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”For Worse” Metrics 22: 03/04/2008
Master Story Summary for “Evil Jack: For Worse”
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Still didn’t finish the master story summary. Who knew it would take three days to write?
”For Worse” Metrics 23: 03/05/2008
Master Story Summary for “Evil Jack: For Worse”
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Yes! Finally moved onto a new step.
The Master Story Summary is a list of scenes (location and time) in the story in chronological order with a short summary of what happens in the scene. I also added in whose POV the scene is written in. Once you have this list (Stone recommends making one in the outlining story brainstorming time), you use this list to decide which scenes to “cut, rework, or improve.”
To decide which one to apply to the scene, ask yourself “who; doing what; and why.”
Who: Main character(s) present? Window character(s) present? Villain present? Minions/other opposition present?
Doing What: Protagonist, opponent, window character, or minion taking action? Protagonist, opponent, window character or minion having external conflict?
Why: One or more character pursuing his/their story objectives? One or more characters pursuing his/their personal objectives?
If any scene has a “no” answer to all, that’s a cut. A “no” answer to just one question, that’s a rework. “Yes” answers to all of them, that’s an improve. I didn’t have any scenes to cut, I think because I’ve spent so much time churning this story over in my head.
The next pass focuses on just the characters.
1). Does everyone get on stage quickly? The villian shows up on page 14 in scene 8. Wait, I can bring him up in Charley’s thoughts in scene 3.
”For Worse” Metrics 24: 03/06/2008
Still on the character pass.
2). Is your protagonist in the scene? Out of 31 scenes, I have 10 without Charley in it. Now Throttle’s scene count is in all but 12 scenes. And the scenes they aren’t in, they are under discussion by the other characters.
3). Is each character pursuing her objectives? Charley and Throttle both have the same objective, to find love and make a stable family but not willing to up their dignity trying to find it. They also have the same objective of protecting their loved ones from Jack.
”For Worse” Metrics 25: 03/07/2008
4). Is each character consistant? One problem in scene 9 with how Charley got back to the garage. She had the blue repair bike in scene 7. Need to watch an episode and note how the black bike’s laser cannons pop out. Put Dr. James description into scene 28 or 29.
”For Worse” Metrics 26: 03/08/2008
4). Is each character consistant? Need to watch an episode and note how the black bike’s laser cannons pop out. Put Dr. James description into scene 28 or 29.
”For Worse” Metrics 27: 03/10/2008
5). Is each character growing? Each character has a personal objective. What progress is she making towards accomplishing that objective, and is that progress incremental?
- Charley’s objective story = wedding ring. Personal = surviving, raising Hannah, beating Jack
- Throttle’s objective story = wedding ring. Personal = creating a family, remaining honorable in a universe that often isn’t
- Hannah’s objective story = getting a daddy. Personal = getting a daddy.
- Vinnie’s objective story = realizing he can’t get the girl no. Personal = being a hero and having fun with it.
- Modo’s objective story = supporting Charley and Throttle, protecting Hannah. Personal = same.
- Jack’s objective story = capture Throttle, Hannah, and Charley to punish Charley. Personal = punish Charley.
6). Where can you trim your cast? Nowhere, it’s trimmed already.
