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frostbain — Storylining Technique
Published: 2006-10-29 19:18:40 +0000 UTC; Views: 20526; Favourites: 465; Downloads: 176
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Description
Hey all,I devised this during a writing class (the teacher was going over basic grammar). It's hard to believe that college students, somehow, don't know basic English grammar, let alone how to spell things correctly when they have a dictionary right next to them. I mean, I know I'm not perfect in that subject, but damn, atleast they could write a coherent sentence or two without using the word "like" seventy-two times, or spelling "architecture" as "arketechtor". Damned AIM and MSN kiddies with their "hay, i knw u!" >,>
Anyway, this method helps to micromanage parts of your story, to let you focus on the details a little more, and overall work out a better story. It starts with working out the main points, and slowly works down how to get from one to the next by smaller points between them. You'll need some organization outside of the chart idea to keep track of character details and such, but this should help with plot and storyline a bit.
To help analyze movies and stuff, you can use this concept. If you want practice with it, feel free to use me as a "teacher". We can pick a movie or book we both have access to, and work out the story line using one of these charts, so you can see how it works. That or I can even read over what you come up with using it, to give you some pointers.
And yes, I know I'm not following this for "Standing Alone" (my web comic). That's just me coming up with random jokes and stringing them together with a semi-serious action story that evolves as the jokes need it to.
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Comments: 78
this is so great gonna start on ma vary own story...ur the best much respect
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THis is great! THANKS!
The only thing I'd say is there is a lot of bulk, by that I mean its all writing and crowds. This makes it a little harder to make sense of and read. But the contents is absolute bliss! 
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Thanks a lot for this!! Is really useful, since I'm a mess with writting story lines
This goes to my collection!!!!!
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Wouldn't having the climax in the middle somewhere cause an ANTI-climax by the time you get to the end of the story. What would be the point of reading on if the rest of the book/story just gets slower and slower from the excitement of the climax?
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The very end of the technique (last sentence) clarifies that. It should be a somewhat jagged hill leading up to the climax, with a near cliff afterwards. I.E. you build up and up and up; and once it's all done, you tie up your loose ends and are done (not doing so forces you into a sequel; which, quite frankly, is far too overdone these days to be of any real value to the audience).
As mentioned in that last point, moving the climax around in the charts (primarily down) is purely for chart clarity. Having the same number of points at start and end is a simple way to be sure you've tied up all your loose ends - it's not that you have to spend the same number of words on each point; simply that you have to take care of the point.
Some points take longer to explain and build up than others, but that doesn't necessarily say anything about how emotional they may be.
Going back to the reference of "The Rock"; they spend all this time building up why Sean Connery is in Alcatraz to begin with. Its corresponding point at the end of the movie is less than 5 minutes of screen time (of a 136 minute film) - and it still ties it all up in a nice little bow.
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Awesome my friend, this is rather helpful! I truly appreciate the effort you put into making this! I am using this now and will help others with this technique as well!
Thanks again Frost!
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This is incredible!! Thank you thank you thank you!! It really helped tie up some loose ends with my technique
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thank you so much for this! i am thinking of writing a manga and was confused about where to start this tutorial helped me a lot. thank you again!
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Haha, it's been so long since I've seen that icon. Thanks for the glomp!
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It wouldbe useful or me,since i have started like.. several origial stories to mine,but i think i'll be only convert m newest original story into an manga/fanfiction since i don't like the plot itself my other fansories.
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I found this very helpful. ^^ It certainly makes things a hell of a lot easier to identify after seeing this, you know?
'Like'(xD) when you know how to do it, but can't formulate the method into words? Thanks a lot!
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ooo, this is helpful! thanks, I needed a refresher (and then some)
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thank you the Team and I have already done most of this ,but this helped anyway!! Because now we can go back and check and re-think(if we have to)and fix any problems or add new ideas 
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These are the best tips you can give a person in my opinion. And the part about practicing is gold, I made a 47 part fanfic and four smaller stories before I even started on my current project Blue Lily (although I need to work on details more).
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Thank you very much for this wonderful tutorial! ^^ *faves*
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thank you so much for writing this! i always had trouble with story and getting it all together!
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Thank you, ~frostbain . I have added your tutorial to the library. You did a good job; it is both very informative and concise. Thank you for writing it.
-- ~IcyWolfling , editor.
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This is very, VERY informative. I can finally start on having ideas for a story or something. Thanks for posting this.
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Yes, YES, VERY yes!
This will help me a lot! Thanks!
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Haha, that might be the most enthusiastic "good job" I've ever gotten
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Thankies
Unfortunately the character design part (part 2) will probably have to wait until I'm done with school in December.
