The first draft stage hardly ever come out perfect. It gives you something to build off of. You have to give yourself permission to write bad for the first draft of the story.
Braindump on your phone. NOT your laptop or ANY OTHER MEANS. ON. YOUR. PHONE. When you braindump on the go, you don't obsess over anything. Just dump the idea and make room for a new idea.
4:21 such good advice. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone to fill out a character form for a character I’ve been thinking about for a while and get stressed when it asked me questions that required me to know the plot 😂
This sounds invaluable for a person like me, who isn't so much trying to write a book, but instead is interested in constructing compelling stories to later use them as inspiration for creating music and visual material. Thank you so much for sharing this information!
I never thought of that, "Every character should think they're the protagonist." Great advice! - I find that the snowflake method is a good fit for authors who have a very specific message they are trying to craft through the narrative. It's one thing to write a story in the spirit of something as a way to participate in a broader message. It's another to convey a message through a narrative that not only challenges the reader but also guides them through their own questions and concerns while showing them the enough of what is behind the curtain to scare or thrill them... making them want more even if only to provide them a lamplit path out of the darkness you've just thrust them into. In this way, the framework not only gives the authors something to throw sinew, muscle, flesh and blood onto but also allows them to curate the aesthetic down to its cracked fingernails. This is what I have been trying to achieve... Excellent video!
The book was a fantastic read! No matter your style, I suggest reading it. I think even if you're a discovery writer, the idea itself has, I think, useful ideas to bounce around your mind. I think even using the first couple steps after writing a novel are very insightful for marketing your novel.
I'd already kinda done this without knowing it was a thing. But that's because I went through a period of being obsessed with elevator pitches and comp titles, stuff like that. Or what I'd say if someone asks me what I'm writing.
I was looking for some articles on the snowflake method for the last couple of days and I bumped into your video which explained everything so clearly. Thanks Shaelin :)
I’m writing my main character’s page synopsis at present using the SF method, and one thing I find is that it helps me flesh out minor characters. I went back to step 3 to write a shorter character intro for a minor character who confronts the hero with a warning before he approaches the first disaster, and I wound up writing her conflict, epiphany, sentence and paragraph summaries because they came to mind naturally. I agree, though, that this method can cause hangups. I have Asperger syndrome and am therefore somewhat perfectionistic, so I feel guilty if I don’t write a complete character intro for my whole extensive list of characters. I think it’s a useful method, but it has some fat that needs to be cut out, at least for me.
Not very often that people say this these days (and mean it). But... thank you. 😊Merry Christmas and happy holidays, peeps. I hope 2022 is wonderful for you.
I am a discovery writer too, and I suggest you can modify the method in accordance to what will work for you :D I think I will have a lot of adjustment on this one that I can no longer call it “snowflake” method, but this video really get me an idea on how my story progress by using the first two step. I hope this helps. Anyway, I hope you a good writing :’)
I have always done a very similar process just much quicker and less detailed than that. I am very good at coming up with compelling characters and stories and seem to get to the scene list easily. That’s the place I get stuck. With a paragraph or so per scene I don’t know how to turn that into prose. Any advice on the next steps?
So my advice is that each paragraph (scene) should carry the story along in some way right like this example HERE IS MY ADVICE SINGLE (10 SENTENCE) PARAGRAPH EXAMPLE SENTENCES 1-3 /INTRODUCING YOUR READER TO THE WORLD & MC SENTENCES 4-7/ BRING ABOUT THE CONFLICT FROM WITHIN THE MAIN CHARACTERS THOUGHTS (A MONOLOGE OR AS I SAID YOUR MC COULD BE DEEP IN THOUGHT ABOUT THE PROBLEM SENTENCES 8-10 GIVE YOUR MC SOME TYPE OF HOPE FOR THE RAOD AHEAD MAYBE INTRODUCE A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER WHO'S READY TO HELP MC OR REVEAL THAT THE FRIEND OR WHOEVER HAS SOME ADVICE TO HELP MC (GIVE US READERS SOME REASON TO KEEP READING LET OUR HOPE FALL AND RISE WITH MC NO PRESSURE 🤣😅😬 LOL JK EATCH PARAGRAPH OR IN THIS CASE SENTENCES HAS TO LEAD INTO THE NEXT I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I MEAN
I have tried this so many times but gave up on the character Synopsis (Step 4), usually because i get overwhelmed with the amout of characters to profile.
The snowflake method, as good as it is, isnot really suited to my next work, due to the complex structure. The snowflake is based on the 3-act structure, which is kinda artificial)only designed to give theatergoers time for a loo- break)
I have been trying to write my life story but fear that I may offend some of the people who have been part of my journey. How do I do this without writing a fiction but a true story?
It seems to me that YES is the answer. Even writing about a scientific subject, i.e., The Human Genome would need to be presented as an exciting read for any reader. The Snowflake method is a guide designed to help the writer connect with the reader. (and the reader to connect with the subject)
No, you can write an outline or even the whole book however you want. That said, it is a fantastic method for getting you to focus on the development of your story.
Nothing is mandatory, there are no Plotting Police. :) If your story turns out well, you did it right, or at least ok. You can do one of these processes if you want, or take bits and pieces from others if they help you do better work faster.
