Setting the composition (a series of five)

[RogueInnovation]

Don't worry I'm not a newbie at writing xD (at least design wise, my grammar is very so so, I get past that with good planning and top down design) I'm just putting this up for any writers here that might be able to recognise what I'm doing and share some experiences with the parts of the process they feel might be relevant.

I've been working on a series as a passion project for 5 years and I'm ready to start pulling it together (it may be books, film, or animation, not sure which way I want to go, for now I'm doing all because I frankly want to see them all in those forms and have no doubt they'll sell and don't really care if the market is niche). I have no words written (I've written books before I can write about 20k words a day no probs). I instead have about 6 iconic scenes for each storyline of which there are about 5 - 10 (so thirty to sixty crucial scenes).
I want to develop artwork for all those scenes, and have a great idea for how each should look, so really that is just a matter of getting down to it, and getting a bunch of pastels and charcoal, and finding the look.
I understand the story arc really closely, but I suppose I need to identify the crucial components that define each context. Example, "On a bridge after the war, facing off against old friend, feeling like he isn't ruthless enough to do what he has to do to reach the other side". And then I'll put down a notation of whatever other components I want included.

I'll want music and a tone/theme, to match with the lead in of each contextual facet, so that there is an instinctive feel for what is happening that can't be mistaken. So I'll have to locate the sounds for the scenes... And I think that will give me the clues for the writing components. Example, "as she walks the halls there is a silence that chills her to her very bones, the echo doesn't seem to find its resting place but continues towards a place where resolution can not be found".
I suppose I'll write small snippets for each scene to locate the sound and I'll research what some composers do to spot the characterisation so I don't miss or overlook something :/.

So as a start I will have, lead in, components, scenes. That will help with the "texture", and get the balls in the air. Bringing them together is going to be tough, because I don't want to deform the scenes by rushing to fill in the gaps.
So maybe I should develop a template? Like a kind of go to set of colors and feelings that repeat through the scenes, and then make sure the curiosity gaps between the scenes carry that same style.

I should write down the "lessons" from each scene also. And write down the lessons I want to get across through the existance of certain characters and components. Example, "His silence echos his dispair, his dispair holds a sense of disbelief, shame, and courage. It communicates that he will not give up" so I'll try to color in the lessons much like the music and the art.
So I need to create the notes for, context, music, art, lessons.
I suppose I can get an A5 notebook for each (yes I think I will).

I also want to work on the brand/theme seperately.
Copywriting actually has helped on this part. The whole story premise and background context needs to be perfectly translated in this one title scene/feel. Working that out will be tough, but if I put my mind to it I will hopefully get it out of the abstract.
The general theme is "there are two paths, in one you live free and it kills you, in the other you live caged by hope" so I'll have to find a way to say whatever the points are so that I achieve the goals.
So "what do I want to communicate" will be the key question I want to address with the brand theme.
I'll start thinking on that and get another A5 for it.
That gives me 5 things to work on clarifying. Theme, context, music, art, lessons.

Each book will take a slightly different feel, so I should study different source material for each, and be on the lookout for similar themes or aspects already created by other writers that might be useable. Break down the aspects that help heighten or shape that feel.
So I suppose I'll organise that with source material and inspiration that I can put in a folder for each book.

I'll beta test... Yes... Once I have these up, I'll split test a few different variants with just a little bit of writing, some art, and some context. I have kind of perfected my beta groups, so what I'll do is set up 5 or six beta testers, five or six groups, so about 36 testers (that should do it).
And I'll get a few mixed groups and same type groups to go through the whole thing together (I'll do that in person, set them up with some food and drinks and get them in a good mood xD because paranoid people tend to give crappy feedback), and I'll give them a survey so they can more easily follow direction, and fill them in on what the aims are for the session.

Then I'll have some info regarding what writing styles might work best. What else they want to know about the stories, questions, etc etc. Also I'll ask them for what dream changes they would wish for and get them creative.

That is the first step.
I'll need to organise those beta groups, folders and A5 notebooks on the elements for the story. Thats the plan...


I also will want to of course expand the characters, have some more social commentary, and put in some more lessons. Not all of them will make the cut, but I guess I'll get another book and folder for miscellaneous and character tweaks or idiosyncrasies.

I'll need to be on the lookout for pieces of clothing they might wear, symbolism they might have picked up, and other identifying marks.
What was their sense of style like and why? What was behind the legend? How did events really unfold in their mind?
So I'll have to be on the lookout for people who have an element of the character and note it down.

I wanna in the end know details down as far as the readers eyes will want to pry. Give it that extra layer of texture and surprise. Madmen was a really detailed series where most things you saw in the background had a purpose. I'd love if I could get some symbolism set up in the background, and keep that interesting and poignant.

Then on the biz end I suppose its fairly straight forward, I'll just need to develop a distribution strategy that suits what I'm going for.

I want to minimise the writing as much as possible because that is the highest risk component. So I think I will look for a way to structure any writing so that its readable, accomplishes its goal, and has the best choice of words. I know how to do that for the most part, so I guess I'll start generating some "concepts" or "writing styles" that I can play with to find the best ones.

The DIALOGUE is going to be the biggest pain.
If anyone knows about creating great dialogue or examples or source materials, let me know.


Other than that, I think the plan can be set in motion, which is exciting!!!
(I'm not letting anyone know, this is a secret project for the moment)
Like I said, this is a passion project, for pleasure and enjoyment, so I am going to take my time and mature it as and when ready.

Gonna be fun.

 

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