Succor: The Snowflake Method and Why My Lucky Green Sweater Didn't Save Me

Succor: The Snowflake Method and Why My Lucky Green Sweater Didn't Save Me

I have a favorite sweater. It's green. It's comfy. I wear it when I write. But, it didn't save me from making a research mistake.

Most writers want to breeze through their WIP with as few mistakes as possible. In fact, some writers absolutely HATE revision. I only hate revision when I've made a major mistake. Like today. Maybe you're like that, too. So, how can a writer keep from making this kind of error?

One idea might be The Snowflake Method by Randy Ingermanson. This method demands work, but it's attractiveness stems from the hope of writing a solid first draft in approximately 150 hours, as opposed to creating a wandering first draft in approximately 500 hours.

In total, Ingermanson supposes that the writer can design the novel in about 100 hours. If he tells the truth, then one could actually write a novel in 250 hours. Ingermanson's sold 6 best sellers, won awards, and published a non-fiction book to boot, so I'm interested. I began his program this morning, primarily in the hopes of shortening the revision process and, of course, to avoid the said research mistake, again.

First off, Ingermanson believes a good novel is designed. He offers ten steps to help the writer start small and build big. Steps one, two, four, and six, structure around the plot; steps three, five, and seven, are built around characterization. Here are the plot steps:

Step One: A one sentence summary of the novel in fifteen words or less (mine is sixteen).
Step Two: Expand the one sentence summary into a five sentence paragraph.
Step Four: Expand each sentence in the five sentence paragraph into five paragraphs creating a one page plot synopsis.
Step Six: Expand the five paragraphs into a four page synopsis.

Here are the character dynamics of the design:

Step Three: Write a one-page storyline summary sheet for each character complete with motivation, goal, conflict, epiphany, and summary.
Step Five: Expand each character summary sheet into a one-page character-synopsis for each character.
Step Seven: Expand the character-synopses into character charts.

For ease of understanding, I divided plot and character design. However, I agree with Ingermanson that great value comes from following the steps in order as characterization often reveals plot twists.

At stage eight, Ingermanson recommends working with a spreadsheet to detail scenes from the four-page plot outline. He advises columns for listing POV characters, story summarization, and chapter numbers. I'd include a column for chapter titles. Ingermanson prefers the spreadsheet because the writer can see the entire storyline all at once. His spreadsheets almost always end up around 100 lines; one line per scene.

Although Ingermanson no longer completes step nine of the novel design, he still endorses it as a way to develop the spreadsheet lines into multi-paragraphs. For him, this used to be his way to write a first draft detailed synopsis.

At step ten, the first novel draft is written. Ingermanson proposes quality and speed are the result of following The Snowflake Method, when he says, “You will be astounded at how fast the story flies out of your fingers at this stage. I have seen writers triple their writing speed overnight, while producing better quality first drafts than they usually produce on a third draft.”

Isn't this just what writers are hoping for? I'm inclined to support this method as a means to producing a deeper, more meaningful story, and as a sure way to catch predictable ideas, a weak thesis, or a messy organization. I believe most writers want to focus on larger issues rather than just grammar and punctuation. And if writers tend to view revision as more of an indication of failure, or as a correction process, then using The Snowflake Method might cause writers to see the bigger picture of revision as an opportunity to improve the manuscript in the quickest possible time. I hope you will give it a try. For now, my green sweater's in the wash.