User blog:Zathronas/Author's Advice: The 6 Questions

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Hello and welcome to author's advice.

Now that you understand the basic story structure. Let's see how to create a story out of an idea.

As I said in a previous blog, all writer starts with an idea they see in their head as a scene. So lets say you've had a great idea for a story and you see it in your head. My suggestion would be to write it down with as much details as possible then forget it for a while. Let your brain process it. Then, when your ready, you take your idea and apply the 6 questions.

What are the 6 questions. They are basic questionning that will expand your idea and give you enough material to create a solid story. I'll take the same example as I did in a previous comment ( because I'm too lazy to create a new one.) Ruby going back in time and meeting her mother. Let's apply the 6 question to it.

WHAT?

What is the story about? What are you are you attempting to convey.

For our  story I would say I was attempting to explain how Ruby went from bitter (as in "red like roses p2" ) to the young woman we see in the series. She goes back in time and meets her mother not too long before her sacrifice.

WHEN?

Since this is a time travel story when should come next.

In present time, I would put Ruby before Beacon since we want the bitter Ruby. So let put her in Signal academy at the age of 12 years old. That makes the rest of RWBY 14... why do I say this? You'll see.

In the past,  let's make past Ruby 1 year old, that way she won't remember present Ruby so past RWBY would be 3 years old. Summer and the rest of the adult we'll leave undetermined as it doesn't really affect the story.

WHO?

Who will be in the story. You don't have to put everyone you're going to use just the major character.

RUBY. A bitter 12 year old Ruby get's thrown back in time and meets her mother not long before she sacrifice herself. Will she try to change the past or let it unfold? Since she'll be at Signal, let's make it a plot. Ruby is in her finals and has to create her own weapon but she has no idea what she wants...

SUMMER compassionnate woman who baby Ruby is her whole world. What would push her to sacrifice herself and leave her baby?

QROW Since Ruby is at signal,  it's a great time to use him. Qrow has been trying to help Ruby get through her bitterness by training her. Unfortunately, she hasn't chosen a weapon yet and is not very good because she's not focused.

RWBY. Let's make them do a cameo in the past. Let's have Yang do something reckless like jumping from a cliff in a lake or something. Have present Ruby see a faunus demonstration which will have Blake one the forefront and lets just describe her, no naming. Finally let's have summer meet the head of the shnee corp who brings his grandaughter to the meeting and let's have her cry everytime ruby shows her face.

OZPIN? Since it would really be in synch with the wizard of Oz, let's have a young Ozpin figure out how to send her back home.

WHERE?

Where would the action take place?

I can think of three places that should be in the story. Present time I would use signal academy. In the past I would use Summer an ruby's home which I would put in the forest where Ruby fight's the beowolfs in "red" and of course  we need Beacon somewhere so why not a past Beacon? Maybe even invent an OC for the headmaster.

WHY?

Why is your story created. What does it bring?

In our context it shows how Ruby went from bitter to honoring her mother when she sees how difficult the decision was and how torn she was to leave her baby. That's why when she comes back, she decides to construct crescent rose and ask  Qrow to train her in it's use.

As you can see, we went from Ruby going in the past and meet her mother too enough info to write a story. You don't have to use everything you put in here and you can add to it anytime you want. Once you believe y have enough in you six questions. It's time to use the basic story structure to decide how everything will flow together.

HOW?

How will it work? This is where you invent what you need for your story and plug some plot hole like...

Time traveling, you know the big black ball in the intro? When you add combustable dust to it, it gives the 1.21 gigawatt needed to time travel...

Where is Past Yang? Living with her and Ruby's father, why? Let's say they are separated?