Who's more powerful, me or my characters?
Me, I tell you!
To prove it, this time I've created an outline. Nothing fancy. No snow flaking or plot clocking, just a two-page synopsis that will help guide me when I feel stuck or when the MC decides to go swimming in the Arctic when we should be sailing down the Nile.
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To those of you doing NaNo, I'm cheering you from the sidelines and hoping you're having fun with it. I'm piggy-backing on November's creative energy and doing my own version of NaNo--a goal of 1,000 words a day. Rah!
14 comments:
Yay for authorial control! I used to think that letting my characters guide the story would be the more fun, spontaneous and fulfilling kind of writing, but these stories rarely get finished. If I don't know where I'm going, my characters don't know where they're going, either. Sad, but true. Sometimes, it works, but msotly - it doesn't. Not for me, anyway. May your two-page synopsis serve you well!
Aaaah, a nice, smooth sail down the Nile. Sounds delightful. :)
Yes! I love writing synopses before I get to writing the story. It's my road map, so I can still be spontaneous with the events that happen in between those bigger events, but I have a clear idea of what I'm working toward.
And hey, you're gonna need to write a synopsis anyway, right? Might as well have a starter one.
Good luck!
I started doing the beat sheet just recently to help guide me like that. It helped a great deal when writing the first draft, but then I had more character issues than I'd ever had to deal with! Weird.
Good for you! I tend to write out a few sentences for each chapter. It gives me a bit of a map but doesn't take the fun out of discovering a hidden treasure. Too much pre-planning and I'd lose interest.
I like my character making decision as I go along as well. Plotting should really only be about the major turning points. Here's the reference I use that gives me that wiggle room. Hope it all goes well!
http://www.kkitts.net/downloads/files/TenScenePlot.pdf
I admire Pantsers, but you'll have to pry my outline from my cold dead fingers. I cannot dive in without some sort of roadmap. Good luck with your WIP!
Thea--The character-led adventure is wonderful, isn't it? Not always practical, though. *Sigh*
Tricia--Sounds much better than a swim in the Arctic. :)
Tere--My thought exactly! I'm going to need a synopsis eventually, and I hate writing them, so why not get it over with?
Lisa--That is weird. I haven't heard of the beat sheet. Thanks for the tip!
Bish--That's exactly how I feel about too much preplanning. After going to all that work, why bother writing the novel?
J.A.--Thank you for the encouragement and for the link! I'll check it out.
Tina--Hah! You're a true planner.
Very nice post. I enjoyed reading it. Wishing you many happy writing days and an oogie boogie night.
Still Halloween, in these them parts.
I'm using a more detailed outline which is helpful since two of us are writing the mg. I like knowing the general idea, but being able to come up with scenes out of nowhere!
Bold you are! LOL. I think you might be a #SemiPantser. A few of us try to tweet w/ that hash tag. Not truly pantsing or plotting.
I just started working with Blake Snyder's beat sheet (SAVE THE CAT is his book, a screenwriter's craft book). It's really helpful, and not at all overwhelming. Cool structure stuff for us Semi-pantsers. :)
Good Luck!
WHOA--hold the phone! :D :D
I do plot points which is halfway b/w I think! Good luck!
Whisk--I love Halloween in your neck of the woods. A week-long spookfest is AOK by me.
Kelly--I think it's so cool you and Jon are writing a novel together, and yeah, a detailed outline is definitely the way to go.
Kris--Yes, I'm a semipantser! Thanks for giving me something to call myself. I've heard of Save the Cat; I'll have to explore it further.
Christina--Thanks! I guess you're a semipantser, too.
I agree with Tina; now that I've glommed on to the idea of writing a synopsis in advance, you couldn't separate me from my outline with a pick axe. However, I will say, there is PLENTY of room for improv, embellishment, and flourishes, which are huge fun when you're working within a determined structure. I find, personally, that I'm more creative this way, because I'm spending far less time staring at the screen going "What should happen next?"
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