Two Scrivener Templates

This is something I've wanted to do for a while and finally got around to doing today. (Procrastination yay?) A few months ago I found or was linked to a plot outline template, intended to help the writer figure out the plot beats for stories that require specific word counts, such as most anthology submissions. I've been using it as a plotting tool since then, and found it very helpful -- so helpful that I've created my Scrivener files according to the beats for my past couple stories.

Today I made the files into templates, so that I can use them again without having to reinvent the wheel each time I start a new story. I thought they might be helpful to other people too, so they're in zip files and stored in my Dropbox.

Unfortunately I can't find the link to the original post, where I got the outline from in the first place. I thought it might be Rachel Aaron's Pretentious Title, but I'm unable to find the entry if it is. I don't claim to have invented this outline, just created the templates that use it. The outline itself is a very simple version of Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey, which is a good plotting tool, too.

The basic outline is this:
1. current situation, 10%
2. change of plans, 15%
3. work toward goal, things go well, 25%
4. things go awry, 25%
5. final push/climax/reaches goal, 20%
6. wrap up loose ends/denouement, 5%

You take your total allotted word count (say, 10,000 words for easiness's sake), and figure your beats accordingly:

1. current situation, 10% - 1000 words
2. change of plans, 15% - 1500 words
3. work toward goal, things go well, 25% - 2500 words
4. things go awry, 25% - 2500 words
5. final push/climax/reaches goal, 20% - 2000 words
6. wrap up loose ends/denouement, 5% - 500 words

Confession: I have yet to make this work perfectly--I don't have any denouement scenes that are exactly 500 words--but it's proved very helpful in any case, since keeping within a defined word count has been a struggle for me. I have yet to use it for a novel, too, but I have the rough draft of the next one all set up using this template, waiting its turn.

Download the long-form works template or the short-form works at Dropbox.

A few notes:

* The label colors are all pastels, my favorite colors. Feel free to change that as you see fit.
* Feel free to add character sheets and other notes as you see fit, too. I don't have any preferred forms so I just left them out.
* In the long form template, there are no scene files in the chapter folders. I don't want to dictate that -- you just add what you need.
* These files were created on a Windows PC. I assume they will work with Windows and Mac version of Scrivener.
* If you need instructions on using templates, please visit the Scrivener forums or tutorials.

New: The King's Diamond 2: Shooting Star

Ketu is the king's consort and the king's diamond, a gift provided by the gods. Ketu loves Damalepazhur deeply, but still asks himself what is his true purpose in life. Is it only to look after Damal, or is there something more?

Troubled by doubts about his place in the kingdom and in court, Ketu fills his days with looking after Damal’s household and children, and helping anyone who comes to him for assistance. When people try to worship him as the Face of Azhur, the child of their main god, Ketu tells them only to live good lives. He enjoys a passionate, if sometimes frustrating, relationship with Damal, but even this makes him wonder if he'll end up like former diamonds after the king's death, despairing and alone.

Hoping to cheer him, Damal takes Ketu to the newly-restored summer palace, where they enjoy each other's company and explore the countryside. Seers warn Ketu about Damal's recklessness, but he puts them out of his mind until Damal's life hangs by a thread. Only then does Ketu explore the full depth of his powers and what it means to be a gift from the gods.

Now available in ebook and paperback from Torquere Press.

(Book 1: The King's Diamond is available in ebook, and is included in the paperback version of Diamond 2.)

New: Little Red Hood

Little Red Hood by Jenna Jones.

Rory Goodwin is fascinated by his mysterious neighbor in 4C. A chance meeting gives Rory an opportunity to get to know Alec Conroy and his world, but it takes a stranger for Rory to learn the full truth about Alec. Can Rory protect Alec from the forces pursuing him? Will he, despite his fears?

Now available from Torquere Press.

Coming soon

Coming on April 10th from Torquere Press: “Little Red Hood,” part of the Torqued Tales anthology. Fairy tales with a twist.

six sentence Sunday (more or less)

"It's a color, you know," said Jacob.

Harmony looked at him in confusion. "What is?"

"Cosmic latte. It's a color -- the color of the universe."

"The universe has a color?"

"Uh-huh." Jacob drank some coffee. "And it smells like raspberries."

"Cosmic latte smells like raspberries?"

my status in brief

It's been a while since I've posted, and since it's the first day of a new month I figured it's time to do a little catching up.

• The King's Diamond 2: Shooting Star has a release date: April 17.
• I moved last fall. I now live with a toddler, three cats, and their parents. The neighborhood is charming, the places to write are abundant, and it's snowed a lot.
• I have a very, very big list of goals for this year. Hopefully that will translate to lots of good stuff for y'all to read.

Currently I'm working on anthology submissions and eyeing the Big List a lot, while Demanding Kitty headbutts my computer.

New website

Due to SNAFUs at my previous webhost, I've decided to move the bulk of my website to Jennajoneswrites.wordpress.com. Things like free reads and more detailed book information will go there. Blog entries will be mirrored. ('Cept for this one, because that would just be redundant.)

I am pleased to announce that Torquere Press has accepted the sequel to The King's Diamond, The King's Diamond: Shooting Star.

Look for it in 2013.

Nanowrimo results

I am pleased to report that Nanowrimo was a success for me this year. While I didn't go the traditional route of writing 50,000 new words, I was instead a "rebel" (I love that it's an official designation, too, for people who aren't doing the normal Nanwrimo thing) and still managed to get 72,000 words edited/rewritten in 30 days.

I will take whatever motivation I can find. Nanowrimo was fantastic motivation this year.

I also met some great people in my new region (uh, did I mention I moved a month ago?) and explored my new city a bit as a result, and found some lovely places to scribble. That's always important.

The story itself will be going to Torquere as soon as it's ready, and I anticipate having some extra news about that once it's accepted.

It's been a remarkably busy month. I'm rather amazed at how much I managed to cram into 30 days.