Passing this on, in case someone else hasn't tried it, and might find it helpful.
I got hung up the other night--plot going around in circles and vanishing down rabbit holes, with me chasing it irritably--and discovered that in a pinch, it can be incredibly useful to gather several sheets of notepaper (and tape, if necessary) and make a chart of the options.
Give yourself enough space around each of your initial headers, because with each of the character's choices, you want to be able to chart the possible consequences. For example:
_________Bob________
...../.......................\..........
goes to store........stays home
...../.........................\..............
held up at store......... break in at home
..../......\......................./.................\
runs.....gets shot......hides............tackles burglar
Just mapping things out, for however long it takes, worked to pull me through, finally. Even though it took about seven sheets of paper!
So, I hope this helps someone.
P.S. Sorry about all the dots, I couldn't make the spacing work otherwise.
I got hung up the other night--plot going around in circles and vanishing down rabbit holes, with me chasing it irritably--and discovered that in a pinch, it can be incredibly useful to gather several sheets of notepaper (and tape, if necessary) and make a chart of the options.
Give yourself enough space around each of your initial headers, because with each of the character's choices, you want to be able to chart the possible consequences. For example:
_________Bob________
...../.......................\..........
goes to store........stays home
...../.........................\..............
held up at store......... break in at home
..../......\......................./.................\
runs.....gets shot......hides............tackles burglar
Just mapping things out, for however long it takes, worked to pull me through, finally. Even though it took about seven sheets of paper!
So, I hope this helps someone.
P.S. Sorry about all the dots, I couldn't make the spacing work otherwise.