Nano Teaser the Snowflake Way

For the last two weeks my eyes have been blurry and exhausted. My time has been spent either reading blogs, writing blogs, answering emails for my Nano region, planning my novel, planning the parties and write-ins for my region, or reading. Yes, I love all of it, but my eyes are bleeding!

So, for today's post, I'm going to take it easy and just share part of the preparation I did for my November Nano project. The sequel to Sendek called Orek. Two planets settled and then abandoned by dragons, left to men and changed forever by the visit of the Dragumen. (ooo! I just wrote that and I really like it!)

Anyway, I feel like I can share a few steps because it's vague enough and the story is all in the details.

Snowflake Method
Step 1: Write a one sentence summary of your book.

Our heroes navigate a strange new world in search of information to bring peace to their home world.

Step 2: Expand that sentence to a paragraph that includes: the set up, at least 3 major disasters and the end.

I did this, but want to keep that one secret. :D

Step 3: Write a one page summary for each character. Include motivation, goal, conflict (specifically what is preventing the MC from reaching said goal) and epiphany.

Since you already know Talia and Landry, here is what I wrote for them. It wasn't a full page, but they are so familiar to me that I didn't need to say a lot. Just a few key thoughts to keep me on track next month.

Talia: She must learn some things are worth fighting and killing for--without regret. Motivation: a)protect her new found happiness with Landry. 

b)Sense of duty to Sendek and the new mages following her leadership. 

c)Excitement to meld together the two halves of her life (science and magic).

Goal: Gather info on how Jaron's society successfully used science and magic, magic training methods and return to teach her people.

Conflict: a)New anti-magic government on Orek. 

b)Passage of time has destroyed much of the information due to decay or action by the new government. 

Epiphany: Talia can work it out on her own. She is intelligent, scientific and highly magical, thus qualifying her to teach her world how to combine the two memes.

Landry: show more of his military skills. 

Motivation: a)Love for Talia, desire to support her. 

b)Love of adventure and a good challenge.  

Goal: Keep Talia safe and return to Sendek in one piece. 

Conflict: Orek's "Controllers" won't leave them alone. They are ruthless and will stop at nothing to get what they want. 

Epiphany: Learns he can't do it all on his own. He needs Talia's help as well as others. Must learn to trust other's with his life.