How to Improvise? 1st Chapter

Scale of the 1st Room

• Where do we start?
• What does the 1st Scene look like?
• What do we see?
• Who do we speak to?
• What do they do here?
• Beyond the walls of a single room our perception is very limited.

• Do we start on a Ship facing the empty extents?
• What are the Colors of the Horizon?
• What is the smell of the Stars?
• What is beyond the tapestry we see?
• What are these tendrils expanding in the distance?
• Should we open fire?

• Do we begin in a small town?
• Do we come to this café often?
• What’s the color of the
• Do we all sit at the same table?
• Do we speak to one another?
• Do we know the owner’s name?
• Do we laugh with her?
• Shall we take a slice of cake?
• Is the tea ready?

• Do we start in a bedroom?
• How soft is the drapery?
• How soft is the skin?
• How soothing are the words?
• How sweet are the echoes?
• How deep are they?
• How confusing?
• What is the color of her Soul?

Scale of the 1st Story

• Why are we here?
• Where is the focus?
• What needs to be accomplished?
• Who comes?
• Who opposes who?
• Why do they meet here?
• Are we forced to join the conflict?

• Do we start on a Ship facing the empty extents?
• Do the tendrils get closer?
• Do they grow?
• Do they move?
• Should we open fire?
• What is causing them to suddenly shrink?
• What is this ship which shot at them?
• Why is it now trying to capture them?
• Were they precious?
• Are they a form of rarity?

• Do we begin in a small town?
• It’s a nice café…
• But why are the walls purple?
• What’s that breaking noise in the kitchen?
• The owner said it was a new clumsy waiter…
• Didn’t she seem nervous?
• Well…
• What did he break again?
• And why did he scream when he broke it?
• Ah…
• What can we do?
• We couldn’t go & check, could we?

• Do we start in a bedroom?
• The Bed is on fire…
• Why not fly away?
• But the bed is already flying.
• Can we jump?
• Why not stay here?
• Why not just fall asleep?
• In these arms.
• Long arms…
• Delicious arms…

Characters

• In which Situation are we?
• The more exaggerate the better.
• Are we chased?
• Are we hunt?
• Are we trapped?
• Are we in a war?
• Are we driving a large truck which will break against a building?

• What’s their Reaction?
• Start with a conflict.
• Who’s Comfortable with conflict?
• Who’s Resilient?
• Who Complains?
• Who Shies away?
• Who Cowers?
• Who’s Adversarial?
• Who’s Contrarian?
• Who’s Condescending?
• Who’s Sturdy?
• Who’s Benevolent?

• How to display Relationships?
• Start with a crisis.
• Who dies?
• Who loses something dear?
• Who’s put in a dire situation?
• Who will act toward this crisis?
• Who will try to escape it?
• What would change 1’s behavior toward the crisis?
• What should be the outcome?

• How do you Identify them?
• How’s their Behavior?
• How clear are their manners?
• How characteristic are their Phrases?
• Can you identify them only with words?
• How characteristic are their Names?
• Can you remember them easily?
• What accessories to the bear?
• What are their other quirks?

• Alignement
• What is their Goal?
• How are their goal displayed?
• Which affinity will they develop with one another?
• What do they expect from one another?
• What will they do for one another?
• What will they do to defend themselves?

Tempo

• 1st story Elements
• Which elements should you introduce?
• Should you introduce the main antagonist?
• What can you display?
• What will be seen?
• What will be understood?

• Essential Rules
• What sort of Conflict will be displayed?
• What will be the Stakes of the story?
• What are the Main elements of the Story?
• What are the limits of this world?
• Which zones are forbidden?
• Which zones are forgotten?
• What are the Point of Interest?
• What are the Landmark of the story?

• Seeding
• Should you introduce a 2ndary antagonist?
• Should you introduce a hidden menace?
• Should you introduce a hidden supporter?
• Which information do the Characters need?
• When do they need it?
• Where should they find it?
• In which way?
• Through whom?

Prologue?

• Should you write a Chapter 0?
• What do you need to introduce?
• Do you need to introduce a seed which will not fit the rest of the story?
• Because the setting is too different?
• Because none of the characters could possess this object?
• Because none of the characters would know this person?

• Is this chapter an Isolate story?
• Will you use it to present the Rules of the Story?
• Is it here to create a rupture in its rhythm?
• Is it used to entertain the Public?
• Is it used to distract the Public?
• Is it used to distract the Characters?

• Are you telling a Myth prior to the Story?
• What is it exposing?
• Will this Myth display the main rule of the Story?
• Will help the Public to unveil a hidden part of the Story?
• Will it display an alternative outcome?

• Will you write a Sequel?
• The prologue can serve as an introduction to a saga rather than to a single story.
• How can you extend this story?
• Which elements do you Wish to keep?
• Which elements do you Need to keep?
• How does the prologue indicate the upcoming stories?

Is every Chapter the 1st Chapter?

• If you consider each of your chapter follows this model you can reuse it & readapt it easily for every upcoming part of the story.

• Chapters 3, 6 & 9 will need more emphasis on the Conflict.
• As well as it’s resolution.
• And its outcomes.

• Chapters 4, 7 & 8 generally develop the aforementioned outcome of a crisis.
• They are more Environment/Setting-centered.
• They may be heavier in description.

• Chapter 2 follows the same logic as 1.
• You mainly change the characters if you had a prologue.