tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post2779813837014681321..comments2024-03-14T02:21:43.549-07:00Comments on Faeries, Dragons, and Spaceships: IWSG: Better on the other side?Marie Andreashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-45755353515307730732014-09-11T10:40:21.482-07:002014-09-11T10:40:21.482-07:00I wanted to let you know that I nominated you for ...I wanted to let you know that I nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award! If you'd like to accept (it's completely optional, of course), the details can be found here: http://lorilmaclaughlin.com/2014/09/11/the-versatile-blogger-award. Happy blogging!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-71685433192675910992014-09-05T01:31:19.102-07:002014-09-05T01:31:19.102-07:00I agree. I attempted the plotting thing and was en...I agree. I attempted the plotting thing and was entirely stymied. But when I pants, I write. Simple as that. Sometimes it's hard to come to terms with, and I wonder if I should try to change it, but this is how I write and will continue to write. Good luck to you!Shannon Lawrencehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00934641808195675935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-60198913510881700622014-09-04T13:18:53.031-07:002014-09-04T13:18:53.031-07:00I'm a total, unrepentant, 100%-embracing-of-it...I'm a total, unrepentant, 100%-embracing-of-it pantser. And I wouldn't have it any other way! I know how the story opens, I have a general idea of the midpoint, and a general idea of the end. That's it.<br /><br />I can't even write a synopsis without feeling like I've wrapped my muse in chains and duct tape. The idea of doing any actual plotting? *shivers* The closest I get to plotting is knowing my characters inside out, GMC, the lie they believe, the one thing they can't do, and the one thing they won't do.<br /><br />Do I want to change? Absolutely not! I don't envy plotters or want to be like them. I am ME, and I write my way. I'm also lucky enough to have found a crit/brainstorming partner who thinks and writes exactly the way I do. A mutual writing friend calls us Siamese twins joined at the brain cells.Rachel Leigh Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16004728242824462126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-56547589059348229942014-09-04T12:22:53.634-07:002014-09-04T12:22:53.634-07:00Wow- it sounds like you're coming back from yo...Wow- it sounds like you're coming back from you hiatus with a vengeance! Excellent :). I'm with you on the having to clean up after, it just seems to be the price we pay for pantsing :)Marie Andreashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-32497243674932847942014-09-04T10:56:01.244-07:002014-09-04T10:56:01.244-07:00Right now, I'm pantsing it for my epic fantasy...Right now, I'm pantsing it for my epic fantasy novel because there are gazillions of characters and a cool world system so it's like set them free and let them have at it! I literally had no idea what the conflict was going to be, the antagonist - nothing - though one showed up pretty fast as I wrote the first scene in my head - dragon meets statue who threatens to kill people unless dragon passes a test within certain timeline. I've tried plotting and I think it's a lot easier but kind of dull (to read not to write!) because it gets too forced and like okay I'm just writing this because it's I.a. of my outline. So I may be reverting to pantser. This is harder for me because I lack control and I have to go back and fix all the possible continuity errors from when I *thought* I knew what was happening. This means more work, but I'm starting to think it is worth it in the end to let the world develop and then systematically describe the world I just saw unfold rather than trying to design from the top-down first.<br />True confessions, I'm coming back into writing after several hiatuses and listening to a lot of well-meaning advice. I'm only just circling around to something like my original process which is to start out with a sketchy story that I call my "glorified plot outline" and then filling in character/scene descriptions as I go, listing all the characters/magical elements/locations and drawing maps to see if - wow - that country can't be both east AND west of that other place. Which is easily fixable. I've been trying out other methods and don't think they really work for me. It is harder on the back-end, but I think it starts out better that way.<br />I'm definitely going to say pantser for the win. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-10446959361183790622014-09-03T20:50:56.525-07:002014-09-03T20:50:56.525-07:00Hi Sharon :) I think of it more as a scale, with ...Hi Sharon :) I think of it more as a scale, with some folks being in the middle and then the hard cores on either end. LOL- I think we're all revisionists, except for those unique souls who are able to do a clean first draft!Marie Andreashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-57340019395037232012014-09-03T20:49:18.547-07:002014-09-03T20:49:18.547-07:00Sometimes we have to try different techniques for ...Sometimes we have to try different techniques for different books- I've found that I'm always doing slight tweaks to my style based on the type of book. Sometimes fast drafting lets you have both worlds- hope it works out for you!Marie Andreashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-42849632551255847022014-09-03T20:46:11.857-07:002014-09-03T20:46:11.857-07:00LOL!!! I like plonters! Sounds like you found th...LOL!!! I like plonters! Sounds like you found the perfect mix for you and a very cool term for it as well!Marie Andreashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-9690629975692460202014-09-03T20:45:20.073-07:002014-09-03T20:45:20.073-07:00I hadn't heard of the 7 point story plot befor...I hadn't heard of the 7 point story plot before, but sounds like it gives a lot of freedom- might also be something for me to look into!<br />Marie Andreashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-42947154228360701102014-09-03T20:43:37.880-07:002014-09-03T20:43:37.880-07:00Yeah, really more structuring, but I think it'...Yeah, really more structuring, but I think it's a great idea for us pantsers to give some structure to a chaotic writing style! I'm going to try doing that too!Marie Andreashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-12586322872169313442014-09-03T20:42:03.677-07:002014-09-03T20:42:03.677-07:00Hmmm- sounds like the pantsing side is trying to c...Hmmm- sounds like the pantsing side is trying to come out! Maybe once your brain has things hammered out the pantsing side just takes over!Marie Andreashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-31241439198680956482014-09-03T20:40:35.251-07:002014-09-03T20:40:35.251-07:00Ah, the problems of going half and half. It could...Ah, the problems of going half and half. It could just be that you haven't found the write balance of the two for you? I know I always like to dive in which can mess up any attempt at plotting that I did.Marie Andreashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-35195521405167994422014-09-03T20:38:33.420-07:002014-09-03T20:38:33.420-07:00Ya know, Lori, I think your characters are probabl...Ya know, Lori, I think your characters are probably talking to mine! That's one reason I'll probably never plot, my characters don't like it ;).