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a brief primer how I *roughly* structure my fanfics
1. START THE STORY!
It's the inciting incident! Something happens that forces your character to act
Rey's coffee shop is about to be purchased by a greedy developer.
Ben gets a furious email from a spitfire coffeeshop owner.
1. START THE STORY!
It's the inciting incident! Something happens that forces your character to act
Rey's coffee shop is about to be purchased by a greedy developer.
Ben gets a furious email from a spitfire coffeeshop owner.
2. INTRODUCE THE OTHER LEAD
Put them in immediate conflict. Bonus points if the reason they can't be together directly tied to each character's flaw.
Rey goes to the developer's office to duel him for the right to her shop (angery) but Ben refuses to duel her (cowardice)
Put them in immediate conflict. Bonus points if the reason they can't be together directly tied to each character's flaw.
Rey goes to the developer's office to duel him for the right to her shop (angery) but Ben refuses to duel her (cowardice)
3. THROW THEM TOGETHER
They have to be communicating to have a story! Pick a reason they have to talk.
Ben agrees to relinquish his bid on her shop if she'll pretend to be his date to his mother's inaugural ball with a bunch of fancy people.
They have to be communicating to have a story! Pick a reason they have to talk.
Ben agrees to relinquish his bid on her shop if she'll pretend to be his date to his mother's inaugural ball with a bunch of fancy people.
(note: sometimes the previous 3 beats can all be collapsed into one chapter! none of these have to happen in distinct scenes necessarily!)
4. IT EITHER GOES WELL OR REALLY BADLY
If it goes well, great, we're intrigued. If they hate each other, the tension sizzles. Either way, they are still holding onto their flaws.
Rey meets Ben's boss and challenges HIM to a duel. Ben steals her longsword before she can kill him.
If it goes well, great, we're intrigued. If they hate each other, the tension sizzles. Either way, they are still holding onto their flaws.
Rey meets Ben's boss and challenges HIM to a duel. Ben steals her longsword before she can kill him.
5. FUN AND GAMES
At this point you re-visit your premise and play up the delightful tropes you'd expect. You can do a lot, have fun.
Ben comes to Rey's shop to apologize for stealing her sword. She forgives him on condition that he work behind the counter with her for the day.
At this point you re-visit your premise and play up the delightful tropes you'd expect. You can do a lot, have fun.
Ben comes to Rey's shop to apologize for stealing her sword. She forgives him on condition that he work behind the counter with her for the day.
6. THE BIG PROBLEM
Wait remember that conflict? The characters' old ways of dealing with conflict aren't helping. They have to change!
Snoke impounds Rey's coffee shop, and moves to the moon before Rey can kill with her longsword. Ben has to choose btween job & love!
Wait remember that conflict? The characters' old ways of dealing with conflict aren't helping. They have to change!
Snoke impounds Rey's coffee shop, and moves to the moon before Rey can kill with her longsword. Ben has to choose btween job & love!
7. DEAL WITH THE BIG CONFLICT
Make a decision about how they resolve the thing that's keeping them apart.
Rey and Ben build a rocket to the moon. Once there, Ben overcomes his fear and delivers his resignation. Rey lets go of her anger and bravely decides not to behead Snoke.
Make a decision about how they resolve the thing that's keeping them apart.
Rey and Ben build a rocket to the moon. Once there, Ben overcomes his fear and delivers his resignation. Rey lets go of her anger and bravely decides not to behead Snoke.
8. TIE IT UP
Once the big conflict is sorted out, the characters tie up loose ends and re-affirm their commitment to each other.
Rey and Ben throw Snoke into space jail and take their rocket ship back to Earth, making out the whole time.
Once the big conflict is sorted out, the characters tie up loose ends and re-affirm their commitment to each other.
Rey and Ben throw Snoke into space jail and take their rocket ship back to Earth, making out the whole time.
9. EPILOGUE (optional)
sometimes people like these for just telling the story that comes after The Story is over. Often it's whatever the next life milestone is.
Rey and Ben decide to open a longsword dueling facility in the back of the coffee shop and have a big launch party.
sometimes people like these for just telling the story that comes after The Story is over. Often it's whatever the next life milestone is.
Rey and Ben decide to open a longsword dueling facility in the back of the coffee shop and have a big launch party.
Thanks for coming to Every Fic I've Ever Written.
Someone please write this fake dating duel heist coffeeshop AU.
Someone please write this fake dating duel heist coffeeshop AU.
