Good Morning everyone. I know today is not going to come as a major surprise to anyone. Our task is to create a time line. We are going to look at all of our plot points and just put them in some sense of order. A lot of them may be in order already, some of them may not be. A few, you may not have thought about when they happened. You just know they did, at some point. This is where we figure that out.
Now keep in mind, this is not the outline for our story. This is the time line of what happened in this world. Are all the things written in this line going to happen during the duration of the story? Nope. Well probably not. If you are writing a story about someone in their 20s you may not write about the day they were born in the tale of murder and mystery you are creating. But put it on the time line if there is anything interesting about it. The interesting bit may only be the place he was born as it could come up. Or it could be something that affects them later in life. Perhaps he was raised by a single parent and therefore when dealing with the single mother who is a potential suspect he behaves differently towards her than he might if he was shipped off to boarding school by his wealthy socialite parents as soon as he was old enough for the school to take him.
The point is just to figure out the timeline. Obviously our character in the above example will be born before they have a childhood and if they are an adult when the story starts, clearly their childhood was behind them a well. But it still can inform how they act. So if it made it to the plot list you made, keep it in, just put it on the time line where it belongs. And of you think of something that you may want to add, like a childhood trauma that you can use later, go ahead and add it into your list. Just remember to keep it as a plot element. (Bob’s best friend was killed in a car accident versus, Bob was devastated by his best friend’s death).
There will be events that happen simultaneously. Or too close to call. You can group them to make it easier. Also at this point exact dates are not what matters. Later, if need be you can write that event A happened March 18th, 1872 and Event 2, which was related happened July, 22nd, 1902 if you need to but for now you can write something like 30 years later. Or 2 years later. Or whatever your time line is. In some story the exact dates will matter, for now we are just putting the events in order and giving them an approximate distance.
So that is Task #10: Build a timeline for the events that happen in your world or in the life of your main character and add in any you can now think of that you may have missed.
In our example with the Stalwart Bob…
Bob born and raised in a seaside town.
There was an industrial accident in town when he was about ten that destroyed the fishing.
From 10 through Highschool there was an epic clean up project in his hometown that cleaned up the industrial accident.
Bob chose to study Marine Biology.
Bob was dragged to a party by a friend named George.
George grew up with Sarah and introduced Bob to Sarah.
Bob and Sarah start dating.
Bob graduates with a degree in Marine Biology.
Bob is offered several jobs in his field.
Bob married Sarah right out of college.
Henry (the father in law) had a heart attack three days after the wedding and needed help.
He went to work for his father in law at his lumber yard.
Bob offered small jobs to keep his hand in while he is helping the family temporarily so he will be good to go back to his field after Henry is out of the hospital.
Bob agreed to help out temporarily because no one else was available.
After the heart attack, Henry could only come in part time, so Bob did the bulk of the work.
Bob discovers the lumber yard is on the brink of bankruptcy and works hard to put new systems into place.
Bob brings them back into a stable, profitable position. (5 years)
Slowly His wife’s younger brothers and cousins start working for the business.
The regular hours give him steady non-work hours which he has used to keep his certifications up and to do work in his field. (During five years at lumber yard)
He has turned his man cave into a sort of lab and has been quietly building a reputation and using his vacation and leave time to do work in his field. (During five years at lumber yard)
Henry fully retires.
Bob starts passing duties over to some of the family members six months after Henry retires. (They want power not work, struggle)
Bob discovers his wife is having an affair with George. (three months after he starts trying to pass duties over.)
Bob finds out someone is embezzling from the company funds. (A few days after he learns of the affair)
Family dinner discussion/argument with Henry over some of the changes Bob made to keep them stable.
Bob explained the changes and the reasoning. (Repeated conversation from initial changes after heart attack to present, argument runs consistently)
Now the financial crisis has passed, and family is back working for the business Henry wants Bob’s changes removed (a week after he learns of the embezzlement).
Bob tells Henry of the Embezzlement. (during final argument)
Henry (Still in chare even though retired – figure out business structure) )fires Bob. (two days after argument)
Bob asks if anyone needs information and two weeks notice and is told no. (same day)
Bob sends out an e-mail letting everyone (suppliers, employees, etc) know that Chuck is now going to be running things and that he is leaving. (same day he gets fired)
Sarah, his wife, tells him that he should have expected it since he wasn’t family and just doing the day to day ‘chores’ until her brother could properly take over (that night)
Sarah makes comments about how the company will really thrive under Chuck now that it is back in the family.(same argument)
Bob snaps at her, they fight and his knowledge about her affair comes to light. (same argument)
Ugly things are said. (Same argument)
Sarah storms out. (Same Argument)
Bob decides it is best to end things. (Three days later)
He gets divorce papers together and presents it to her. (a week later)
She signs. (As soon as he hands her the papers)
Bob moves into a small apartment, taking his belongings with him. (that weekend)
Bob expands the small jobs he was doing, but working from his apartment instead (Once out of the house)
The assets are split and the paperwork is done. (Over the course of a few weeks? Months? Check details)
Bob gets a call from his brother about a job near him that requires his Marine Biology degree. (The day after the final official papers are filed)
Bob makes plans to move out of the area because there is no reason to stay. (Starts planning this once he moves out)
Bob applies for the job. (two days after his brother tells him)
Bob interviews. (three weeks later)
Bob Gets the job (two weeks later)
Bob sells or donates all but a few personal items and buys a boat. (after he officially gets the job.)
Bob lets go of the temporary apartment. (after the sale of stuff and boat purchase)
Bob goes to the boat. (After letting go of the apartment)
Bob sails off to the port town where his brother lives and his new job awaits. (Once on the boat)
The timeline is not hard and fast, and I did identify a few things I may need to look up before writing them into he time line, but over all it gives a basic time line to keep in mind as we press forward.
Ten til Midnight 