me: *writes fic*
me: great! time to post to ao3-
ao3 summary box: *exists*
me:
ao3 summary box:
me:
ao3 summary box:
me:
Ooh, this is actually kinda a neat thing, because you can think of it as a checklist:
- Who: Main character(s)
- Why: Character goal or desire (stated)
- Why: Character need (implied)
- When: Inciting Incident
- What: Means (that achieves the goal/need)
- Where: Place A >> Place B
- How: The Plan
- Obstacle(s): antagonist or challenge
For example:
- Who: Bilbo Baggins, a respectable hobbit of Hobbiton
- Why: Treasure, wealth (stated)
- Why: Adventure, self-respect (implied)
- When: After supper
- What: Quest
- Where: Hobbiton >> The Lonely Mountain
- How: A company of dwarves, a wizard, and an ancient map and key
- Main antagonist(s): a dragon
Thus, in less than 100 words:
- Bilbo Baggins is a respectable hobbit in Hobbiton, never making any trouble or having any adventures. But when a wizard and a company of dwarves invite themselves to dinner, Bilbo finds himself joining their quest from the shires of Hobbiton to the legendary Lonely Mountain, the home of a long lost treasure, and quite, possibly, a dragon.
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The Anatomy of Story by John Truby is a really good book by the by, if anyone’s interested in this sort of thing.
This is super helpful!’
This is very helpful indeed.
Is there similar advice for titles (that isn’t “use a song lyric”)?
