# Looking for a writting colab, or simply help. >>;



## SinKaline (Dec 5, 2008)

See I have a story I'm writing, and I seem to have gotten stuck. I know the idea of what I want, and I need the ending I want...but how to get that to connect and such...well I'm having issues.

So I was wandering if anyone would be willing to lend a paw or two, I'm willing to throw in a possible Christmas badge as a trade for the help you have to offer.

Thanks mates!


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## Poetigress (Dec 5, 2008)

There's a critique thread up in the stickies that you can post the info to.  If you also crit at least a couple of works from that thread, you'll increase your odds of getting feedback yourself.


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## KeijiAurion (Dec 5, 2008)

I'm kinda meh at transitions myself-- but hey, hit me up on my various messenger or my page here and I can see if I can help.


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## ScottyDM (Dec 8, 2008)

Perhaps I can be of assistance.

It sounds like a storytelling issue. Critiques can help, but only if you have a completed story to post. Or you could post an outline for critique, but most authors don't want to share their outline (with spoilers) except with a limited few. Also, it seems like you don't yet have an outline.

I've completed some novellas, but not yet a full novel. However, in order to create my novel (actually, I'm working on two) I've been studying storytelling: Maass, Stein, Ingermanson, Vogler, and now Johnson. There are many ways to approach the same thing (storytelling) and each has it's strong points. Some focus closer to the end result (Maass, Stein, Ingermanson) and others focus closer to the basic appeal of the story, or why it might resonate with a particular group of readers (Vogler, Johnson).

I've just started studying Johnson. He likes to start with the story's promise: what the reader can expect and why they might be attracted to a story. This is a very basic idea and can be boiled down to one or two words. For example when Lucas was asked what the _Star Wars_ saga was about, he answered: "Redemption." _Star Wars_ is around 15 total movie hours and took Lucas over 30 years to realize, but it all fits into a single word.

Johnson also talks about the story's premise, which is a single-sentence description of how the promise will be realized. Ingermanson has his one-sentence plot synopsis, and I created one for my novel. When I discovered the two-word promise of my story, then it's premise (that fits those two words), the premise was the opposite of my Ingermanson-inspired one-sentence synopsis. That is, my old plot synopsis is about how my main character is _escaping_ from his past. While my new premise is about how my main character _finds_ his future. Escape stories are great, but I've decided the basic idea of my story is not about escape, but about re-discovering what my MC had lost long ago. Same story, different focus.

To have something like a one or two-word promise on a sticky note stuck to your monitor, or your story's one-sentence premise, will help keep you focused on what matters.

Also, I've created an essay on the before and after of my novel's structure: Pre-Maass-Stein-Ingermanson, and after. I have an analysis of my prior lame structure and what I did (at that time) to fix it. I still wasn't completely pleased, which is why I pursued other means. I've been building a time line, this past week, that's based on that, plus Johnson's ideas. I feel it's much stronger. Vogler's ideas (based on Campbell's research) have merit, but they are only a loose fit for my type of story. BTW, _Star Wars_ was based on primarily on Campbell's raw concepts.

If you're interested I could message you my personal contact details and maybe you could call me. I could ask you some pointed questions about where you want to go with your story and you could think about the answers. It would help you with your story, and help me to understand the process better. BTW, I'm one of those people who realizes that ideas are worth only about a penny apiece (the "million-dollar idea is pure poppycock). It's the realization of the idea that gives it value. So you'll owe me a nickel or something.  Oh yea, I don't accept micropayments.  

Scotty


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