Rough Draft Packet /
Get Your Book Finished /
Project Title: ______/
Your Name: ______ /
3/1/2012 /
This packet is all the work I accomplish for my project from March 1st to June 30th of 2012. /

First Things First

I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you to everyone who has joined this writing endeavor;I just know this will be a rewarding experience! I’m sure we all will have bad days where we’ll want to stab our manuscripts with sharpened pencils or set them ablaze with cheap wine and a cigarette (of course I’ve never done those things!) but having a support system can help lessen the number of bad days we have and enliven our creativity.

When I first got the idea to do “Get Your Book Finished,” I was really down about my writing. I felt I wasn’t doing enough, I wasn’t reading enough, I wasn’t trying hard enough, I simply wasn’t good enough.

Well, that feeling passed after eating a massive amount of chocolate and making a decision: NO MORE. I’m sick and tired of piddling and having no work to show for it. I’m going to finish a manuscript this year, no matter what!

Now, I’ve always been that weird quiet girl in the corner reading or writing vigorously in a notebook so I’ve never leaned on anyone when it came to my work. Sure, I’d have friends or family members who’d read my stuff once in a while but they couldn’t give me the information I needed to better myself. Having other writers help me along is exactly what I need and hopefully we’ll all grow as writers, editors, critics, and friends.

I’ve put together this packet (and I apologize for its crudeness but I didn’t have much time) to steer us in the right direction. It’ll have fun and helpful exercises, worksheets, development ideas, a day-by-day schedule, etc.

So, without further ado,let’s

Get Your Book Finished

March: The Preliminary Month

March will be the preliminary month where we get everything ready and situated. I know some of us might be past this stage but it doesn’t hurt to fill this section out and confirm all the details.

  • FYI: Here is a brief schedule for “Get Your Book Finished”.

MARCH: Preliminary Information

1-2: Getting Started 3-4: The Cast 5: Setting & Plot

6-7: Summary Outline 8-9: Scenes 10-16: Research

17-21: Evolution Worksheet 22-26: Formatted Outline

27-28: Put It All Together 29-31: Revision

APRIL: Introduction, Door 1, & Progression 1 Chapters

MAY: Progression 2, 3, & 4 Chapters

JUNE: Door 2, Climax, & Denouement (cliffhanger)

Day 1-2: Getting Started

Book Title: ______

Genre: ______Assumed Length: ______

Synopsis: ______

______

______

LOCK Synopsis (Lead, Objective, Conflict, Knockout)

The Lead, ______, is a ______. Her/His Objective is

______S/he is confronted by ______who opposes her/him because ______The ending will be a Knockout when ______

______

Partner’s Name for Project: ______

Day 3-4: The Cast—Character Sketches

Character Sketch #1

Name______

Age______Birthday______

Sign______Ethnicity______

Height______Weight______

Eye Color______Hair Color______

Body Type______Skin Color______

Clothing Style______

______

Jewelry______

Marks/Tattoos______

Make-up______Facial Hair______

Mannerisms______

Story Role______

Hobbies______

Loves______Hates______

Born/Raised______

Speaks______

Family______

Background______

Education/Occupation______

Schedule______

Strengths______

Weaknesses______

Personality______

Internal Conflicts______

______

External Conflicts______

______

Aspiration______

Desire, Ambition, or Goal______

______

Secret______

Contradiction______

Vulnerability______

Fears______

Flaws______

Shame______

Greatest Sorrow______

______

Greatest Joy______

______

Worst Failure______

______

Extra notes______

______

Character Sketch #2

Name______

Age______Birthday______

Sign______Ethnicity______

Height______Weight______

Eye Color______Hair Color______

Body Type______Skin Color______

Clothing Style______

______

Jewelry______

Marks/Tattoos______

Make-up______Facial Hair______

Mannerisms______

Story Role______

Hobbies______

Loves______Hates______

Born/Raised______

Speaks______

Family______

Background______

Education/Occupation______

Schedule______

Strengths______

Weaknesses______

Personality______

Internal Conflicts______

______

External Conflicts______

______

Aspiration______

Desire, Ambition, or Goal______

______

Secret______

Contradiction______

Vulnerability______

Fears______

Flaws______

Shame______

Greatest Sorrow______

______

Greatest Joy______

______

Worst Failure______

______

Extra notes______

______

Character Sketch #3

Name______

Age______Birthday______

Sign______Ethnicity______

Height______Weight______

Eye Color______Hair Color______

Body Type______Skin Color______

Clothing Style______

______

Jewelry______

Marks/Tattoos______

Make-up______Facial Hair______

Mannerisms______

Story Role______

Hobbies______

Loves______Hates______

Born/Raised______

Speaks______

Family______

Background______

Education/Occupation______

Schedule______

Strengths______

Weaknesses______

Personality______

Internal Conflicts______

______

External Conflicts______

______

Aspiration______

Desire, Ambition, or Goal______

______

Secret______

Contradiction______

Vulnerability______

Fears______

Flaws______

Shame______

Greatest Sorrow______

______

Greatest Joy______

______

Worst Failure______

______

Extra notes______

______

Character Sketch #4

Name______

Age______Birthday______

Sign______Ethnicity______

Height______Weight______

Eye Color______Hair Color______

Body Type______Skin Color______

Clothing Style______

______

Jewelry______

Marks/Tattoos______

Make-up______Facial Hair______

Mannerisms______

Story Role______

Hobbies______

Loves______Hates______

Born/Raised______

Speaks______

Family______

Background______

Education/Occupation______

Schedule______

Strengths______

Weaknesses______

Personality______

Internal Conflicts______

______

External Conflicts______

______

Aspiration______

Desire, Ambition, or Goal______

______

Secret______

Contradiction______

Vulnerability______

Fears______

Flaws______

Shame______

Greatest Sorrow______

______

Greatest Joy______

______

Worst Failure______

______

Extra notes______

______

Character Sketch #5

Name______

Age______Birthday______

Sign______Ethnicity______

Height______Weight______

Eye Color______Hair Color______

Body Type______Skin Color______

Clothing Style______

______

Jewelry______

Marks/Tattoos______

Make-up______Facial Hair______

Mannerisms______

Story Role______

Hobbies______

Loves______Hates______

Born/Raised______

Speaks______

Family______

Background______

Education/Occupation______

Schedule______

Strengths______

Weaknesses______

Personality______

Internal Conflicts______

______

External Conflicts______

______

Aspiration______

Desire, Ambition, or Goal______

______

Secret______

Contradiction______

Vulnerability______

Fears______

Flaws______

Shame______

Greatest Sorrow______

______

Greatest Joy______

______

Worst Failure______

______

Extra notes______

______

Setting

Main Setting: ______

All Settings: ______

______

Time: ______Duration: ______

Plot

Main Conflict: ______

______

Internal Conflicts: ______

______

External Conflicts: ______

______

The Main Cast

  1. Protagonist: ______
  2. Antagonist: ______
  3. Sidekick: ______
  4. Love Interest: ______

Secondary & Minor Characters

  1. ______
  2. ______
  3. ______
  4. ______
  5. ______
  6. ______
  7. ______
  8. ______
  9. ______
  10. ______
  11. ______
  12. ______

Essentials

Point of View: ______Genre: ______Assumed Length: ______

Summary Outline

Introduction

______

Door #1

______

Progression #1

______

Progression #2

______

Progression #3

______

Progression #4

______

Door #2

______

Climax

______

Denouement

______

Cliffhanger

______

Miscellaneous Notes

______

Research

  1. ______
  2. ______
  3. ______
  4. ______
  5. ______

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