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Sunday, October 14, 2007
Best Laid Plans or Damn It all to Hell!
Ever have one of those days when you have the entire day planned down to the amount of rum you'll drink? You know what village you'll be pillaging, what treasure you'll be stealing, what ship you'll be borrowing. You even know what you're going to wear. Well, since we're pirates, we're most likely wearing what we wore yesterday. And the day before. And the day before that. What d'ya mean I smell? I just bathed a couple months ago!
Anyway, I understand you land lubbers like to bathe everyday and smell all pretty. Whatever. Back to my point. So, you know exactly what you're doing, got it all planned out. And then something completely unexpected happens and it's all shot to hell. This happened to me yesterday. Let's just say if I don't see the inside of a people emergency room or an animal emergency room for a long time, it'll be too soon.
But I also have this happen in books whether it's when I'm trying to write mine or trying to read just one chapter of someone else's before I head off to the old hammock. In writing, my characters decide they don't want to wait any longer, by golly they're going to lock lips and there's nothing I can do about it but type the damn words. Or when I'm reading and the author, having taken many classes and workshops and studied the craft, ends the chapter with the most surprising and exciting cliff hanger ever! I can't just throw me legs up and swing meself to sleep after that. I have to keep reading. I have to find out what happens next.
Now what I need is to know I ain't the only one this here stuff happens to. Do your books always go just as you planned? Characters are quiet and cooperative and wait patiently for you to tell them what to do? Are you able to put that book down and blow out the candle no matter how that author ended that chapter? Or are you stuck reading all night or until your candle runs out of wax? And have you ever been to an animal emergency room? It was actually kind of interesting…
Anyway, I understand you land lubbers like to bathe everyday and smell all pretty. Whatever. Back to my point. So, you know exactly what you're doing, got it all planned out. And then something completely unexpected happens and it's all shot to hell. This happened to me yesterday. Let's just say if I don't see the inside of a people emergency room or an animal emergency room for a long time, it'll be too soon.
But I also have this happen in books whether it's when I'm trying to write mine or trying to read just one chapter of someone else's before I head off to the old hammock. In writing, my characters decide they don't want to wait any longer, by golly they're going to lock lips and there's nothing I can do about it but type the damn words. Or when I'm reading and the author, having taken many classes and workshops and studied the craft, ends the chapter with the most surprising and exciting cliff hanger ever! I can't just throw me legs up and swing meself to sleep after that. I have to keep reading. I have to find out what happens next.
Now what I need is to know I ain't the only one this here stuff happens to. Do your books always go just as you planned? Characters are quiet and cooperative and wait patiently for you to tell them what to do? Are you able to put that book down and blow out the candle no matter how that author ended that chapter? Or are you stuck reading all night or until your candle runs out of wax? And have you ever been to an animal emergency room? It was actually kind of interesting…
Labels:
emergency rooms,
planning,
reading,
writing
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18 comments:
I've been to a Kentucky Fried Chicken--I'm sure the chickens would consider it an emergency place--but otherwise, no.
My characters never listen to me. Buggers. They always act like they know what they're doing--which is a problem when I need them to grow some balls and be heroic instead of being...too real life.
Uh...yeah I know where you're coming from.. animal emergency room and all.
My characters write their own story. Most of the time I'm only along for the ride.
I think sometimes I am a shepherd. I herd them around and they do the rest.
I should probably make it clear my little one and I are fine. And it wasn't our parakeet that needed the ER either. It was my friend. And her dog. I'm sure one day I'll look back on that day and laugh. But not today. *g*
I spent the weekend - when not handling emergencies - plotting out my book. I'm finding it very helpful and more fun than I thought it would be. So I know what scenes are still to come and what will generally happen in them but there is still room for new stuff to pop in. I'm thinking this will make the rest a breeze. Please do not destroy my illusions. LOL!
Herding them. That's a good analogy.
Rather like herding cats. I'm a professional cat herder, otherwise known as a writer.
Hellion - LOL!
Yes, to the animal and people emergency rooms. Never fun!
Definitely yes to the author grabbing ahold of me way past my bedtime and making me stay up into the wee hours when I should be getting some much needed rest! Those are the best kind of books - the ones you just can't put down.
I always think to myself - just one more paragraph, just one more page, just one more chapter. It's no use, though, I get sucked in and can't put the book down.
