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# Idea to Novel Superstructure: Emacs for Writing
Bala Ramadurai
[[!template id=vid src="https://mirror.csclub.uwaterloo.ca/emacsconf/2020/emacsconf-2020--03-idea-to-novel-superstructure-emacs-for-writing--bala-ramadurai.webm"]]
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[[!template id=vid src="https://mirror.csclub.uwaterloo.ca/emacsconf/2020/emacsconf-2020--03-idea-to-novel-superstructure-emacs-for-writing--questions--bala-ramadurai.webm" download="Download Q&A .webm video, 720p"]]
[Download compressed Q&A .webm video (10.3M)](https://media.emacsconf.org/2020/emacsconf-2020--03-idea-to-novel-superstructure-emacs-for-writing--questions--bala-ramadurai-vp9-q56-original-audio.webm)
You want to write a novel, but you don't know how to create an
outline. You have a seed idea for a novel, and you intend to expand
it into a complete story. You have many ideas for a novel, and you
are wondering how to proceed. You started writing your heart out, and
you now feel the need to create a framework for a novel.
Worry not, Emacs is here to the rescue.
Listen to this talk to find out how to develop your story idea into a
framework for a novel, all within your favourite text editor, Emacs.
What you will learn during the session:
- How to write a single-line plot for a novel
- How to write the backbone of the novel, the main character arc
- How to create characters and write their arcs
- How to create a story design
- How to create the scenes design
- How to plan your novel writing project
- How to track your project
The modified Emacs template has all the ingredients and flow to start
from a basic idea to a full fledged thrashed out novel superstructure.
Once you are done with the superstructure, you can use the planning
and clocking infrastructure to finish scene after scene, thus
finishing your masterpiece.
We will use:
- The snowflake method - <https://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/articles/snowflake-method/>
- The seven-point story structure - <https://invidious.snopyta.org/watch?v=KcmiqQ9NpPE&list=PLL7D_RCJrhcLzLiO17m7KcnG5WrjcUxGz>
- The original emacs writing template - <https://tonyballantyne.com/EmacsWritingTips.html>
- Some spices from the speaker's kitchen
# Links
- Screenplay in Fountain format -
<https://emacsconf.org/2020/info/03/screenplay.fountain>
<!-- from the pad --->
- Actual start and end time (EST): 9:40-9:58
# Questions
## Do you have occasions to use Emacs for multilingual text composition? How do you deal with spell-checking etc?
- Wrote in English with spell-check but wasn't able to find anything for the local script
- ^ thank you. I find using multiple languages in one document is a hard problem, not made easier in Emacs
## Is it possible to align the columns in headings and subheading?
- Thanks for the beautiful demo.
## Maybe there should be an emacs-for-writing mailing list and online Writers Workshop (?)
- This is a good idea, perhaps an online Writers Workshop indeed makes a lot of sense.
- Has conducted online WW in India, used Notion (Emacs Org Mode was scary for other attendees)
## How do you share drafts of your novel? If you use pandoc to export to word (etc), how do you incorporate feedback on the document back into org? (Thank you for the talk)
- Exported to Word (via pandoc). There were some inconvenient parts for the editor, and Ramadurai copied and pasted the feedback/changes from Word into Emacs.
- For collaborators: paste it into Google Docs. See the question below.
- Not an answer by the speaker, but here's the workflow of Mickey Petersen: <https://masteringemacs.org/article/how-to-write-a-book-in-emacs> (Mastering Emacs)
- From my bookmarks: <https://www.wisdomandwonder.com/link/9922/how-to-reintegrate-changes-for-word-back-into-org-mode>
## Can you show exported pdf of any of your novel?
- Will make a "demo" and have a link somewhere accessible to the community (probably on talk page at <https://emacsconf.org/2020/schedule/03/> )
## How do you collaborate with others while writing your Novel ? Like sharing your file and getting feedbacks.
- working on ebook sustainability, long org mode file, pasted into google docs so collaborator and editor can see it
- like to see python
- paste to google docs
## Can you text-wrap in the columns?
- Community: possibly ftable.el
- you specify column mode in org mode in prsentation
- THANKS
## How to enable column mode in org mode
- M-x org-columns (C-c C-x C-c)
- Or use speed selection in Org-mode.
- Thanks
# Notes
- Write a novel about a Scrabble-obsessed grandmother
- Novel is still not published
- Snowflake method + Tony Ballantyne (sp?) — <https://tonyballantyne.com/EmacsWritingTips.html>
- The talk was made by org-re-reveal
- Column-view and plotpoints per story arc, 2ndary characters augment the main character
- <https://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/articles/snowflake-method/>
- Uses pandoc to export from org
- Author of Karmic Design Thinking (<https://dt.balaramadurai.net/>)
- Uses Spacemacs
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