Prewritting: Clustering

Hello Neophyte! Why the pale face? Oh, yes, it has been quite some time since I took you out in the sunshine… Sorry about that. A restructuring was necessary in the way I approach work, and well, you and Timmy, you both got the short end of the stick when it comes to the time I can spare for you two. So… Sorry? I’m not, but it is necessary to say nonetheless. Still, no Corpo has come around looking for you, so I will reconsider it. For now, let’s talk about another prewriting tool, the application of which can be misleading, especially for the new and naive who think that all the things the people who have already made it speak golden fates.

To understand clustering, you have to understand what the prewriting process is about. To recap something we talked about way back, prewriting is the process that precedes writing and involves all the actions that need to be taken to start writing. Yes, there are those among us who can just sit down and write. No, they are not inhuman; they are pure pantsers, and most mortals are not like them. Pure pantsers are either born or made, but this is not the place for that discussion. The point here is that most of us need some sort of structure, a guide, and a map. Whether you end up using it or not is irrelevant, Neophyte; what matters is that it is there. Where does clustering enter in all of this?

In my own experience and preference, at the very beginning. At that early point, you have an idea and little else. What you’ve got to do with that idea is give it shape, lay the foundations of what is to come. Here, clustering refers to the process of organizing ideas, information, or data into groups or categories based on their inherent similarities or thematic connections. The goal is to create a structured and coherent representation of content, making it for yourself to understand the relationships between different elements.

In other, simpler words? It refers to you sitting down and trying to make sense of everything. You just jot down (I prefer paper here, but to each their own) just about anything – story beats, conflicts, settings, anything really. The sky’s the limit here. There is no rigid structure, no ironbound rule to follow. You just write down things in groups and get the feel for how they interact. And do not be mistaken; this is not just a one-time deal, and you’re done.

The thing I find in rookies, and something I did myself as one, is that they try to grasp onto things as if they were the structure from their school days. Writing doesn’t really work like that. Ideally, you set the rules, the pace, and how things are formatted. Trust me, you’re going to be reevaluating your approach a lot as you go.

But let’s try an example. Let’s say you have the idea in your head of creating a political thriller set in medieval times in some fantasy world. No great hero, no looming threat that chosen ones are fated to battle against in the end times. Just life doing what it does. So having established this, let go. You sit down and start jotting things. For the sake of argument, let’s say you write down five big bubbles. One represents a significant force in the Central America equivalent – let’s say lizardmen (yes, I know, very original). Another one for the American plains like centaurs, another one for the western American south like, I don’t know, skeleton hillbillies? Then another one for the Colombia equivalent, mystical otters? I know I’m not making a lot of effort here, but I’m thinking this as I go. Finally, one for the Caribbean – fishmen? Rum-addicted fishmen who like to party a lot?

Now you have your base, so you start to build it. What do you relate to each one? What springs to mind? Begin to cluster, build, piece together. What would be the conflict? What other actors are involved? In politics, there are usually power brokers and interest groups that the general public is aware of. Who are those in your world? What external threats do you see for these groups? And how are they conformed, anyway? I set it up so you would have some real-life examples to aid you in your quest.

I hope at this point you’ve come to the realization of why I say this is good for the beginning – you clear one question, and then you start to see many others. There is no clear limit to how deep you can go, only your gut and a common sense of what the story needs. Also, this is just the beginning. Through this method, you may have the main external force of conflict, but to breathe life into this, you must have characters. So, you may have another clustering session, but now guided by what you did before. The only question that remains is, who are your characters going to be?

That is a story for another day.

Until next time, Neophyte, back in the broom closet you go, do not resist!