Another strange thing has been happening to me lately. I get a really good book that I don't want to end. So, I put it down and circle it like a hawk not wanting to pick it up and read it knowing it will be over quicker if I do but really, really wanting to find out what happens next. The whole delayed gratification thing. Very odd, cause that's so not me!
I find myself a herder as well. I don't plot for I know it will change as I'm writing. My characters like to write their own book, not the other way around. And no amount of cussing them or telling myself that it will change will change that fact.
Besides, where's the fun if you don't have a little surprise as you're going along. So I didn't plan for them to spider monkey each other against the wall... it's half the fun of writing the book- seeing where it's going to take you next. Kinda like when a reader reads the book. They don't know what's coming next, why should you? Well other than the purposes of writing it and writing it well... some of the best writers I know and love are pantsers. LOL
Great blog, Terr. Especially love the pirate rationale at the beginning. And just for the record, I'm not wearing what I wore yesterday. The DR wouldn't appreiciate boyshorts and a cami as proper office (I mean pirate ship, of course) attire. Besides Hellion would spear me if I wore that on the ship.
I'm just finding it really helpful to have a list or crib notes of sorts. Say, from the scene on the stairs, hero goes to his work and XX happens there. Then back to heroine leaving for a meeting. Finds hated hero at meeting. Argument ensues.
Stuff like that. Plenty of room for spontanious stuff but I don't have to guess where I'm headed next when I finish a scene. Kind of like storyboarding a movie to know where the next set up/shot is taking place.
You can wear (or not wear) whatever you want on my ship. Hell, we know I do. Hell, I spend a lot of time not wearing a lot of stuff when I'm not on my ship...
I kept changing in front of windows this weekend too. I'd be in mid-strip going, "Hmm, I wonder if the neighbors will notice?" Oops.
Exhibitionist Hellion. I always knew you'd confess to it one day.
I must say, I'm so proud.
LOL
And Terr, you're a doll. I never know what's going to happen except for the end, and even that's up in the air. Sometimes. I'm dead set on my ending for DV. I will shape the rest of the novel around it. LOL
Hellion - at this point I'm just happy you waited until you were *in* the house before stripping. You didn't even make it past my living room.
LMAO!!!
Sin - I'm apparently way too linear to completely fly by the seat of my pants. And I'm never totally committed to anything (just ask my ex...hehehe). If a scene I've thrown in there isn't working or I realize I need to add another scene, then by all means...
I think Eric was the one who used to say I was a closet exhibitionist; and I said he was full of crap. I hate telling him he's right about shit.
This day is getting weirder and weirder. I did NOT read my horoscope closely today; I do not recall seeing my Booty Calls would come traipsing through my office door. Crap, double crap.
And why is it always the wrong people offering me booty calls? Someone want to explain that one to me?
Everyone wants a little piece of the Captain. It's all that power. Very attractive. LOL!
And if you weren't so good at a certain sumpin' sumpin', you wouldn't have this problem.
ROFLMAO!!!
*off to read my horoscope...I never get any damn booty calls*
Yes, I'm ever so powerful. *eye roll* And I know exactly what piece of the Captain they're hoping for. I'm not going to be bought for three Hershey Nuggets either. He's deranged if he thinks I will be.
Irish! I've missed you--where have you been anyway? I know exactly the kind of book you mean, luv--I had one over the weekend. I couldn't put it down; I kept ignoring my friend Jackie to read it. I finally finished it Saturday morning...though I was torn between reading it and watching Three Men & a Little Lady (Tom Selleck is so hot in that movie.)
LMFAO!!!
Do my characters lead the story??? Hell yes! I got no choice in the matter.
And I used to breed rats, and train small mammals for film and television. I've seen the inside of an animergency.
Tiff, I would never expect your characters do anything less than lead. *LOL*
I think rats might frighten me more than snakes. Might.
Plot, n. A four letter word, like damn and hell, impossible to predict.
Pants, n. sometimes v. What Maggie fills amply and flies by.
Wish it were otherwise.
Hi Hellion - RL has been busy lately. I haven't had as much time to surf the net. I get spurts of time here and there. I don't post as often as I'd like but I'm lurking as much as I can! LOL
Hellion,
Rats are sweet gentle creatures with big hearts.
And more intelligent than most dog breeds. The other small animal we trained was ferrets.... such mischievous little devils...
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