The Wattys 2020 is a go. The due dates are set, the genres have been revealed and the format is different than ever before.
This story chronicles my journey to the Wattys 2020 and my quest to write a brand new book between now (mid-February 2020) a...
Last night, after an extensive search through my archived stories and downloading and installing an older writing app I used back in 2009, The Departure Protocol has risen from the ashes. I found all 33000 words I wrote originally. I realized as I looked at the outline of chapters that with 33000 words, in theory, I would only have 17,000 words left to go to hit 50,000.
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Of course, that doesn't take into account that what I wrote back then was crap. The underlying story is good but the way I wrote it, not so much. So, I definitely have my work cut out for me. Today, I've spent some time jotting down general ideas and asking the "what if" question. I also need to go back to re-read parts of the old story to see if there are any aspects of the narrative that can be salvaged.
I found one random chapter today where a representative of the antagonist was trying to talk sense into the protagonist. Basically, a "shit happens, it was a random act of God, just forget about it" but the protagonists has his doubts. I actually enjoyed reading it so I think it'll be worth salvaging. Also, the cover is done as I mentioned yesterday. I just need to write up a brief synopsis for the blurb and post it. Since I'm still exploring the story a bit, that may not be until Friday. Anyway, back to the tools/methods I'm using: I'm using the Scrivener template by KM Weiland for the three-act structure, but I'm also a fan of the Snowflake method by Randy Ingermanson. I'll be using the snowflake method to expand on the story and then plug it into the Scrivener template from there.
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The snowflake method was one of the first fiction writing methods I was exposed to when I started writing years ago. It fits very well with my pantsing mindset while it also has a method and a sense of planning to it. In the end, it fits with how I like to write.
But, since the Snowflake method also kind of first into the three-act concept, I'm going to see if I can merge the two into a happy marriage of sorts. Time will tell. At the end of this post, you'll find links to both the Scrivener Template and the Snowflake method.
To be quite honest, I'm very much of a pantser and planning isn't my strong side. I like to just go for it, to explore and see what happens. Using the template and the Snowflake method kind of allows me to do both because realistically if I use my normal mode of writing, it's unlikely that I'll be done by the deadline I've set for myself.
Which is good.
In fact, I'm grateful that the Wattys requirements are for completed novels only, and that this has been posted early enough for us writers to actually plan a story AND write it before the deadline.
7 months and 17 days left, unless I'm mistaken. That's it for today.
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Resources:
You can find the Scrivener template here (link in comments >)
More info about the Snowflake method (link in comments >)
