Monday, March 17, 2008
Eating My Words
We've talked a great deal on this blog about plotting. Who is pantsing it and who is plotting along. We've discussed storyboarding, outlining and even collaging. A couple of crew members balk at all this plotting talk saying it constricts them or freaks them out to see plot points or even scene ideas written down somewhere. They act as if it's carved in stone because they commit it to paper in any way and that crimps their style. My reaction has always been this is silly. Nothing says it's written in stone. It's all changeable, flexible, disposable. You're the writer and you are in charge.And these words have back around to bite me on the ass.
I've been trying to move forward in the old WIP. Months ago I wrote a sequence of scenes down in a notebook including what would generally happen in each scene, what I wanted to accomplish with it, and maybe a line or two of dialogue. I grew dependent on the notebook as if I couldn't go forward without referring back to it. But when I came to the next scene in the notebook, it wasn't working. I just sat and stared at the screen. Words didn't come.
Then I realized that wasn't the right scene for this spot in the story. And what I wanted to accomplish with the scene needs to happen later anyway. So a new scene appeared and with it, a new character. For some reason, I had been reluctant to go against those words I had written months ago. As if I couldn't change it. I was restricted, restrained, my style was officially crimped.
So, I am a big enough pirate to say, I was wrong. I still think jotting down scenes can help at some point and there are people who can plot the entire book ahead of time and it writes itself. But I now understand the resistance to plotting on paper. The need to just let it come. The freak out shivers that afflicted Sin when the Captain made her plot.
I'm not sure if this makes me a total pantser, but I am glad this revelation came before I was ready to throw the damn computer out the window. I have a new character to develop, a new conflict and motivation for my heroine (YEEHAW!), and a new occupation for my heroine. This will be her third sort of. But this one will fit much better.
So, have you had to break any chains lately? Had any new crafting revelations? Have a large quantity of alcohol I can consume to get me through the "I told you so" dances that will be taking place all day?
Oh, and Happy St. Patrick's Day!!! May the luck of the Irish be with you, and may your words be flowing like Guinness on the Emerald Isle.
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20 comments:
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Crap, I need to remember to wear green! Eek! *running into the closet and ripping out the first green thing I find* You pirates are a crazy bunch. I figure I'd be pinched all day without it.
I'm a bigger woman than that. I will not say "I told you so". I will say, "I figured you would figure this out eventually."
LOL.
I say whatever works. There is no "I told you so" in writing. We all learn something new about ourselves and our characters every day. It would be useless to say it. Counterproductive, I suppose.
I write by hand when I get frustrated. This proves pretty much useless because I normally don't use a word of it when I go to transfer it to the laptop. Just like now. I wrote 20 pages by hand last Sunday night. Just wrote 23 pages today. Not one word the same. Now that's almost useless except I would've never gotten anywhere without writing it on paper first to spark me an idea.
Yup. Just call me weird.
I don't think you need to eat crow... it's a learning process for all of us...
Revelations for ITN... needs to be rewritten, not just merely edited (this is draft four)... I've gotten down 75 pages and cut and rewrote so much, I actually feel like a weighs lifted off my chest. And the characters are finally coming to life on the page. My heroine lacked depth, motivation, and personality before. It's fixed, and now, NOW, I see why those rejections were piling up.
I don't own green, unless you count the seafoam coloured bras?
Welcome to the Dark Side---or at least the Shady Side. I wrote almost 2000 words that came out of nowhere yesterday, and found out a lot about my characters. I wish I could plot, but I can't seem to think unless my fingers are moving.
I'm also a "Whatever Works" woman, in writing and life. Whatever floats that pirate boat, Ter...you still get to port.
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
I can't move forward without an outline...but I don't know squat about my characters til the story's mostly done, so revisions are a free-for-all.
It's a mess. No wonder rum's involved:)
Happy Green day!
*jumping up and down gleefully* . "I told you so,I told you so!"
