Thought I'd share my technique of developing plot, what with the big debate going on here. It's not really plotting it out, but it helps me have an idea of where it could go before I get there. I use my character sketch. I write down some facts about my main characters, writing them as if I were describing them to someone else. A sample: Emmit Dodd He is 58 years old, but still young at heart, quick and active. He is intelligent, but not formally educated....a simple street-smart type. He wears a lot of thrift store type clothes, as long as they're comfortable and still in one piece, he says, they're good clothes. Tends to stick to plain solid colors and practical clothes...big pockets, walking shoes, durable fabrics, that sort of thing. He smokes pipe tobacco, but inadvertantly quits as the story progresses. He's not superstitious or a paranormal believer when we meet him. However, he's smart enough to know what's happening and doesn't take long to be convinced that his mind-link with Tuner is no scam or fake. He isn't a skeptical person....I wouldn't say gullible, he has common sense, but he's very trusting and vulnerable in that he always tries to see the good in people, even where there's none to be seen. He doesn't have a car and he prefers to walk everywhere he can. this keeps him in good shape and helps him think. He lives in a simple and cheap apartment on top of an occult book-and-knickknack store. He is friendly with the owner, a lady, but doesn't buy into the kinds of things she sells. While I'm writing that, all these different facts have given me a dozen idea for different scenes I can write (and a lot of the time I do, I'll write scenes from all over the book and then stick them in where they fit later). From this everythign starts winding down and figuring itself out, and it's much easier to lead myself once I start the real writing. Not mo mention I've learned so much more....I had no idea he lived over a bookstore, or took walks to think. I also found out he smokes cherry tobacco and loves peanut butter cup ice cream ^.^
