Monday Motivation . . . Writerly things and stuff.
Are you a pantser or a plotter? Or some kind of hybrid, like me? Sometimes being a writer makes me feel like a psychic looking into a crystal ball. I can see bits and pieces but not the entire picture.
When I'm really lucky, I can see the opening scene and the ending. But, let's face it, my luck ain't that great. Ha. So, I have to either wing it or try and plot it.
Depending on my mood and the personality of the story I'm writing, I'll know how to get started and maintain momentum.
Most of the time I have an overall idea for a story. A hook, if you will. Then, the characters will either whisper sweet nothings in my ear, or I have to go diggin' around in the deep, dark, crevices of my fertile mind for the little darlings.
Once I have a glimpse at the character's goal, motivation, and conflict I start writing. Flyin' by the seat of my pants, baby.
Around chapter three, I yank out my handy dandy plot structure chart by Michael Hauge. Love him, btw. Normally, this ignites more ideas, and the picture in my crystal ball becomes a little less fuzzy.
Sometimes, I really wish I could be the Queen of Plotting Land, but, that's just not me. And ya know what? That's okay.
There's no right or wrong way to eat a Reese's--I mean, write a book. Same thing.
How do you do it?
Want some more motivation? Who doesn't? Check out my other Monday posts.
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Fueled by coffee and brownies . . . karen
I''m like you. I'm not a plotter (tried it, detailed plotting for a NaNo attempt- failed horribly), not a (completely wing it from a blank page) pantster, but somewhere in the middle. I like the little discoveries along the way. The 3 A.M. epiphanies. The characters whispering plot ideas in your ear and deciding, "What the hell, let's see where that goes!". Knowing I have to descend into the valley, go through the woods there, and climb the hill on the other side is good enough for me. I don't need a map of every damned tree in the forest! I find if I know too far in advance every thing that happens (especially in detail) then I get bored with writing the story - I know what happens. There's no discoveries to be made. Sure, I know in the general sense of where I want to end up, I just don't lock onto one path.
ReplyDeleteThose 3AM epiphanies are the BEST. Thanks for sharing :)
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