Original fic: Plotting
Mar. 3rd, 2014 06:39 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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1_million_wordsYo! Original writers, how are things? Written much this month? Tell us how your latest offering/s are going, and chat away amongst yourselves too - let's strike up some conversations on anything that you're after help or advice about.
Plotting
So, some questions/thoughts to get you started:
1. Do you plot? Do you plan your fic out in detail before you begin, or are you like me (generally) and fly by the seat of your pants?
2. If you do plot in advance, what's the most important part of your process? Characters, entire story, having scenes that you know you can expand into a bigger theme, or perhaps it's something else, like being in the right mood or having the right music/silence/equipment, and then opening up a document and just beginning?
3. Do your ideas flow as you move through the plotting process? Or do you have to begin writing to know if the plot is going to work?
4. Do you actively seek information before you begin, or do you begin to write and then research as and when needed?
5. If you'd like to, show us an example of something you think you plotted extremely well, or if it's easier, tell us about the story and why you think it's good, or why it works so well for you.
So, some questions/thoughts to get you started:
1. Do you plot? Do you plan your fic out in detail before you begin, or are you like me (generally) and fly by the seat of your pants?
2. If you do plot in advance, what's the most important part of your process? Characters, entire story, having scenes that you know you can expand into a bigger theme, or perhaps it's something else, like being in the right mood or having the right music/silence/equipment, and then opening up a document and just beginning?
3. Do your ideas flow as you move through the plotting process? Or do you have to begin writing to know if the plot is going to work?
4. Do you actively seek information before you begin, or do you begin to write and then research as and when needed?
5. If you'd like to, show us an example of something you think you plotted extremely well, or if it's easier, tell us about the story and why you think it's good, or why it works so well for you.
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Date: 2014-03-07 06:08 pm (UTC)Yeah, it kind of intimidated me at first, too, but I have a lot of fun with it. If nothing else, it's great to store any notes you make on your wips or future wips so you don't forget those lovely little details.
I'm the same way though, so you're not alone in this. I put the pants on the pantser, I swear. It's like OOOOH... SONG LYRICS! And away we go, no point, no plot, no end in sight. It's a fun ride though, eh? The trouble is, if you have no idea where you're headed, it's hard to get there sometimes.
Yes, that too! I had one story I started and put down... only to come back to it three years later. I did finally finish it, but man, I was lost. But definitely - this would be a great use of One Note. Open ON, create a new notebook, name it, create a chapter for characters, places, whatever, and add pages as you go along. It's really easy to use and helpful for us scatterbrained individuals. LOL
Definitely, the research has got to interest me or I wind up going way off point. Was looking for something one day and wound up discovering how to distill mescaline (a hallucinogenic drug) from a cactus... I did work it into the story, but still. Not what I mean to look for. Hey, being vague can work too, doesn't bog the reader down with details or set you up to be picked apart if you get something wrong, right?
You are so welcome and I agree. I love to talk about this thing we do and most people I know barely read, let alone write. Know what I mean?