These are notes I took from a wonderful writing symposium called Life, the Universe, and Everything. We have a lot of talented people in Utah and visitors with a great deal of knowledge.

Any Misinformation is the fault of the note taker.

– Publish under initials M.A. Nicoles.
– Find out what works for you is to try different things and try it and see what works for you.
– The process takes 4 steps.
Brainstorm> for weeks for outlining.
– The brainstorming outline will range from30-40 pages.
– Each step builds on top of the other.
– It helps with writers’ blogs. Has a hard time what happens next and the outline can tell me where to go.
– You end up writing faster because things have been already figured out what to say.
– Get a more polished first draft. Rarely had to delete a scene. Figure out flaws in the story b\through outline rather than having written
– Brainstorming> batten down the hatches.
– Start with an idea or a character.
– A story about a fairy tale villain consultant. Help villains to succeed.
– You have a what if? Answers question.
– Start figuring out who is going to be in the story.
– Start thinking about what conflicts they have with each other.
– Start to build the world.
– Takes notes about books and movies. Focus on why o like it. And that can give you adapt those ideas in your own books. The more time you spend on analyzing what they did well, the more it can help your writing.
– You can’t rush the brainstorming process.
– The more you brainstorm the more ideas can come.
– Doing things digital and can use google drive and can access them from anywhere.
– There is no such thing as a bad idea. You may not use them. Type them up on put in your digital folder.
– At the end of brainstorming. Want to have identified the main characters in the story. Main players, heroes, villains, the point of view characters.
– Plot outline and character arcs (the sources of all the conflict and resolution.)
– Who is going to change in the book?
– End result: Main plotlines and character arcs. Worldbuilding: magic system and history that will affect the story.

2. Plot beats.
Hit the key elements of your story that forms the structure of your book.
– 25% of the book does this and at 50% point of the book does this.
– Basic moments in the story that will make the book feel complete.
– Set up a plot sheet for each main plot. And have one subplot and maybe two-character arches and map them out. Each will get their own sheet.
– Plot pint will be where the character is starting out.
– What is the conclusion? Have scenes to answer these questions.
– Plot beats:
– even point structure
– Each plotline and character arc gets its own sheet.
– End result:
– Tent pole moments identified to form the skeleton of your story.
– Not detailed – only a few sentences for each point.

3. Integrate:
– Time to weave the 5 different plot points character arc and pots.
– Put each plot point and color code it.
– All the bullet points are the storyline.
– The main plotline first and then see where the scenes can meet up. Some plot points can happen at the same point.
– Be careful that you don’t get plot points out of order. Each bullet point is an individual scene.
– Different plots and arcs can be shared in the same scene.
– Not all brainstorming ideas can be used.
– Start filling in transition scenes to build up the new scene.
– Color coding can help you identify if too long since the last addressed a certain plotline.

4. Expand
– Go through each scene and add details and storyboard it in their mind. Write details point of view character. List character motivations.
– Will know that certain points need to be hit this is where I catch plot holes and character inconsistencies.
– Focus setting food dialog

Do you have something to add? if so please do so in the comment section of this blog.