tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post7541866042993896378..comments2024-03-14T02:21:43.549-07:00Comments on Faeries, Dragons, and Spaceships: IWSG-Fear of dropping the ballsMarie Andreashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-49088444836757577692013-07-16T06:15:59.854-07:002013-07-16T06:15:59.854-07:00i hopped over from Alex's IWSG- a little late....i hopped over from Alex's IWSG- a little late. :) like you, i have many plot points, twists, etc. i write them down in various documents and try to keep them all linked. i'm sure some of the balls will get dropped. i hope my alpha readers will see which ones get dropped and let me know. good luck. Michelle Gregoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05747275507200268417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-65194091629150062402013-07-06T13:07:52.270-07:002013-07-06T13:07:52.270-07:00Even though you don't plot, maybe noting key i...Even though you don't plot, maybe noting key items might help. At least to keep the balls in the air. Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-31223019035651132112013-07-06T13:01:45.418-07:002013-07-06T13:01:45.418-07:00Great, Sharon, now I'll have something else to...Great, Sharon, now I'll have something else to worry about! LOL! One advantage of being a pantser, is that those great idea balls are easier to fit in than for plotters. Hell, we don't know where we're going anyway!<br /><br />I do think it would be hard to abandon something that fit in so well though...it would be a tough call!<br /><br />Thanks for coming by and commenting :)Marie Andreashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-18806563155843444522013-07-04T21:38:13.659-07:002013-07-04T21:38:13.659-07:00Interesting blog, Marie. I'm more of a plotter...Interesting blog, Marie. I'm more of a plotter than a pantster, but I can understand your ball concept completely. What I find to be a problem is that while your story balls are juggling along nicely, suddenly an extra ball appears out of nowhere. This ball is almost magical in how it brings everything together, unfortunately, since it appears out of nowhere, it has no real place in the story because it has no background in the story. Now what do you do with it? Abandon it, or go back and write it in (which is a lot of work and hard on a word count!!).<br /><br />SharonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-39116181097065129222013-07-04T07:48:19.092-07:002013-07-04T07:48:19.092-07:00Totally agree, Margo! When Janet mentioned a word...Totally agree, Margo! When Janet mentioned a word doc I smacked myself in the head...I have paper notes and spread sheets all over. Until I forget where I put them! And I'm bad about not checking them before I lose them.<br /><br />Thanks for coming by and commenting!Marie Andreashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-74077047288249399272013-07-03T22:45:35.536-07:002013-07-03T22:45:35.536-07:00Oh yeah I know exactly what you mean about jugglin...Oh yeah I know exactly what you mean about juggling all the plot threads! A spreadsheet is a good idea. I keep notes, but then forget to check them...Margo Berendsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03476308235642890474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-74128012964400700492013-07-03T20:14:12.002-07:002013-07-03T20:14:12.002-07:00I so agree, Barbara. That's a great moment wh...I so agree, Barbara. That's a great moment when we write something that we had no idea was going to happen. Sadly, that's also what's scary ;). <br /><br />I do like the concept of pleasuable insanity :)<br /><br />Thanks for coming by and commenting!Marie Andreashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-4434000077007625122013-07-03T20:12:33.402-07:002013-07-03T20:12:33.402-07:00LOL! We live with a double edged sword, Elsie, us...LOL! We live with a double edged sword, Elsie, us pantsers have fun following the trail but if we don't leave ourselves clues we loose the path ;).<br /><br />Thanks for coming by and commenting!Marie Andreashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-61648900456350353482013-07-03T20:11:06.013-07:002013-07-03T20:11:06.013-07:00Thanks for coming by and sharing my fear, Melinda!...Thanks for coming by and sharing my fear, Melinda! Sometimes those plot balls can be scary!Marie Andreashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-54473893585240351632013-07-03T11:33:36.527-07:002013-07-03T11:33:36.527-07:00I totally relate, but I love complicated plots tha...I totally relate, but I love complicated plots that surprise me as I write them. It's difficult to strike a balance between efficient writing and pleasurable insanity. ;)Barbara Monajemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06740868750916582900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-54164364376141318982013-07-03T11:02:00.536-07:002013-07-03T11:02:00.536-07:00I can relate to this! I have a WIP that I'm a...I can relate to this! I have a WIP that I'm almost scared to get back to because of this very thing. I love writing by the seat of my pants because of the thrill of it all. Then when it comes to those little tiny plot holes...dang! Best of luck!!<br /><br /><a href="http://elsieiswriting.com" rel="nofollow">Elsie</a>Elsie Amatahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14531633490964827363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-20550712277826009932013-07-03T10:13:09.501-07:002013-07-03T10:13:09.501-07:00Ah, yes! Another worry for me too. Catching the ba...Ah, yes! Another worry for me too. Catching the balls in the right place so the twist and turns make sense to the reader. I usually know it all in my head, but making sure the reader gets it is scary :)<br /><br />Thanks for sharing!!<br /><br />MelindaMelinda B. Piercehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04073396743767843202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-87834921533607569252013-07-03T06:54:24.256-07:002013-07-03T06:54:24.256-07:00That is a great idea, Janet! I need to develop my...That is a great idea, Janet! I need to develop my little pad-o-ideas spreadsheet out a bit more me thinks ;).<br /><br />And I hadn't even thought of the revisions, but that should be my safety net--providing that I write all the different point down that is ;).<br /><br />Thanks for coming by and commenting!<br /><br />Marie Andreashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-25154443880336854242013-07-03T06:51:25.172-07:002013-07-03T06:51:25.172-07:00Mahalo, Mark!
Thanks for stopping by and keep t...Mahalo, Mark! <br /><br />Thanks for stopping by and keep those balls up in the air!<br /><br />And I hope you have a creative month also :),Marie Andreashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11422636765580836358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-7645073944808466642013-07-03T06:25:11.581-07:002013-07-03T06:25:11.581-07:00I know what you mean about the ball juggling. As a...I know what you mean about the ball juggling. As a fellow pantser, I've developed a few tricks to keep the balls in the air. One is keeping a running list (on a Word doc, but you could do it anywhere) of all the little plot questions I have as I write the first draft. That doc becomes the foundation for my revision - I know which issues need to be dealt with. It also gets these little balls out of the air (where I might forget them) and down on paper. <br /><br />Thanks for such a great post!Janet Taithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18222754520926424388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1268238247379169028.post-47269797355337500032013-07-03T03:11:46.932-07:002013-07-03T03:11:46.932-07:00Aloha Marie,
Oh boy, I guess I am an official Pan...Aloha Marie,<br /><br />Oh boy, I guess I am an official Pantser, too:)<br /><br />Good luck with all the juggling of balls, I'll be right there beside you - one of these days :)<br /><br />(Stopping by as a co-host of IWSG - on behalf of Alex.<br /><br />Thanks for sharing - and have a great, creative month :)Mark Koopmanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03634424953074803816noreply@blogger.com