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Plotting the choices for a story

7 years ago

The other day I started plotting the choices for my first storygame. It is a different one then I had originally planed (that one had no foreseeable end in sight and so I set about trying to think of something simpler).

It's about a boy who wants to fly, and his journey up a mountain to jump off and see if he grows wings.

Anyway, I started this two days ago and I'm just trying to get the most basic choice structure possible so I can start writing the meat of the story. But... the more I write to try to get to the end, the more choices it seems I need to get to the end and I can't seem to actually get to the end.

Does this ever happen to ya'll guys? And if it does what to you do so that you can actually start writing?

Plotting the choices for a story

7 years ago

For anyone except for the best of self-pacers, I think we all encounter this. You expect your storygame to only be <this> long, but it ends up being <dat> long, and it messes up plans sometimes. This is a huge part of writing, even if you plan things out first. Don't rush! People tend to rush because they want to get to the ending, but it'll lower the quality. Take your time, and make sure there is a good amount of meat for readers. We can't just eat broken bones and skin!

Plotting the choices for a story

7 years ago

Okay, thanks for the advice. It is kind of hard to keep planing and planing when I just want to write but I'll try to write the skeleton well opposed to fast :)

Plotting the choices for a story

7 years ago

(It's, um, spelled "planning".) If you want to write now, write! Because if you don't, that feeling will go away eventually, and you won't have anything there. Make a few ideas for paths and major endings, and just write! Don't plan individual choices. Plan some general choices and poof!

Plotting the choices for a story

7 years ago

Oops, lol. I didn't check that.

Really? Almost all of the articles in the help section say something like, "Don't write without a plan! You shall regret! immensely! Regret!"

Plotting the choices for a story

7 years ago

Pfft. If you have a end goal, it'll be okay.

Besides, if you take too much time planning things out- you might lose interest.

Plotting the choices for a story

7 years ago

Yeah. Extent of Planning:

1. Major Ending 2

2. Major Ending 1

3. Major Ending 3

4. What kinds of choices lead to 2

5. What kinds of choices lead to 1

6. What kinda of choices lead to 3

7. Brief character outlines. BRIEF unless for protagonist and a couple major characters.

8. Make sure the paper you plan to outline on is blank before and after (optional choice)

Then WRITE before all the ideas slip away and you get writers block.

Plotting the choices for a story

7 years ago

That makes me happy :), 'caz all I really want to do is write not plan. Urg, the planning out every little choice and branch and tiny change is killing me! So, good.

Plotting the choices for a story

7 years ago

Whoa. NEVER plan out every choice for a longer storygame because if you get new ideas you'll feel obligated to keep with your plans, eventually causing you to lose interest. Also. Please. Please. Spend your time writing. I'm so sick of reading half-hearted storygames. ;-;

Plotting the choices for a story

7 years ago

Good to know. I am very relieved I can tell you.

Plotting the choices for a story

7 years ago
Happens all the time. Happens while I’m already in the middle of writing a passage out. I usually do a few different things.

Sometimes I’ll just add another set of choices and continue on.

Other times, I’ll combine two passages, making alterations where needed. This keeps the story around the same length since you’re technically not making the overall story longer with extra choices, it’s just that particular passage is longer.

However, in both cases they can have the side effect of spawning a new idea that wasn’t considered before, and I end up making a whole new branch anyway.