|
Don't stress over developing plots. Learn this quick and easy technique.
How to Wrtie a Book: How to Develop a Story
I used to stress over developing plots, and then one day I created a great story by accident. I call this the DeBowen technique. It's quick and it's easy.
Develop the anti-climax first (the middle of the story). I'll make up a story right now, as I type, to show you the process. Once I know what the action scene will be, it will be easy to identify needed characters, and the plot will develop as a normal reaction to the anti-climax. I need something with high drama and tension.
(90 seconds later) This story will be about two abused children, a sister about age 9 and her brother, age 5. The enraged step-father is chasing them through a forest. The children run for their lives, stop for a short rest, and fall backwards into a tiny washed out place in the bank, just behind a tree.
The step-father races through the forest, loudly calling their names. Gasping for air, he sits down and leans against the tree, not three feet from where they are hiding. The children hold their breath, fearing he will fall into their hiding place and discover them. Lots of high tension and drama.
Now I have to work toward the resolution of the conflict. I am asking myself where the children will go, and what will happen to them when they get there. I'll have the children come across a village they didn't know existed.
They will run to a kind shoe cobbler and pant out their story to him. The cobbler will alert the townspeople that a huge, fierce man is coming and that he intends to harm the children. The townspeople hold a hurried meeting and decide to lay a trap to snare the man.
The man walks into the trap, is caught, and put on trial. The people are merciless. In their eyes, there is no greater crime than abusing children. In such cases, they feel that ridding the earth of such vermin is commendable - and these are very commendable people. They hang him. The children live with the shoe cobbler and his wife, and they spend the rest of their natural lives with the townspeople.
Notice that when I decided on the action, (the man chasing the children), the next step of conflict called for answers (resolutions). I had to ask myself where the children came from, where they went to, who came to their aid, and how. Now I will think about the lead in, and that should be easy. (Answering who, what, when, where, why and how.)
By choosing the action scene first, and then the ending, I know I need two main characters (oldest child and step-father); I will also need a brother, shoe cobbler, villagers, and perhaps the mother. I also know the length of the story before I write it. It will have to be 2,000 words to work that much in.
Notice that I haven't answered the question of where the mother is yet. She could be dead. She could have run away from the abusive environment. She might have had a husband who died in a war and she married the first man who would support her small family. Maybe the step-father just killed her. The lead can be anything. It is limited only by your imagination.
But do you see that by jumping directly into the most dramatic scene of the story, you will automatically know all the information needed to write the entire story? Why not give this a try? Let me know how you like the DeBowen technique.
Deborah Owen
Founder of http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com - the only fully mentored writing school. Have your own private tutor at bargain basement prices. To receive our newsletter or a free evaluation of your writing, write to
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
|
So what do i do? is there any
I've never heard of any age restriction on writing 
lol there are many
) lol was written by S.E. Hinton wich is not the
Gergia i'm going to be 14 very soon and im wrting a book which is
hi i want to make a book about my life i have a lot of personal issues
/im confuzed bout how to rit my book. i got no idea wat it gona be
pleaz help
