Hi folks,
I have 'New Novelist', but it 'forces' me to write chronologically. I don't like that approach for novels, so the program is largely redundant for me. Instead, I bought a piece of 10mm thick MDF, 1.22m x 0.61m (Approx. 4 feet x 2 feet) and propped it against the wall. I use post-it notes (10cm x 5cm), on which to set out my ideas and I put them onto the MDF. The notes can be moved around at will, like cut and paste and once I have a reasonable story-line, I start up the PC and get going in Word. I don't start at Chapter One. I type the end first, so I know where I am going.
I liked Power Structure, but by the time I had made copious notes in their 'windows', I realised I could have had a first draft more or less finished from my MDF story-board!
As for New Novelist 'plagiarising' Storycraft I can't argue, but there are only so many ways of organising your ideas and setting about writing a novel. It's also clear that almost every 'Writing How-to' book, has elements of 'plagiarism', i.e. imparting the same advice in different ways. Certainly the authors use the same old books as examples.
To quote a few that crop up with sickening regularity:
'Wizard of Oz', 'Madame Bovary', 'Lolita', 'A Christmas Carol' and 'Moby Dick'. I'm not sayiong these are bad books to use, but there are many others just as useful, for teaching purposes.
Also, should you be a fan of James N Frey, you will use the Mythological Journey, and come up with storylines that differ only in their premise, if they differ at all.
J.K Rowling writes formulaic fiction, yet few complain about her work.
The fact remains, there are only so many plots and a glaring example of transposing a plot was the Connery film, 'Outlander'. It was just 'High Noon' in outer-space.
John
