Toolbox Introduction

The Toolbox is a digital (or you can put it on note cards and index them into a file if you want) reference guide to help you out when you're stuck.

The toolbox will come in separate posts, free for you to comment on with additional ideas in these categories:

• Character
• Dialog
• Plot
• Setting
• Tension
• Preparations / Inspirations
• What NOT to do
• POV

Personally, whenever I think of the toolbox, I think of these cards called Oblique Strategies created by Brian Eno and Peter Schmitt back in the late '70s, meant to spark dilemmas or move things along. I first read about this deck 14 years ago on the website of a friend-of-friend-of-friend. He posted all of them. And thanks to the power of the Wayback Machine, I will share them all with you (I have no guilt in posting this, since I didn't originally post it, and £30 is rather a lot for a deck of cards, no matter how cool they are). You can find over a hundred Oblique Strategies here.

Individual toolbox posts to follow... after I make cupcakes.