Award-winning novelist Vincent H. O'Neil's comprehensive workshop on generating and shaping an idea, from brainstorming to plot development. Presented at the Sleuthfest mystery convention in Boca Raton, Florida in 2017. A live audio version of this workshop, along with the live audio for three more of the presentations I have posted on this site, are available for purchase from VW Tapes: Conference & Seminar Recording. If the link below doesn't work, please go to the VW Tapes webpage and type my name in the Search box. http://vwtapes.com/search.aspx?find=Vincent%20O'Neil&fbclid=IwAR0SkwWW5izLbBFvZHKhqOI953GMXhhsFBsg749We3dvq4-43BcFj_S-aMU

1. The Brute Force & Ignorance
Approach
Writing when you have no plan, no
plot, and even no point
Vincent H. O’Neil (aka Henry V. O’Neil)
www.vincenthoneil.com

2. Mystery and Horror as Vincent H. O’Neil
The Frank Cole / Exile Mystery Series
Supernatural HorrorTheater Mystery Mystery Anthology

3. Military Science Fiction
as Henry V. O’Neil
www.vincenthoneil.com

4. OUTLINE
• Introduction
• Getting an idea
• Developing the plan
• Shaping the plot
• Alternative techniques
• Conclusion

5. Introduction
• It’s not often that we have absolutely no
ideas—but it does happen
• Sometimes we don’t feel motivated by any
of the topics we’re considering
• Sometimes we have an idea, but don’t
know quite how to start

6. Getting an Idea
• This phase has the greatest potential and
the fewest restrictions
• This should be fun
• Brainstorming – what comes to mind?
• Brainstorm the brainstorming
• Research as inspiration

7. Brainstorming
• Even if you have a full-blown story in your
head, ready to be written, take the time to
brainstorm it
• Brainstorming lets one good idea lead to
another
• It really pays off
• It’s continuous

8. Brainstorming
What interests you / what do you like?
Write down everything that comes to mind
Pottery
Murder Mysteries
Cars
Jack & Jill
Romance Novels
Travel
Sports

9. What Jumps Out?
Does one of these topics interest you more than
the others, for whatever reason?
Pottery Murder Mysteries
Cars
Romance Novels
Travel
Sports
Jack & Jill

10. Brainstorm Some More
Write down everything that comes to mind
Lack of detail Action
No backstory
Mystery
Jack & Jill
Only one pail?
Accident
Unsupervised
Small town
Sunny day?

11. Brainstorm the Brainstorming
What do you think you might do with this topic?
Quest tale Action / adventure
Human interest
Mystery
Jack & Jill
Now do some more research

12. Research as Inspiration
• The Complete Idiot’s Guides
• YouTube (how-to’s, interviews,
documentaries)
• Online imagery (Google, Bing, etc.)
• Keep your mind open to what these sources
are suggesting to you

13. Explore the Topic
Research can give you an idea (if you’re starting from scratch) or
help shape your story (if you’ve already got an idea)
What’s the rest
of this story?
Jack & Jill
Action?
Mystery?
Cautionary tale?
What’s their
motivation?
Who are they?
Where are they?
What are they doing?

14. Framework of the Plan
Flesh it out – take what you have, and use it to identify
what you don’t have
•Index cards – write the scenes or events on separate
cards; these can be easily rearranged
•Spreadsheets – computer form of index cards
•Follow the characters, events, or themes all the way
through to ensure it makes sense before putting any words
to paper

15. Sketching the Plan
Jack and Jill
went up the hill
Jack fell down
Two Ideas:
Write out the ideas you already have, even if it’s not very much

16. Sketching the Plan
Jack and Jill
went up the hill
Jack fell down
Two Ideas:
Ask some questions about what you have
Why were they
going up the hill?
What’s significant
about the fall?

