Source
r/writing•
NotRealRDJ

How to describe Plans?

Advice

My story is from MCs POV and thus almost a third of the story is his internal monologue as he analyses situation he is in and tries to quickly think of plans to manipulate situation and people to his advantage. I want reader to be immersed in his mind. He will be constantly making plans and trying to manipulate everyone. The problem is that due to this his plans will be know by the reader and thus when they happen perfectly, the reader might end up getting bored due to nothing new happening. On the other hand I can't make every plan go wrong as that would be annoying and undermine story massively. He usually succeeds in whether he is doing and makes sure that plans won't fail, when they do fail ( which is very rare) the results are terrible. He either wins Big or loses big. I don't what to do. Reader will get bored if plans usually happen as he planned and will be quite surprised when they don't. But when plan works like 80% of the time they will get bored. I don't want to abandon 1st person POV as his head is a very interesting place and how he is countinuesly trying to manipulate, lie and plan his way around his friends, enemies, strangers and the world.

Posted Feb 17, 2019, 10:11 AM UTC

27
KawaiiTimes•

I'd recommend studying con artists to see what kind of mental connections they make.

1
ScionofUltramarEditing/proofing•

I like how the Ultramarines books in Warhammer 40k's Horus Heresy series do it.

Roboute Guilliman is a demigod and tactical genius, but even he gets outfoxed and his plans go wrong on occasion. The story is then about his turning things around and salvaging, if not victory, then survival. His Ultramarines are conditioned to think in much the same way.

Know No Fear by Dan Abnett does this a lot, and another good one is David Annandale's Lord of Ultramar. Hope this helps!

1
ZuMetal•

I heard this advice in the context of screenwriting but could work for you too: If a plan goes perfectly, it should be the first time the viewer(reader) hears it. It's why in heist movies plans that go well tend to be narrated as you see them being executed.

Conversely, if you describe a plan in detail, it should go wrong.

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NotRealRDJOPAuthor•

I know that, the problem is that reader will know everything the character does, and he is a prep freak making back up plans for back plans for back plans.

1
ZuMetal•

That is a tricky one. I guess you don't have to tell the reader what he's planning, just that he's planning. Then you can add details in a way that fits what happens in the story, some bits that come to fruition and other bits that he gets wrong.

1
Falstaffe•

I can't make every plan go wrong as that would be annoying and undermine story massively

Au contraire. Reversal is the sine qua non of the complex plot.

Hamlet: I'm going to find out who killed my father and avenge his death.

He finds out immediately who it is and kills them. No-one else has to die. Hamlet ascends to the throne and rules wisely. The play is over in less than 10 minutes.

Macbeth: I'm going to become king of Scotland.

He goes and tells Duncan, who abdicates in his favour. No-one has to die. Macbeth ascends to the throne and rules wisely. The play is over in less than 10 minutes.

Lear: What can you say to draw a third more opulent than your sisters?

Cordelia: You're tops in my book, Dad.

Lear gives her a third of his kingdom. No-one has to die. Cordelia and her sisters ascend to their thrones and rule wisely. The play is over in less than 10 minutes.

Scenes aren't about characters carrying out plans perfectly. They're about characters with a goal who take action to reach that goal, only to run smack into obstacles and have to adapt.

​

1
NotRealRDJOPAuthor•

That actually makes a lot of sense. I think I can do that I will not making him stupid by having an equally smart character constantly opposing him. Thanks buddy

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