Brian Scott Allen
Dark Lord
I learned this method of writing while doing a legal drafting class. This method is not meant for legal writers specifically but was developed for writers of all kinds. In this method Flowers created four characters: the Madman, the Architect, the Carpenter, and the Judge. The following is a brief description of each character.
Madman: This is your brainstormer. The idea guy. He's a flurry of activity throwing things up against a wall and not really caring if it sticks. He's vomiting out the ideas at a breakneck pace. No idea is bad or good. The Madman is even known to smash ideas together to see if he can make new ideas. His primary purpose is to brainstorm. The Judge scares him away.
The Architect: This character makes sense of the Madman's ramblings. She takes the ideas and sees which she can work with and create a story out of. She is the one that sets out the structure, the plot, and everything else and puts them into a nice neat little row. Creating a perfect master plan for the Carpenter is her goal.
The Carpenter: The character that makes what the Architect planned. He takes the ideas laid out by the Architect, frames them with descriptions, and finishes with dialogue. He does everything as precisely as possible.
The Judge: This character is exacting in her standards. She seeks out every flaw and marks it for review and revision. Her standards are rigid and strict and almost unyielding. She scares away the Madman because she quashes his creativity. Nothing should pass her gaze unnoticed. She is the most demanding (I think) of the four characters.
How many of you have heard of this method and what do you think of it. Do you do this, or something similar. For myself I modify it a bit. I don't write down every plan, but I always have some sort of plan before I write. I find that doing so helps me write faster and I am far more productive. But what about you all?
Madman: This is your brainstormer. The idea guy. He's a flurry of activity throwing things up against a wall and not really caring if it sticks. He's vomiting out the ideas at a breakneck pace. No idea is bad or good. The Madman is even known to smash ideas together to see if he can make new ideas. His primary purpose is to brainstorm. The Judge scares him away.
The Architect: This character makes sense of the Madman's ramblings. She takes the ideas and sees which she can work with and create a story out of. She is the one that sets out the structure, the plot, and everything else and puts them into a nice neat little row. Creating a perfect master plan for the Carpenter is her goal.
The Carpenter: The character that makes what the Architect planned. He takes the ideas laid out by the Architect, frames them with descriptions, and finishes with dialogue. He does everything as precisely as possible.
The Judge: This character is exacting in her standards. She seeks out every flaw and marks it for review and revision. Her standards are rigid and strict and almost unyielding. She scares away the Madman because she quashes his creativity. Nothing should pass her gaze unnoticed. She is the most demanding (I think) of the four characters.
How many of you have heard of this method and what do you think of it. Do you do this, or something similar. For myself I modify it a bit. I don't write down every plan, but I always have some sort of plan before I write. I find that doing so helps me write faster and I am far more productive. But what about you all?
Mystagogue
Mythic Scribe