<br /><br />Thank you! I love it too- it, and the matching website, were done by Rae Monet Designs- and Rae is awesome to work with! She is very professional and her entire team are very good :). I "won" the website from the Brenda Novak Auction, but was already very aware I liked the company :)Marie Andreashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-682230435638179372014-09-03T20:21:29.899-07:002014-09-03T20:21:29.899-07:00Another halfster! Good point on the wandering, I&#...Another halfster! Good point on the wandering, I'm afraid that is my major problem with my pantsing ways- I go down a lot og wrong alleys. And very true about us each having our own way- if it gets the words down, if works!Marie Andreashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-13287879957548819022014-09-03T20:19:43.420-07:002014-09-03T20:19:43.420-07:00Interesting! You're a halfster! It sounds li...Interesting! You're a halfster! It sounds like that's working for you, so keep at it!Marie Andreashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-54523763806997445472014-09-03T20:18:35.668-07:002014-09-03T20:18:35.668-07:00Ok, posting King's statement makes me feel so ...Ok, posting King's statement makes me feel so much better about my pantsing ways! :) And it does make sense, if I have no idea where things are going--neither will a reader ;). Thank you!Marie Andreashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-10588806137507231642014-09-03T20:17:16.634-07:002014-09-03T20:17:16.634-07:00I've never heard of Thinkology, but it sounds ...I've never heard of Thinkology, but it sounds very interesting! I may have to go hunt it down and check it out :) (maybe we need a post-it support club ;))Marie Andreashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-46175278845517430152014-09-03T20:16:15.876-07:002014-09-03T20:16:15.876-07:00I hear you, it seems so nice in theory! Maybe som...I hear you, it seems so nice in theory! Maybe some of us just aren't wired for it. But if you try it and it works- tell me what you did!Marie Andreashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-47123692438006211602014-09-03T20:15:13.867-07:002014-09-03T20:15:13.867-07:00LOL!!! I so used to do that with outlining after ...LOL!!! I so used to do that with outlining after the fact! Come to think of it, I may have still done it in college ;). Marie Andreashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-52648182521295773482014-09-03T20:07:09.182-07:002014-09-03T20:07:09.182-07:00Are there only two kinds of writers? I know where...Are there only two kinds of writers? I know where I'm going. I know the major plot points I have to hit. Yet when I get to the climax of a book I always seem to find I need more of something to make the story work. More middle, more depth, more magic, better descriptions, scenes which show character development. My stories aren't complete without this second step. Often these additions change the story. I think I'm a revisionist.Sharon Rivesthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08973226291032550889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-61972313901359053552014-09-03T14:44:39.651-07:002014-09-03T14:44:39.651-07:00I'm a punster mostly, but recently I was havin...I'm a punster mostly, but recently I was having so much trouble with a story that wasn't going anywhere that I decided to fast draft the rest of it. I had no idea how to do that, so I looked it up and following the way others fast draft I finished the story in a couple of weeks. It's just the basics though, I guess sort of like an outline, with sketchy scenes. Now, I hope it will be easy to fill out the scenes. Time will tell. My other WIP, I'm just following the characters to see what they'll do.Beverly Stowe McClurehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02176195451841801819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-62242345555672693682014-09-03T12:59:48.598-07:002014-09-03T12:59:48.598-07:00Yeah, I'm a little of both. Plotting to the po...Yeah, I'm a little of both. Plotting to the point of knowing major events and then letting my characters take the lead. For me, a little of both opens a lot of doors. So I guess I'm ... a plonters? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-74595673997104181462014-09-03T10:46:50.573-07:002014-09-03T10:46:50.573-07:00This is a great post. I started off as a ‘pantster...This is a great post. I started off as a ‘pantster’ too. My friend exposed me to the technique called ‘7 point story plot’ and it has helped me a lot. It requires you to make a skeletal outline of the End, and then the Hook. After that, you simply fill in vague plot points of what happens within. What I do is I create the 7 point story plot, but I make it as vague as I can while still having an idea of my direction. When I actually do my writing, I allow my inner pantster to run free and create free thinking and exciting action scenes and dialogue that support the plot points. That helped me a lot. Anyway, I’m glad there are some pantster writers who have success with that form of writing. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12949786308298628591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-14227134546190308592014-09-03T09:58:10.924-07:002014-09-03T09:58:10.924-07:00I'm a pantser, but I've since tried to set...I'm a pantser, but I've since tried to set targets based on word counts. I think to myself, okay, I'm aiming for a 25K novella, so the catalyst should happen around 2700... what that is may change in the course of my writing, same with the midpoint and all-is-lost moment. I suppose that's structuring, not really plotting, eh?Loni Townsendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05126958230703180761noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-55928712471239903822014-09-03T09:53:41.014-07:002014-09-03T09:53:41.014-07:00I'm smack dab in the middle. Thought I was a ...I'm smack dab in the middle. Thought I was a strict plotter at first, but I soon discovered that I change so much when I first write scenes (fixing logic holes, thinking up new ways of having a scene play out, etc.) that the outline gets all dinged up and I have to go back and replot. So I bounce back and forth between plotting and pantsing.Chemist Kenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09738272332470397248noreply@blogger.com