Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel (Before You Waste Three Years Writing 327 Pages That Go Nowhere)

by Lisa Cron

You now have story-specific bios for every character you’ve thus far identified. If any of them have a shared history with your protagonist, see if you can begin to flesh it out. You’re not looking for everything they ever did together. For instance, Ruby and Henry might have spent every summer hang gliding off La Bajada Ridge in New Mexico, every New Year’s Eve binge watching old episodes of Father Knows Best till dawn, and every Sunday afternoon square dancing, and it wouldn’t matter an iota. (Oh all right, they never would have done any of that, because I just made it up.) But if they had done it behind Jennie’s back, it still wouldn’t be on the list. Because it has nothing to do with the story she’s telling. So keep your eyes on the prize as you make your list. You’re looking for only the moments when what happened between the protagonist and the character in question has story relevance. Once complete, transfer anything still too conceptual or general to visualize to your Idea List, and begin Scene Cards for those that you can sit back, close your eyes, and actually begin to see.