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This is really helpfull! I always have problems writing stories, I never know where to start. Thank you!
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oh wow, this is very helpful! thanks for writing this! ^^ i'm actually working on developing my own manga and i came up with a plot already: here . would you mind reading it and letting me know what you think of it?
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I'm not a huge fan of manga (just don't have time for it, both to read it or gain a better understanding of the Japanese culture that created it; which would lead to more entertainment while reading); but, I did still read through.
Anywho:
Could use a bit of a spelling/grammar check (switches tenses a few times; I.E. She follows her, the door closed behind). That's not really a big deal until you start putting it down with images (I'm assuming you mean the comic-book styled Manga, as that's the only kind I know of).
Other than that, it started out well. You seemed to describe things in good enough detail to get a good, working, version going on paper (again, meaning with images and all that).
As it neared the end though, it seemed a little rushed. Not the writing style or anything, but the story itself.
If I were the one writing, I would develop the years of searching a little more. I.E. drop in some battles with Ryuu's henchmen (or other enemies; the whole Enemy of my Enemy thing), stuff like that.
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Ah, I see. I'll fix the spelling errors! I usually don't make errors like those but when I really get into typing something, it happens. That makes a lot of sense, I'll add more to it! Thanks lots for the advice, I appreciate it! ^^
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Yeah, being a programmer, I'm kinda the opposite way. I more or less actively spell-check what I write; and it's gotten to the point where if I make a mistake it'll actually break my train of thought >,>
No problem though, hope it comes out well for you
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This is really a good start for anyone lost at how to write a story.
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You're doing a great job at writing tutorials. It's simple and effective - and easy to understand 
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Thankies.
Unfortunately I keep getting sidetracked, learning new things and all that, so I haven't really made much progress on my next one in quite a while.
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Oh well, I hope you'll still be able to finish a second one some day, because I've had a look at some other tutorials as well, but they're not as helpful as this one. And I think there's so much more that can be said about writing. (Plus, I'm currently writing myself and can really use the help ^^)
By the way, what's your opinion on first person perspective? Someone else wrote it needed to be avoided as much as possible, but I'm not so sure about that.
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Well, I'm not an official "writing guide", professional, or anything of the sort. Just a college student code & graphics junkie that recognizes patterns and can analyze problems (such as story lining) to their (normally) most basic roots.
That being said:
I'm sure there are reasons to avoid first person perspective, but I just don't see them. Obviously you have to make sure you do it right, but the same stands for third person as well. I've always had a harder time writing first person, but that's because my style and attitude in life is more that of the story teller - I'm not the legend, I'm the one that remembers the legend. In my opinion, you really have to put yourself in the shoes of the character; which leads me to believe stage actors/actresses would be very good at it.
I have some very basic experience with stage acting, where it was stressed to get into character. The problem with writing first person though, is that you can't just be in character; being in character still implies that theres a story around it, already made. Instead, you need to be living it, writing the story as you act in it.
I would suppose one problem with it would be the limit to that one character. It could be done, but I could see doing multiple characters in first person getting confusing.
Perhaps the answer lays in a hybrid of first and third? That would make for an interesting read; although, it would be difficult to write it in a way that makes the switches between the two obvious.
I've never understood the "rule" against switching tense as well though. I understand not doing it within a sentence, but there are a few instances when switching from past to present could make the story entertaining (like going from a History Channel movie which leads into current day events).
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I'm currently writing a story in first person. There is indeed a limit, because the reader cannot easily enter the mind and see the thoughts of other characters. Still, I think there are other ways of expressing those characters more thoroughly, without having to use the third person perspective.
But my story focuses mainly on one character and her development through life. Also, her opinion on her surrounding is more important than the surrounding itself. So I guess in this case it fits.
Thank you for the advice. I purposely added some of my own characteristics to the character, which makes it easier for me "to be living it and writing the story as I act in it"
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The easiest/best way I can think of to show the emotions of other characters is by describing body language. Your character noticing the little smirk on someone elses face, things like that.
It kind of adds a lot of power to you though, knowing what and how your character thinks, because you can choose to have her interpret this body language differently than it was actually meant; as well as only noticing things that might be important to her - as an example, hand gestures over slight facial expressions.
Glad to be of any and all help though
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I've got to say that I don't actually know anyone with appalling grammar in real life. Online, however, is a completely different story.
You've done a really good job on this tutorial, I think. It flows, it explains, it makes things clearer... Your examples are fun, modern, and memorable too, which always helps. Nice job!
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Ew, never put a DC hero and a Marvel what-ever-that-guy-is in the same sentence. D:
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Yeah, but this way both the people that like DC and the people that like Marvel can relate a character they know and/or love to this.
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