The phase system

[lilacfield]

Hey all - I just want to know, has anyone ever tried using the phase system, whether for NaNo or for any other writing project? It looks like an efficient method for finishing a book in a short time. But it seems to me tnat writing in such a way lessens the possibility of adventure, i.e. you already know what you'll write, how the story is going to

Comments

[lilacfield]

I'd imagine that, as with any other free-form writing technique, things tend to take sharp turns within each phase and the plot can also take a sharp turn as well.

I can see that happening, especially if inspiration strikes or a phase develops not quite the way we imagined it would.

[flavour_of_nano]

That's actually pretty cool. I'm not an outline person, but I might see if I can devise for myself a looser version of it.

[lilacfield]

I'm not an outline person either, though I've learned that writing down general plot points helps, especially during NaNo.

[nepthys6669]

I used phase plotting on my last nano, and it's not as limiting as you would think. A lot of my phases were just "Jin and Nao talk" or "Neo follows Jama," and those would turn into a few thousand words. I also only wrote phases for a few scenes at a time, because I never know how my stories are going to end until I get there, and I didn't want to waste time plotting things that were never going to happen.

[lilacfield]

I also only wrote phases for a few scenes at a time, because I never know how my stories are going to end until I get there

I seem to have mistakenly assumed that in the phase system you write down all the phases, from start to finish. The way you're doing it, it sounds like the fun factor is still pretty much there.

[nepthys6669]

it's not really a mistake, as most people do do them start to finish, but I change my mind too often to work that way, and so I modified the phase system to suit my style

[plv]

Hello, I've not tried the phase system, but I have written both when I've known only vaguely where the book was going and where I've had a detailed plan. With the plan, I didn't do phases, but jotted down scenes as they occurred to me. In writing a book I think in scenes rather than chapters, so I can see why how phases could be shorthand for a scene

[lilacfield]

a matter of experimenting and trying different ways of working to see what works for you.

I've discovered that I don't like being tied down to a fixed list of to-write things, but at the same time I do have to know where the story is going. (e.g. the villain traps the hero inside a dungeon, how is he going to escape? Until I know the answer, the story remains at a standstill) As one of the comments here suggests, it might be a good idea to try working with a looser version of the phase system.

[dobbin477]

That looks interesting. I've never used the phase system, but I have made a general outline. I try not to stick too much to the outline because sometimes the story will go off on its own. If I try to force the outline in my novel then the story doesn't work.

[lilacfield]

sometimes the story will go off on its own

I like it when that happens - the only thing I have to do is make sure I can follow where it's going.