Try a Little Something New
Sep. 8th, 2008 08:16 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kaitouIt's September now, which means I've failed my summer writing challenge to myself miserably. But a little thing like that won't stop me when it comes to challenging myself again. Because Fall also means that it's time to gear up for Nanowrimo. I'd like to try a little something new this year, and try going in with an actual honest-to-god outline. Usually I have an idea of the setup, and a vague idea where I'm going, and maybe a few scenes here or there that are important. And then there was that year with the Hong Kong story where the initial idea went entirely off the rails, and the 2nd plot wobbled horribly until it tipped over too. (I still got my 50K out of it, but good lord it was a train wreck)
So this year I want to try being a 'plotter' instead of a 'pantser.' And if I'm going to do that, I'd better figure out my plot now.
I've got a few prospective ideas I'm kicking around. Mostly thanks to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
flidgetjerome setting me up with a personal wiki to help me keep track of these things. I don't have a paid account anymore, so I can't do a poll, but I thought I'd see if you guys have an opinion on what I ought to attempt this year.
1. A Dog Called Milk
This would not be the title, but the idea for the dog came before anything else. Milk is a Irish Wolfhound, a giant hulking thing that thinks it's a lapdog. Our Heroine raised him herself, the poor runt of the litter, on milk. And now it won't answer to anything else. As for our Heroine, her name is Beatrice Bernadette Bredon, and is a bit of a good natured walking disaster herself. And she has to put up with a lot of 'bee' nicknames from our hero. Especially 'Bumble Bea' whenever she's gotten into another mess. How this will all turn into a story I don't know. But I do love Beatrice to pieces.
2. Firestarter
Mira is an acolyte at a temple to the Knowledge God, which preserves a bit of the eternal flame. The flame in the main temple goes out, and she's sent with a bit of the fire (possibly converted into some kind of animal avatar if this goes as YA as I think it might) to relight it. Nothing in the capital is like she expects, and she finds one of the priests there building miracle machines for other temples and other gods.
3. Magic of Hollywood
Elves walk openly among us and are just as haughty and full of themselves as you'd expect. One of them happens to be working as a historical accuracy consultant on the set of a movie dramatizing a very Final Fantasy-RPG scenario he'd witnessed hundreds of years ago. But he's a little TOO much of a stickler for accuracy and corrects the bit of the script for demon summoning. So now the party-girl actress has accidentally unleashed an ancient evil on Hollywood and the two of them have to try and seal it up again.
4. Jam Tomorrow
Phoebe is a ladies maid, and Emmet is a valet. During a Country House Party they try to get their employers to fall in love so that they too can live happily ever after together. Very Parent Trap.
5. Momotaro
Again, the 'code name' probably won't have anything to do with the actual plot. During the Jokyu Wars three children escape from an attack on the Daimyo's castle. The oldest, and second highest in rank is Kaede. Her father is a minor lord, and she was being raised at the castle as a 'hostage' to keep her father in line. The second oldest, and lowest in rank is Masahiro, the son of one of the Daimyo's loyal samurai. The youngest is Kenichiro, the Daimyo's heir. The three of them try and figure out where their loyalties ought to be and try to navigate a complicated situation where they'll all survive.
6. Kitsune
Ok, this one is meant to be deliberately awful. This is a challenge fromflidgetjerome that none of us could write bad enough schlock that would be as popular as the Twilight Novels. So I bring you the incredible Mary Sue, who goes off to live in Rural Japan and runs into a handsome shapeshifting fox-spirit. And angsty hijinks ensue.
So what do you guys think? Which project should I plot out for Nano this year? (And then chuck it all at the last minute for Something Completely Different)
So this year I want to try being a 'plotter' instead of a 'pantser.' And if I'm going to do that, I'd better figure out my plot now.
I've got a few prospective ideas I'm kicking around. Mostly thanks to
flidgetjerome setting me up with a personal wiki to help me keep track of these things. I don't have a paid account anymore, so I can't do a poll, but I thought I'd see if you guys have an opinion on what I ought to attempt this year.1. A Dog Called Milk
This would not be the title, but the idea for the dog came before anything else. Milk is a Irish Wolfhound, a giant hulking thing that thinks it's a lapdog. Our Heroine raised him herself, the poor runt of the litter, on milk. And now it won't answer to anything else. As for our Heroine, her name is Beatrice Bernadette Bredon, and is a bit of a good natured walking disaster herself. And she has to put up with a lot of 'bee' nicknames from our hero. Especially 'Bumble Bea' whenever she's gotten into another mess. How this will all turn into a story I don't know. But I do love Beatrice to pieces.
2. Firestarter
Mira is an acolyte at a temple to the Knowledge God, which preserves a bit of the eternal flame. The flame in the main temple goes out, and she's sent with a bit of the fire (possibly converted into some kind of animal avatar if this goes as YA as I think it might) to relight it. Nothing in the capital is like she expects, and she finds one of the priests there building miracle machines for other temples and other gods.
3. Magic of Hollywood
Elves walk openly among us and are just as haughty and full of themselves as you'd expect. One of them happens to be working as a historical accuracy consultant on the set of a movie dramatizing a very Final Fantasy-RPG scenario he'd witnessed hundreds of years ago. But he's a little TOO much of a stickler for accuracy and corrects the bit of the script for demon summoning. So now the party-girl actress has accidentally unleashed an ancient evil on Hollywood and the two of them have to try and seal it up again.
4. Jam Tomorrow
Phoebe is a ladies maid, and Emmet is a valet. During a Country House Party they try to get their employers to fall in love so that they too can live happily ever after together. Very Parent Trap.
5. Momotaro
Again, the 'code name' probably won't have anything to do with the actual plot. During the Jokyu Wars three children escape from an attack on the Daimyo's castle. The oldest, and second highest in rank is Kaede. Her father is a minor lord, and she was being raised at the castle as a 'hostage' to keep her father in line. The second oldest, and lowest in rank is Masahiro, the son of one of the Daimyo's loyal samurai. The youngest is Kenichiro, the Daimyo's heir. The three of them try and figure out where their loyalties ought to be and try to navigate a complicated situation where they'll all survive.
6. Kitsune
Ok, this one is meant to be deliberately awful. This is a challenge from
flidgetjerome that none of us could write bad enough schlock that would be as popular as the Twilight Novels. So I bring you the incredible Mary Sue, who goes off to live in Rural Japan and runs into a handsome shapeshifting fox-spirit. And angsty hijinks ensue. So what do you guys think? Which project should I plot out for Nano this year? (And then chuck it all at the last minute for Something Completely Different)
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Date: 2008-09-08 08:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-08 09:35 pm (UTC)