Planning a Scene with a Diagram - Writing Prompt (September 2018)

Photo Credit: "Arrival Ceremony" from Archives New Zealand

[CC BY-SA 2.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons

As we are approaching NaNoWriMo, I wanted September's writing prompt to focus on planning and brainstorming. I find sketching a diagram can be very helpful in planning and writing a scene, for a very long list of reasons. But the most obvious being, when you carefully work through and understand what is going on in your scene, your readers will understand better as well. (Not to mention, it tends to make your writing more vivid and detailed.)

The diagram above is from Prince Charles & Princess Diana's 1983 tour of New Zealand with baby Prince William. This diagram features the plan for the couple's arrival ceremony when they first touched down in New Zealand.

Writing Prompt:
Draw a diagram to help you plan out a scene. Be sure to include a lot of labels, and what every notes you think you might need for writing up the scene. Think about who is there and what is going on. Your diagram can be:

• Map
• Floor Plan
• Seating Chart 
• Order of Procession
• Schedule
• Family Tree
• Time Line
• etc.

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If you haven't already, but sure to enter our giveaway of the new book "King Edward VIII: An American Life" by Ted Powell. (Contest ends: Oct 10th at 11:59 PM London)

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