Some of us are really prepared for Nano, some of us just sit and start typing on the 1st. I'm somewhere in the middle, but...
It's always hard for me, ending stories. I never have a planned ending before I start writing. I just keep going, maybe until character developments work out or I HIT 45,000 WORDS. And frankly, the half-cooked endings I come up with are just...really, really bad.
I'm beginning to think there might be something to that theory- the one that says, plan the beginning, plan the end, let the middle be filled as you go.
In any case, I think I'm going to try it: plan an ending before I start writing. It's radical. It's scary. I CAN NOT think of anything!!
But pain is part of the fun. Yes?
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6,114 / 50,000
Oct 14, 2007 - 06 32
I always plan my ending. If I don't think any endings for my plot could satisfy the audience, I wouldn't start writing in the first place. And I think that If you plan your ending, you have something to aim for so it will actually help when writing the 'middle'.
89,857 / 50,000
Oct 14, 2007 - 17 12
Ending? whats an ending? LOL I never finish what I write. So I have never had an ending. That will change I swear it I will finish something soon. I am close to it.
My stories tend to take on a life of their own; once I start writing so to plan an end would be a complete and utter waste of time. It is amazing how I might intend going in one direction but as soon as I really get into it, it will undoubtably end up somewhere completely different. My characters really do take over their own lives. Frightening to think so. LOL
Maybe I will end my story this time fingers crossed.
50,014 / 50,000
Oct 15, 2007 - 02 57
Yea, that's the basic problem...it's the characters that are really important, they tend to add things to the plot once I've started writing so that disrupts any plans I might have made. And yet!! My endings are just so WEAK. Planning an ending might be the way to solve that, maybe not.
Hmm, here's a thought. What if I came up with several 'alternate' or possible endings, maybe some crazy out there endings as well as some that seem possible, given my thoughts of the story so far...and then see if I'm heading towards any of those endings after a little while...
50,014 / 50,000
Oct 15, 2007 - 03 01
I noticed in your bio that you write horror/thriller, do you think that means that you need a really tight, planned plot? If you're trying to build tension in the story, it would make sense that you would definitly need a solid ending to aim towards. For my story this year I want to build in some conspiracy/plot twists, more tension in general, so I really think I'll need to have a better grasp on my ending than in previous years.
50,022 / 50,000
Oct 15, 2007 - 03 16
The ending should resolve the plot you're writing about - exactly how doesn't really matter.
And I did a blog post on first draft ---> finished novel today, which you'll find here.
http://halspacejock.livejournal.com/49771.html
The point being, your first draft is just one of many steps towards the final manuscript. Your choices are not set in stone, and you'll probably make many, many changes before it's done.
50,014 / 50,000
Oct 15, 2007 - 05 17
OT regarding that post- you'll print, make notes on the paper, then make those changes on the computer. Don't you find the process of changing words and stuff around on a computer incredibly, incredibly frustrating?? I sure do, and I only ever do it for essays, 3000 words max. Truthfully, I am very afraid of the day I have a massive printed, red pen covered ms, and I have to input those changes into the word document. I'm terrified...
6,114 / 50,000
Oct 15, 2007 - 05 22
Yeah, I think a good plan is what's needed for writing in that genre. Brilliant plot twists are a must.
30,175 / 50,000
Oct 16, 2007 - 23 06
For my thesis (35K) I printed it out to edit too. I don't find it frustrating; in fact, I find it quite enjoyable. And if red pen scares you, you could use green or purple :P - I don't actually ever use red to edit. It's bad for my self-esteem!
The typing in can be tedious but I guess I just took my time over it. Anyway, just a thought.
Re your ending, I agree with the others, planning can be helpful, and it's true that you can just change it if you feel like it. Whenever I write, if I have an ending it does help as I kind of know where I'm going, even if I end up going somewhere very different.
0 / 50,000
Oct 16, 2007 - 23 20
A teacher friend recommended making corrections on a print out in pencil, to make them much less scary.
As for endings, all I ever have in my head is an opening scene and a final scene. It's the job of my subconscious to draw the lines between the two.
50,014 / 50,000
Oct 16, 2007 - 23 33
Oh no, I LOVE the red pen!! I love making all those nessesary cuts to the story I don't have the heart to do otherwise. It's my favorite part of editing...it's the TYPING, finding the spot in the text to make the changes, all tedious, repetative typing...I hate it...
50,338 / 50,000
Oct 28, 2007 - 04 13
Well, I don't think I have an ending yet, but I finally have a plot! I could say I cheated, but I can use the extra time to do some planning - something I've never really done! :-o
Thanks, Simon, so much for yWriter! I believe it will be very handy for this!
Although, I still don't have names of characters yet, but I'm sure they'll come to me.
Good luck, one and all,
Jules.
21,284 / 50,000
Oct 28, 2007 - 06 17
I think I cheated more - I'm re-writing + expanding a novella I wrote a few years back so I know most of the beginning, middle and end =P.
3,626 / 50,000
Oct 31, 2007 - 23 28
Planned ending? What madness is this?! I barely even planned my beginning! Of course, I'm new to this whole thing, so no doubt I'll live to regret my shameless bravado. The current plan is just to take the story where it chooses to go, and hope the some kind of ending crystallises before I run out of time. I've had about 50-50 success in the past with that method, but never on anything this long in this length of time.
I envy anybody with the foresight to think up an ending in advance, and the willpower to not change their mind a hundred times a day.
50,022 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2007 - 00 26
Re editing and rewriting:
http://halspacejock.livejournal.com/49771.html
Trust me, your first draft is just unmoulded clay. Regard it as the primordial swamp from which your finished novel will eventually evolve.
Now, if you're just writing swamp, how important is it to polish every word, cross every T, worry about every little plot point? It isn't!
And entering red-penned changes back into Word (or yWriter) is the fun part. Then print and repeat.
118,026 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2007 - 01 10
I usually plan my ending or at least have a vague idea of where my plot will end... But I usually turn to the opposite when I actually WRITE the ending. Just for kicks. Having a planned ending just makes the outline feel complete even if i don't go with it.
50,014 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2007 - 02 26
{{And entering red-penned changes back into Word (or yWriter) is the fun part. Then print and repeat.}}
I'm sorry, was that a joke??? Cause, seriously. Dude.
:-) :-)
50,014 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2007 - 02 29
Ohhh, I see. Like, a fake planned ending. Actually, I think that's a really good idea. Cause I STILL don't have an ending, and I've started to write...so maybe, plan an ending, to have a complete outline, to assist writing- and then don't use that ending. Hmm. It could work.
50,022 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2007 - 02 30
I'm sorry, was that a joke??? Cause, seriously. Dude.
:-) :-)
Seriously. There's nothing I like more than entering all the changes and polishing, polishing those little words until they shine.
----
Simon Haynes, programmer of yWriter
Author of the Hal Spacejock series
Also on Myspace!
50,022 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2007 - 02 32
Exactly. It really doesn't matter what ending you're writing to, because when it comes time for the second and third drafts, first you rewrite the end, then you rewrite the middle and finally you rewrite the start to match the other parts.
--
Simon Haynes, programmer of yWriter
Author of the Hal Spacejock series
Also on Myspace!
21,284 / 50,000
Nov 1, 2007 - 05 03
Editing is half the fun of writing for me ^_^.