191 | TTT015: New Plan Initiated
March 2025
Welcome back!
Today's Topic: New Plan Initiated
Decisions made
How simple is simple?
The power of a prequel
// CHAPTER 1: DECISIONS MADE
So I've been all over the place with this. Determining what to do about my WIP - my Big Idea.
The original Big Idea is truly a big idea. An epic story with multiple protagonists, groups of characters, numerous secondary characters and sub plots. Multiple locations spanning the globe. Not to mention diving scenes in the ocean and deep space expeditions to investigate anomalies in space.
Like I said: very big. An expansive story - and a lot to bite off as a first project.
In previous episodes we touched on the feedback I received from various people:
Professionals telling me to start small, and build up to a project of this size
My wife telling me to follow my heart and do what I felt was right
My friend Mike offering thoughts on both sides of the debate
Podcast episodes reiterating that it might be best to start with something even shorter than a novel - like a short story or novella perhaps
And more recently a friend of mine, a published author, telling me NOT to listen to any of them - and to do what I wanted to do - what my heart was telling me to do - even if that meant continuing with the Trilogy
So there you go - clear as mud right? I should easily be able to make a decision and keep things moving - right? Well, no, actually. It hasn't been easy.
And that's what I addressed in the last chapter of the last episode titled: Rethinking Everything...
I talked about how I was all ready to jump back into Act II of the Trilogy - when I had a come to Jesus moment - and decided to do an about face.
Not to scrap the Trilogy all together - but to put it off - and focus on something smaller first.
Now the way I viewed this at the beginning was that it would be some random story that popped into my head. A typical standalone novel based on a funny idea, or a small plot twist that could be fleshed out into a complete story.
But more recently, I started to play with the idea of doing a standalone novel using one of the characters from The Trilogy.
This opened up a realm of possibilities. Allowing me to draw on a ton of research and world building I had already done for The Trilogy.
I got stuck for a while on which character made the most sense to write about. But eventually landed on a woman that enters the story toward the end of the trilogy. A strong, powerful woman who would play a major role in the final climax of the series.
So I started down that road - and haven't looked back. The more I fleshed it out the more excited I became. I started with two plot points that I knew would be fun to write. I then completed the 12 elements of the Hero's Journey which really helped flesh out major elements of the story.
And as I progressed I started to see the simplicity of the story. That this book could help me learn how to write a solid first draft - focusing on both an internal and external story arc.
// CHAPTER 2: HOW SIMPLE IS SIMPLE?
So I used the words "smaller" and "simple" to describe this project. But let's flesh that out a bit more. What do I mean by those words? And how do I see them playing out in this project:
It will be a singular novel with fairly standard length - probably between 400-500 pages:
Each book of The Trilogy would probably be a lot longer than this as there was so much going on - and so many pieces to describe and follow throughout the book
A single protagonist:
This will be a major shift for me as The Trilogy has at least two solid protagonists, and a number of other high level characters that get a lot of screen time
A single antagonist, or force of antagonism pushing back on the protagonist:
This is a little more abstract to me - as I'm not even sure I can define the force of antagonism in The Trilogy
There are multiple forces at work throughout the series - and for the most part there is an evil force guiding them
And since this project is taken from The Trilogy - I need to honor that force of antagonism in some way
Though my hope is to simplify it in this book - possibly even abstracting how antagonism works for this protagonist (think Internal Story Arc vs. the external plot-line)
Fewer locations/environments:
In this case having less than 5 locations for the entire book
Which is a HUGE departure from the sweeping epic of The Trilogy
Even though space travel is possible in the standalone - it is only referenced vs. a subplot where space is brought into the actual story
And finally, we touched on this earlier:
The ability to focus on both the external and internal story arcs for the protagonist
Now I know - people will say, "You really need to do that in The Trilogy as well."
And I get that - it's just a lot harder when you have multiple protagonists and so many additional characters
It's hard enough to keep track of each of them in the external story much less worrying about their personal growth from beginning to end
So in the more simple story, it will be nice to be able to make the internal arc much more prevalent
And to hone my skills in this area during the project
// CHAPTER 3: THE POWER OF A PREQUEL
A final thing I wanted to throw out there is the way this project interfaces with my bigger project.
How this standalone fits into the Big Idea - the world of The Trilogy.
Simply put - it is a Prequel of sorts. Not like a Prologue to The Trilogy - an entire story setting the stage for what is to come.
But a story that happened before The Trilogy happens.
I guess you could call it a spin off. In the way Marvel took Avenger characters and created TV series around their story. Think Loki, WandaVision, and HawkEye. Stories that take you out of the Avenger World in order to focus on a specific character's story.
My standalone is similar - but it takes place before The Trilogy - which is where the term Prequel comes in.
And that idea - the idea of a Prequel come with a number of benefits. At least that's what I'm finding.
Here are just a few of the benefits:
The world is already in place:
Like I said, I've done a crap ton of research on world building, locations, scenarios, technology, space travel, etc.
And while this story take place before all of this - it's close enough to where the world itself will be the same
I can set the stage:
As I've started writing I'm realizing the power I have
The power to say things, drop hints, and set the stage for what's coming in The Trilogy
Now, this is a double-edged sword:
On the one hand it allows me to explain certain things and develop certain things that will enhance the coming story
But at the same time it's dangerous - because you don't want to paint yourself into a corner - creating some dogmatic piece of world building that you have to honor in the next story even if you realize it was a poor choice
I can explain things in this book that I won't have to write into The Trilogy:
In other words - if I don't write this book I would need to write quite a few flashbacks in The Trilogy in order to explain who this character is and where she came from
But with this book in place - I can introduce the character in The Trilogy and people will bring her entire back story with them (assuming they read the standalone first)
And this works not only with the protagonist - but also with other story elements - and world building
There are certain things I can explain in this book so I don't have to in The Trilogy
For example - I can write an entire scene where my protagonist learns about major accident related to a deep space mission. I can give pretty solid details in this book about that accident
Then in The Trilogy I can reference that there was a space accident a few years ago - and those who read the standalone will automatically make that connection
And finally, the standalone will bolster the character in The Trilogy:
In other words - in The Trilogy I already have multiple protagonists that I'm trying to do character development with
Telling their backstories, helping the reader get to know them, and identify with them, etc.
So when this character comes along in the second or third book - I would need to do the same thing - spend a to of time helping the reader get connected to her
But if her story already exists in this standalone - the reader of The Trilogy won't need all that information presented to them
Instead, assuming they've read this book, they will be able to bring everything they know about this protagonist into The Trilogy immediately when she is introduced
The minute they hear her name - they make that connection and say to themselves, "No way! I know this girl. I know where she came from, I know why she does what she does. It's going to be so crazy to see how she fits into this larger story I'm invested in."
Now, as I proceed I'm sure I'll find many other perks, and possibly pitfalls in writing this Prequel. But for now - this is a pretty good list of ways I can connect the two projects.
Let's Land the Plane:
Thank you for jumping on with me today. I know these episodes are pretty far apart - but hopefully they help you see the process I'm going through - both the good and the bad.
I love getting to do this - and hope you are enjoying the content as well.
I also hope that you have your own WIP. Your own Big Idea. And I hope you're making progress on it.
We're all in this together - isn't it fun to be a creative?
No place I'd rather be...
That's it from here. Have a great week friends - and as always keep Transcending Human!
References:
None this time!