Well, for those of us who are 'plotters' anyway!
I realize that some of you may be what's commonly called a 'pantser'. A 'pantser' is generally a writer who sits down with a kernel of an idea, or just a tidbit about a character and goes where the muse leads him/her. It's reportedly a magical, uninhibited experience.
I, however, am a 'plotter'. A 'plotter' is someone who really needs a good idea of where they're going and what they'll be doing along the way or the words just won't flow. That doesn't necessarily mean every single detail has to be figured out in advance, but it does mean that key plot turning points or character motivation and growth have to be known to the plotter writer before they can write effectively. That's me. I've tried pantsing it and all I end up with is a blank screen or a pile of useless prose.
For my fellow plotters, I've created this thread to share into, tips and updates about the plotting process. Feel free to share your thoughts or just give us updates on your progress!
Happy Plotting!
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Melissa
>Official ML for Murfreesoboro, TN<
Follow on Twitter! http://twitter.com/NaNoInTheBoro
40,000 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2009 - 16 15
Simon Haynes (the wonderful, wonderful man behind yWriter software) has written a very good article on How to Plot using FreeMind (another free software). http://www.spacejock.com.au/PlottingANovel.html
Maidenfine is also posting daily '30 Days of PreWriting' on her Musing's blog http://maidenfine.wordpress.com/
----------Melissa
>Official ML for Murfreesoboro, TN<
Follow on Twitter! http://twitter.com/NaNoInTheBoro
53,131 / 50,000
Oct 3, 2009 - 18 55
Well, I'm a plotter, definitely. I generally have what I call a list of Plot Points - things that have to happen, roughly in that same order (although not necessarily), and I just sit down and write from point to point. (I'm also a linear writer, in case you can't tell. I've never been able to write out of order.) Sometimes my points are "MC settles into school and makes new friends," which leaves some of the fun in it for me - I don't know exactly what is going to happen, so I'm learning while my characters do. I generally have the beginning of the novel plotted out pretty well, and I know where I'm going to, but I try to leave the middle as much mystery as I can stand. Otherwise, I feel like I've written it already, and then I don't feel like actually writing.
This year is actually a little bit more structured for me (I know more of what happens from start to finish than usual), but I 'm going to try to add some subplots in. They happen to be my weakest point as a writer, and they do make books more fun to read.
I also may try to stick to (mainly) one PoV. I generally have three or more, which is helpful in terms of being able to skip around when I get stuck, but the story I'm writing this year needs to mostly be told from Libby's PoV. Her stepmother might get a chance to tell her side of the story, too, but I'm leaning more toward not hearing from her until after she tries to kill Libby. If Libby ends up having a love interest, he'll be getting some screen time as well, but that'll depend on what the characters start doing when I get to writing.
Sara
----------2005: The Braids of Destiny (WON!)
2006: Movements of Fire and Shadow (WON!)
2007: Lost Secrets (WON!)
2008: Dancing in the Moonlight (WON!)
2009:
13,786 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 21 44
I'm a plotter too, and I work similar to sharvil.
I write down a list of ideas I have, not necessarily in order. Sometimes it's only a sentence that encompasses a single happening, other times it's a whole paragraph or page describing a series of events. It's a guide, something to go by. It doesn't always happen that way, though.
My 2007 project was supposed to be about a group of teens who worked at a pizza parlor. The teens were still part of the plot, but the adults took over. I rolled with it and got 42k out of it. There's always room for a suprise or two.
----------8,337 / 50,000
Oct 31, 2009 - 15 58
I'm not exactly a plotter... I'm kinda like a volume detailer. I write a couple pages about every character, and I draw a map of the region or area where stuff is taking place, and label it by scene ideas, and everything is covered in doodles and whatnot.
As far as the plot, though, I know how it's starting, and I know what the conflict is, but I don't know how my characters will resolve it.
I have serious problems syncing things I write on paper with other notes I make in OpenOffice. Now that I have yWriter it shoudl be a lot easier for me.