I can't help it, it's St. Paddy's day and I'm feeling my oats:)
Honestly, write how ever it works for you. I'm with everyone else, when it comes to writing nothing is written in stone. I understand the need for outlines, and a plan. I'm anal enough in my own life about certain things that I can see how it works for some writers. Writing is one thing in my life that I use no restrictions, and that's the beauty of it for me.
I'm just glad that you had a revelation, and that it all came together for you. I've been there, it's a wonderful feeling when you've struggled for a while, and it finally all makes sense.
Good for you Ter!
Sin - since you didn't say "I told you so" I won't call you weird. *g*
Tiff - you are the model of perseverence. And I don't own anything green either. I found some blue green tank and I'm wearing it with all black. Best I could do.
Maggie - I like the sound of the Shady Side. LOL! When I started out the words would just flow and then when I tried to think too hard they stopped. I think my problem may be right there in that sentence.
Gillian - Thanks for stopping by. So the first draft you plot and then the revision is the crazy part. Sounds painful but if it works, continue the chaos.
Lisa - thanks so much for holding back. LOL! I totally deserve that. It's what I get for being a condescending PITA. LOL!
I hadn't had a "DUH!" moment about the story in some time. You're right, I'd forgotten how fun they are.
Happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone!
*the sound of water splashing as Terri abandons the plotting/plantsing boat to swim in free water.*
No "I told you so" from me either. I think everyone does things their own way and that there isn't anything wrong with anyone's way.
I think that writing is a learning process. I learn more about myself as a writer the more often I write. I panic if I don't have something written, even if it means that I completely disregard what I'd planned, I need to have some sort of plan. LOL!! And the further I go, the more of a plotter I feel like I am.
I think as long as we're writing, our process is really our own.
You're not a condecending PITA! You just share your opinion like we all are entitled to do. I share mine, and I don't expect everyone to agree.
I'm just glad you had a break through.
Where the devil do you find your pictures?
And I forgot to wear my damned green. I wore BLACK. ARGH!!!!
And how are you eating crow if you're the one who kept saying it wasn't written in stone? It just took you a while to practice what you were preaching.
Marnee - you'll need to go get Lance. I don't know how to swim. Seriously...
Lisa - you're so gracious. LOL! And yes, I'm very good at letting my opinion fly. I tell myself to shut up but rarely listen. It's a curse.
Hellion - I googled forever to find this one. I searched "duh", "forehead smack", "eating my words", and "sheepish look" before settling on "eating crow." LOL! My journey through google last night.
And I'm the one who said writing stuff down shouldn't get your knickers in a bunch. Then ended up with severely bunched knickers. LOL!
"LANCE!! You're needed here! Feel free to linger over the mouth to mouth, I doubt she'll mind."
Terri, your "written in stone' phrase has the Vern Gosdin song "Chiseled in Stone" running through my head. It wll probably haunt me the rest of the day. :(
Not only do I agree with those who have said "whatever works for you is the only 'right' way," I also think different things work for the same writer at different times. I do't think I will ever be a strictly linear writer, but I don't think I will ever again write as non-linearly as I have with TLWH.
Thanks, Marn. *g*
Janga - there are worse songs I can think of to get stuck in your head. I heard Benny & the Jets right before going to bed and heard that "bbbbbbbbbenny" part in my head forever.
I get scenes in my head that are way up in other parts of my WIP but I rarely write them down. For some reason I fight the non-linear thing. I'm figuring out I'm my own worst enemy. LOL!
I have had to break the restraints of my first draft. I keep going "But that's too different..."
It's a miserable cycle. I just have to accept that I told the wrong story the first time around.
Kelly - I don't even want to think about how hard revisions will be. I can't even get down the first draft! Don't want to think about a second or third. LOL!
LOL!! Kelly, I don't think you told the "wrong" story, it's just taking you a bit to get around to the story you want.
In the end, the path we took isn't as important as the product we produced.
Thanks Marnee! That's an excellent point:)
Hey, Terri -
I'm a day late, but congrats on your breakthrough. And welcome to the dark side... Or is it just the the messy side? Anyway, there's rum here!
Tessa! Thanks for the welcome. If this is the messy side, then I should be very comfortable. That means it's just like my house. LOL!
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