The Blueprint

Last Monday, we discussed the big picture, vision, panoramic moment where an idea grabs us and won't let go. We have zero idea how we're going to get from Point A to Point Z. In fact, we're not even sure we know what Point A looks like.

This is where we zoom in and break the concept down into manageable, short-term goals. Dare this Seat-of-the-Pants writer say the dreaded "P" word? Planning, plotting - call it whatever you want. Even I no longer totally sidestep this phase. It's where research, meeting characters, and a plotline take shape.

Without further adieu, let's continue with the story of Echoes of the Past.

We left off with yours truly staring at a computer screen and somehow pounding out 55,000 words. For a non-fiction, primarily devotional writer, this was no small effort. I also had no clue what I was doing.

A newbie fiction writer in every sense of the word, I carted my manuscript off to the next writers conference. Editors smiled the way one indulges a child's flights of fancy. "A novel must be 80-100,000 words. Go back, my child, and write more. Add subplots and fatten up those characters."

I attended workshops and learned about point of view (POV), show - don't tell, creating life-like characters, tension, conflict, word choice...whew! What I lacked in craft, I made up for in determination and enthusiasm - not to mention a dash of daring. God gave me this vision, and I would do everything in my power to obtain the skills I needed to communicate it.

To be continued...

Are you the adventurous type? If you're a writer, I declare you every bit as adventurous as an explorer or pioneer. How do you manage to break your big picture down into smaller pieces?

Non-fiction writers: How do you structure your articles or devotionals?

Readers: Are you ever aware of the underpinnings of the story or are they invisible?