I did a story board with my first rs. I found the TACTILE aspect of it helped me quite a bit. I'm a totally visual person. But then I'll also admit to having separate folders on my ipod for my lead characters. : )Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com