J is for Jerry-Rigging

I originally planned a freewrite on some sci-fi situation where something was or needed to be jerry-rigged. However, I found a unique application of the term and thought I'd pursue that direction instead.

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That direction is applying jerry-rigging to my writing. In particular, the structure of my novels. Since I have never completed a novel past the 2nd draft, I'm not too famliar with structure and how it should be properly applied within a story. Hence why I would say I "jerry-rig" the structure in my novels, making it up as I go along with no intial plan.

What provoked this realization was stumbling upon K. M. Weiland's blog. For the past few months she has been running an excellent series of a part by part examination of structure. I recommend reading it (links are included below). I will most certainly be referring back to it when I embark upon my latest revision project (which, incidentally, will probably be my main focus for Camp NaNoWriMo).

Invariably, when revising, the structure is the first to be examined and reorganized. If one doesn't have the knowledge of what a proper structure looks like or how it functions, how can one write a pleasing novel?

I find it curious, though, as Weiland did for her writing, to realize just how much structure I instinctively wrote into my novels. It means I have a starting point for my revisions. And that is a pleasant thought.

The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 1: Why Should Authors Care?

The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 2: The Hook

The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 3: The First Act

The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 4: The First Plot Point

The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 5: The Inciting Event and the Key Event

The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 6: The First Half of the Second Act

The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 7: The Midpoint

The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 8: The Second Half of the Second Act

The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 9: The Third Act

The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 10: The Climax

The Secrets of Story Structure, Pt. 11: The Resolution

The Secrets of Story Structure Pt. 12: Your Questions Answered