In Order to Write

Working Through the Concept - part III

May 3rd, 2008 | by smokingpen |

Gathering the idea together is important.

What does this mean? Let’s take another look at Cassandra West:

Cassandra is a young girl who is pulled out of her body and placed into the body of an older woman… herself, ten or twenty years older.

This is an idea. And it is where the idea for Cassandra West started. But it is not a significant plot description about what the stories (and book) is about or where Cassandra will end up. Because this is true, understanding that there is more to an idea than merely the nexus that begins the formation of a story is essential… and then gathering the parts of that story together in a way that makes sense to you is also important.

Because this has been discussed before, I have shared aspects of the brainstorming idea that comes with this story. There are multiple characters:

• Thomas - horse, familiar
• The Reverend Bubbha Thomas - pastor
• Roy Bean - western judge, mage
• Cassandra’s father - ???
• Cassandra’s mother - normal human being, might’ve been a prostitute
• Housekeeper,
• various witches, wizards
• and etc.

Characters help me to build around the concept. If I have a central character (protagonist) and supporting characters including an antagonist, then I can begin to see how various parts of my idea are going to come together to form the greater story. Thomas is important, in part, because he is also the king of all horses. He and Cassandra have a relationship that has lasted for a long, long time. The outcome is that when Cassandra is pulled into her adult body, Thomas is there waiting for her.

One question that was asked, in an early iteration of the original Cassandra West story was, “Does this story deal with time travel?”

The answer to that question is no. Time is static in this universe, Cassandra is taken from her 11 year old body and placed into her older body. The date has not changed. One result of this is that Cassandra is constantly trying to get back to her home. However, (story element) she cannot cross a certain river in her adult body and must find another way to return home.

Since I know that Cassandra will repeatedly deal with different characters, as well as the ramifications of her being made older through magic, her father’s involvement in things, who the housekeepers in her parent’s house are/were, and other aspects to the story, having gathered a cast of characters that all have different responsibilities helps me focus on the idea of the story and to see if it begins to tell me different things about the background and history of the world, the other indigenous peoples, other events that might be taking place, and more.

Though the Cassandra West story is, in part, character driven, the story is more plot driven which means gathering ideas about plot elements or points to the story are also essential. Knowing what needs to happen at different points of the overarching story helps to determine what is happening now and what will be happening in a chapter or two.

Continued next week.

Part One: Working Through the Concept
Part Two: Working Through the Concept - part II