The biggest thing I discovered since starting to write is that there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to writing how-to's. You take other peoples’ advice and try it on for size, but rarely are you going to find something that works for you as is. You must tweak. Adjust. Abandon.
As a newbie writer, I was distressed because I couldn’t plot an entire story when I wrote the synopsis. (I tried to write a synopsis first, because I was following the "rules" I'd learned in English class and from the few writing books I'd been able to check out of the public library.) My synopses started out well enough, but by the time I hit the middle, the story fizzled. I knew where I wanted the characters to end up, but had no specifics as to how that was going to happen. Therefore, my synopses were filled with general statements such as: “Brad and Janet work together to overcome obstacles in their quest to find a telephone during the storm.” What were those obstacles? I had nary a clue and felt awful because I couldn't plot a book. Other people did it. Surely I should be able to do it, too. Maybe I wasn't cut out to be a writer. But I couldn't stop writing.
Finally I gave up on doing things the “right” way and simply wrote a story without having a synopsis, totally unaware that many, many authors use that method. I managed to write an entire book, even though the middle gave me fits because I didn't know what was going to happen. I wrote my next story, which sold to Harlequin, in the same way. At the time I knew nothing about character arcs, etc. I simply wrote by instinct. I made errors in the first draft of that story—mainly plotting and structural errors—but my voice was good and because of that, I was lucky enough to have an editor work with me. I rewrote the book three times before it sold...and that was when I realized that my gift lies in revisions. The real book often appears after my second go. So in a way, my first draft becomes my synopsis. A really, really big synopsis.
Currently my method is a hybrid of plotting and pantsing. I use novel plotting templates—but usually not until I’ve hit the middle of the book. By that time I know my characters and many of those surprise situations I hadn’t anticipated have shown up and must be woven into the story. I do write a synopsis before I begin, since I now understand arcs and internal and external conflicts, and I usually follow the synopsis. But I love it when I'm writing that first draft and suddenly I’m off in a direction I never expected and the story becomes richer because of it. And now I'm confident I can smooth everything out during revisions.
So my advice is to experiment. Read all the how-to articles you can, then follow your gut. Write the way that feels most comfortable to you. When I try to fill out character sheets, my characters become wooden. When I simply write, my characters come to life. The opposite can happen for other authors. Keep tweaking and adjusting until you come up with the method that feels most comfortable to you, regardless of what everyone else is doing.
Excellent advice, as always :). Your newbie experience 'felt' very familiar to me. I'm now a mix of plotter and pantser, and I know I need to plot just enough to at least have a solid conflict LOL.
ReplyDeleteThere's something to be said for letting the story flow out of your head without worrying about following rules. My seven yr old has a birthday coming up and wants an alphasmart or similar word processor. He loves writing and roams the yard while plotting stories in his head. He gets frustrated when he runs in all excited and wanting to type, but his brother is on the computer. His one issue is that he's paranoid about making mistakes (self-editor at heart) or having anyone look over his shoulder...so I'm thinking an alphasmart may work for him. Funny thing to ask for at eight though.
"A really, really big synopsis." LOL! I'm so glad you gave yourself permission to experiment, Jeannie, so you could find what works for you without being stressed by following rules. Keep doing what you're doing, because it's working! :-) Me, on the other hand? I'm petrified at the thought of starting a story without at least my major plot points figured out. I need at least a starting point and an ending point, and then I figure out what happens in between--but that's only for small chunks, like a scene, or even a chapter--an entire book would freak me out. Thank you for sharing your process!
ReplyDeleteAnd Rula, how cool is that, that your son wants an alphasmart? Good for him!
Hi Rula--How cool about your son. I think a dedicated writing device would be excellent. At that age I would have loved it. When I was in high school, I had a manual typewriter sitting on my dresser with paper in it, and everyday I would tap out a couple words or a phrase. It was like a running poem or dialogue. It was nice to have a way to put thoughts down as they came.
ReplyDeleteAs to writing, finding a solid conflict is often all I need now. The rest just comes.
Hi Kathy--If you have the ability to figure out the major plot points ahead of time, you're gold. It took me a while to get that ability. Having to write a synopsis in order to sell helped a lot, lol. Thanks for stopping by!
Very late to the party.
ReplyDeleteI hear a lot about interviewing characters, but I can't do it. I hear about post-it notes on white boards and that seems like way too much work for me, especially when a color is for each character and a chapter. I make notes in a simple notebook about who is who and ideas for scenes. I know more will come out of what I jotted down, but I have the barest of bones.
In my current WIP I have a scene between mother and daughter. Funny thing - that scene and my heroine's reaction to her mother came from out of the blue. I didn't know the mother at all so she was a surprise as was the feelings invoked in my heroine. It made me understand my heroine more.
I read blogs about author's and their process and turn it around in my head. I keep what 'feels' right and forget the rest.
Marcie--I so understand that "out of the blue" feeling. It happens to me frequently and I love it! Good for you keeping what feels right, because that's the only stuff that will work for you.
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