Well I did some digging and found this. It is called a Draw Knife and it is used to round corners on wood. They come with all kind of different handles and angles. Some actually have the blade bowed in an arc in the middle which I really like.
My grandfather had a wood shop and he used to use these thick metal lathe tools for woodturning. (Table legs, spindles, etc..)
I have one.. they're fun, and yeah you could use a lot of the tools, though in general most of them would be the same method as a chisel...
It has to be portable and able to be somewhat concealed. The murder/murders will do most of their killing somewhere else besides where they live/work. I like the idea of this draw knife because he can get behind the victim and with two quick draws, it will be all-she-wrote for the poor soul.
The key is, the murder/murders is killing the clergy in public places so they need to silence them right away so they slit their throat to cut their wind pipe and vocal cords. Once that is done they have enough time to say a prayer and talk to the person dying without them screaming out, and then they finally give the killing slice. They are religious fanatics that believe solely in the Old Testament, but if they are going to kill in the name of God, they are going to pray for the victim to gain salvation. Does that kind of make sense?
Yes, it makes sense. A spoon knife would be useful, and probably much more easily concealed? But may require a little knowledge and finesse. I don't see anything wrong with what you already have though. Is your MC a carpenter or is the method symbolic because Jesus was? Just curious.
i have a basic plan set out, but i dont know if i can be arsed to to a more detailed one, i have a free day tomorrow, hopefully my parents leave me enough time to make a somewhat more detailed plan (though im a pantser, so me and plans don't really mix) and i need better character profiles, can anyone suggest anything?
I'm going to have them doing work out of an abandoned building, building small wooden toys to sell at street markets for extra money. He is going to say he is an immigrant so it is hard to get a regular job so making the toys is about the only thing he can do. The police find him when they are searching buildings for vagrants that might have committed the murders.
Suggest anything for better character profiles? I wish I could but I'm a complete pantser. No profiles, names, settings, nothing, lol.
This is a really good guide if you are looking for the basics of where your events should fall. This is for a 50,000 word, 200 page novel, so it's tuned appropriately. Remember this is a guide, not a rule. Act I Opening Image - Sets the tone, mood, type, and scope of the project. A "before" snapshot. 500 Words Pages 1-2 Theme Stated - Secondary character poses question or statement to MC that is theme of the novel. 2,275 Words Page 9 Set-up - Introduce or hint at every character in A story; plant character tics to be addressed later on. 4,550 Words Page 1-18 Catalyst - Life-changing event that knocks down house of cards. 5,460 Words Page 22 Debate - Point of no return; character makes a choice. 11,375 Words Page 22-46 Act II - A strong, definite change of playing field. Do not ease into Act II. B-Story - Often the "love" story; gives us a break from the tension of the A story; carries theme of novel; often uses new "funhouse" version of characters. 13,650 Words Page 55 Fun & Games - "The promise of the premise" / the heart of the novel / all about having fun. 25,025 Words Page 55-100 Midpoint - Threshold between 1st half and 2nd half; can be false peak or false collapse; stakes are raised; fun and games over. 25,025 Words Page 100 Bad Guys Close In - Bad guys regroup and send heavy artillery ; hero's team begins to unravel. 34,125 Words 100-137 All is Lost - Opposite of midpoint (peak/collapse); whiff of death - old way of thinking dies/give up moment/runaway moment; false defeat; no hope. 34,125 Words Page 137 Black Moment - Darkest point; MC has lost everything. 38,675 Words Page 137-155 Act III - A story and B story combine and reveal solution. Finale - Wrap-up; dispatch all bad guys in ascending order, working way up to the boss. 49,550 Words Page 155-198 Final Image - Opposite of opening image; show how much change has occurred. 50,000 Words Page 198-200
Heck I might start on my character sheets tonight! I also need to get a list of Baptist and other non-Catholic churches that were around in 1920's Chicago. Then I also have to get a detailed map of Chicao back then.
I get it. And honestly, I wish I could do that sometimes. But every damned time I try to figure things out before hand I'm totally bored with it by the time it starts. I have no discipline in this area it seems, I want to go on the adventure too, lol. It's no fun if I already know the end...
I think that's pure crap. If anyone, well me anyway, tried to use that guide for real I wouldn't get past paragraph 1
I don't think it's crap... exactly. Just depressing. I know a lot of people write like this, and it's the reason I don't read a lot of popular authors. I KNOW what's coming, even if I don't know what form it will take, and I KNOW it's going to be some form of HEA (99% of the time) when I start seeing the formula. And then it's not fun, or mysterious, or even mildly enjoyable to me anymore. It's far too formulaic for me to write OR read. I just can't do it.
I find it refreshing! Like I am going to print this out and add the peices of my story to each individual beat. Then at least I have an idea of how long each section should take. It's not for everyone. Some people can place events in order they wish and it comes out perfectly. However, I've had friends that have let me beta-read stories for them and the pacing is all wrong. Some spots are two fast, other parts drag. As I said in the beginning, it's a guide, deviate as necessary.
I think it really depends on the novel you are writing. If it is an adventure where you are making up new races, species, and places, doing character sheets and researching your setting isn't quite as important, as when it's real-world things and people who read your novel will know if you put in your work or not. Like if I said they went back to the police station on Main St., and people know it was on Maple Street, I'll look like a fool.
Sort of a paint-by-numbers for writing. Like the character development spreadsheet nearby, thanks but no thanks.
Except that I've never written a fantasy novel (or story) in my life, lol. Well, I did once actually, first one when I was a kid, but it thankfully was lost, lol. I write entirely real life stuff, with real places (though I may change names ). It's just the way I work. I can't seem to change it and still be productive. I totally get what you're saying though.
I can see tomorrow's thread- "My life changing event happens after only 4,000 words! Is that OK???????"
