Thank you everyone for your sweet sentiments on my previous post. We didn't make it to the park, but we have plans to go this upcoming weekend!
Since I have finished the first draft of my wip, I am sitting myself back in the writer's seat. I plan to focus on doing revisions. However, I am also doing preliminary work on my next project.
A few weeks ago I posted about a workshop I'd been to, given by my RWA chapter. The speaker, Alicia Rasley spoke about Acts, and plot and scene structure. Her teaching has been bouncing around in my head for quite a while. And as a result, I think I'm going to take a different approach with this next story.
I've tried setting everything out before writing. With my first story, I did it all, the characterizations, the blurb, the synopsis, the detailed plotting, everything, before I wrote it. And I found it difficult to stick to the original plan.
With my last story, I did very little preliminary work. I wrote from the seat of pants pretty much completely. And it was a fun experience, but at times, I felt very weighed down by the fact that I wasn't sure what came next or if I was really headed where I wanted to be.
So, with this one, I plan to find a happy medium. Alicia spoke about plot points and specific ones. And I decided I would use this to outline my story and plot it out without filling in all of the "details". I think this might prove to an effective way for me to plot.
But in the mean time, I'm going to work on my revisions before my cp beats me :-)
Is there a plotting technique you've found that works for you?
Edited to add: GO Hurricanes! Who would have thought the Stanley Cup would ever venture so far South?
April
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8 comments:
Hey April!
Have you seen Discovering Story Magic? It was presented at the Dallas RWA conference. I LOVE it. The handouts are wonderful if you can get them. And Vickie Taylor's plot blob is great too.
Woo Hoo on hockey. I didn't watch it this year. I don't know why. I guess the strike last year got me out of the groove.
First, good luck on the new project and revisions. :)
Second, I am a mixture of pantsing/plotting. I plot somewhat in the beginning, establish what's going to happen but not all the way. Then I start writing. Then I get stuck. Then I extensively outline. Then I continue writing. You can see the pattern... :)
Too much plotting bores me. Too much pantsing stresses me out. Gotta find that happy medium.
Hey! I don't beat! Well not too hard. *grin*
I'm a by the seat of your pants girl when it comes to writing. In fact I've always loved mysteries and always thought I'd write one someday. Problem is, you HAVE to plan that one out - otherwise how do you ever get the clues sprinkled throughout and so forth? You don't! But in my mind whenever I try to 'plot' it all out.. I do great! To a point. Then I'm bored. Why? Cause I know how everything is going to go and darn it if I don't want to spill the beans in the first chapter! That's what you call a very short story. :-)
Cole
Hey! I don't beat! Well not too hard. *grin*
I'm a by the seat of your pants girl when it comes to writing. In fact I've always loved mysteries and always thought I'd write one someday. Problem is, you HAVE to plan that one out - otherwise how do you ever get the clues sprinkled throughout and so forth? You don't! But in my mind whenever I try to 'plot' it all out.. I do great! To a point. Then I'm bored. Why? Cause I know how everything is going to go and darn it if I don't want to spill the beans in the first chapter! That's what you call a very short story. :-)
Cole
I don't like to over-plot because so much changes as I write the book, but now, after seeing Debra Dixon, I try to plot around the hero's journey structure. That way, the character arc is definitly intact.
Steph
I'm still feeling my way around, trying to find the best plotting technique. I think a happy medium is a safe bet though.
As for hockey...the 'Canes win was bittersweet. I'm still crying because they beat the Sabres' in the previous round! But, as a die-hard fan of all Buffalo sports teams, I'm used to it. :-)
I'm still finding my pattern, but emotional plotting works well for me. I think about what they should be feeling and go from there. Good luck!
I'm a big outliner. Then I just write and see here it takes me. Good luck with it!
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