17. Developing the Plan
Jack and Jill
went up the hill
To fetch a pail of
water
Jack fell down
Jack and Jill
went up the hill
Already have: Fill in the details:
Jack fell down
and broke his
crown
And Jill came
tumbling after
Why were they going
up the hill?
What’s significant
about the fall?
We’ve lost track
of Jill
Write out the ideas and actions you already have, and then fill in around them

18. The “Because” Approach
To fetch a pail of
water
Jack and Jill
went up the hill
Jack fell down
and broke his
crown
And Jill came
tumbling after
You won’t write it this way, but it’s a good idea to ask yourself why a
character is doing what he or she is doing—make sure it makes sense
Because
Why?
Why?
Because …

19. Shape the Plot
Spreadsheets – computer form of index cards and a lot more:
Use spreadsheets to create a timeline / track characters and action
Monday Morning Monday
Afternoon
Monday Evening
Jack Asked Jill if she
would go with him
to fetch a pail of
water
Went up the hill
with Jill. Fell and
hurt himself
In the hospital
Jill Agreed to go with
Jack
Tripped while
running for help
Explained what
happened
Doctor Seeing routine
patients
Summoned by Jill Treated Jack
Characters
Time

20. Ask More Questions
To fetch a pail of
water
Jack and Jill
went up the hill
Jack fell down
and broke his
crown
And Jill came
tumbling after
Why a pail?
Is there a well up there?
No other water sources?
Can he move?
Is he conscious?
Can he tell us what happened?
We’ve got two injured children
out in the boondocks—what
happens next?

21. Make It Your Own
Add anything you like to the spreadsheets: Themes, motivation, clues
Monday Morning Monday Afternoon Monday Evening
Jack
(too much
imagination? nosy?
overheard
something?)
Asked Jill if she
would go with him to
fetch a pail of water
(tell her a secret?
ask her a question?)
Went up the hill with
Jill. Fell and hurt
himself (or did Jill
knock him down?)
In the hospital (no
memory? might
remember and
tattle? might blurt
out the secret?)
Jill
(has a secret?
someone to protect?
distrusts Jack?)
Agreed to go with
Jack (wants to know
what he knows?
worried what he may
ask?)
Tripped while
running for help
(Jack tripped her?
she fell on
purpose?)
Explained what
happened (telling
the story her way?
concerned Jack
might wake up?)
Doctor
(knows the secret?)
Seeing routine
patients
Summoned by Jill
(warned? fooled?)
Treated Jack
(hoping he’ll regain
consciousness—or
afraid?)

22. See the Plot in Its Entirety
Identify the high points / key areas
• If you consider a segment to be a high point or key area,
the reader should feel the same way
• Build it up, make it clear, or just hit them with it, but a
high point really shouldn’t feel the same way as
explanatory passages
High Points
Beginning End

23. Flip It – Start With the High Points
If your brainstorming took you immediately to the big moments in
your story, run with that.
Imagine these key points of your story as the high ground in an
area inundated with water. As you imagine the story around those
high points, the water recedes and reveals more detail.
Visible
High Points

24. Flip It – Start With the High Points
As you consider the events that could have led up to the high
points, the rest of your story begins to emerge.
While it’s a good idea to have the biggest high point at the end of
the tale (the climax) that doesn’t mean the rest of the story lacks
big moments—don’t be afraid to add them in.

25. Flip It – Start With the High Points
After you’ve developed a complete storyline, make sure that the
portions connecting the high points make sense, mesh with the
big moments, and keep the reader’s attention.

26. The Jump Start
• If you’re really having trouble getting an idea, try this:
• Think of a phrase that might work as a slogan, or as a
movie tagline
• Keep it simple
You run—you die
Trust no one
Beware the perfect plan
Make your own luck
Stay in the light
Your mileage may vary

27. The Jump Start
Pick one, and ask questions about it
You run—you die
Strange predator?
Local saying?
Is it a lie?
DO you die?
Annual competition?

28. The Jump Start
Explore the questions you’ve raised
You run—you die
Strange predator?
Local saying?
Is it a lie?
Annual competition?
Toxic environment beyond a
certain boundary?
Survival race?
Can be outsmarted? Escape is good?
All-night hunt?
Actual advantage?Lacks one of the senses?
Communal safety rule?

29. Conclusion
• Get an idea by brainstorming or letting the
research inspire you
• Decide how you are going to get your idea
across or tell your tale
• Flesh it out using an outline, index cards,
a spreadsheet, or whatever works for you
• Follow the characters / events all the way
through

30. Mystery and Horror as Vincent H. O’Neil
The Frank Cole / Exile Mystery Series
Supernatural HorrorTheater Mystery Mystery Anthology

31. Military Science Fiction
as Henry V. O’Neil
www.vincenthoneil.com