I can't believe this book is going to be a 'pantser'. Even though I know the elements that need to be included in the plot, I can't 'see' beyond the next scene. At the most, I know what scene I want to end the current chapter being worked on.
ugh.
On one hand that's good, because it forces me to make each scene count re the GMC (goal, motivation, conflict), and then move on without wasting a lot of wordage on filler-type dialogue, narration and description that would drag the pace.
But on the other hand it's very frustrating. And what's worse, I just know that this is going be a *first draft* in every sense of the word. I *will* have to go back and re-write this baby, after a cooling-off period to let things stew. There's just too much I want to do with the various subplots, weaving them together, keeping the pace up, and the balance between story and romance, to think it can be accomplished in the first go round with just polishing left to do.
ugh.
One more 'good thing': I do feel surer of being on the right track with my writing. In the past, I shied away from ideas with plots that seemed a bit too complex. Thinking I didn't have the skill to tackle them. I'd put them in my 'ideas' folder for later--when I felt better equipped to work on them. But I kept getting these ideas that had to be put in that folder. And what's more, found myself bored with story ideas that didn't have enough 'meat' to them.
Thing is, I'll never be good enough if I don't put my developing skills into practice, now. I can always rewrite and revise. Besides a lot of writing is rewriting, and also learning and unlearning, then relearning.
So I'm just going to write this one, learn and unlearn, rewrite and relearn, and maybe, in the end I'll have something publishable...or at the very least, biodegradable. :-)
**Update***
And in one of those unexpected acts of synchronicity, I just hopped over to Alison Kent's blog, where Jo Leigh is a guest blogger and she’s written a post related to what I’ve been nattering on about above. Go check it out.
5 comments:
Pantsing is great! I pants all the time. I've tried plotting, and I do plot some, in broad sweeps, but I love the discovery of leaping into the mist. Get some meds and it'll be fine. LOL.
Suzanne
Suzanne, if I can have your career, they can load me up intravenously. gg
That's all right, Jaq. You can write a first draft and then go back. It's what you did on FSB, and yeah, that was a pain in the butt, but it *worked*. This approach works for you. And you're very conscious of your process and its strengths and weaknesses. And that's a strength in itself.
I think the thing I have the most difficulty with, starting a new book after revising a previous one (which is what you're doing, after all) is that the revised book has depth, because I've revised the depth into it. The new book doesn't have that. And I compare the new with the revised, and the new, while fun, doesn't seem as *good*.
But that's because it hasn't been through the process yet.
You can write in any way you want. Because you can *write*, girl.
And I'm glad you're tackling those difficult ideas, too. ;-)
Hey, if I can 'try' to plot, you can 'try' and pants(er). Because why shouldn't everyone suffer right along with me?
I love pantsing...loveitloveitloveit...
Of course, I also write completely out of order, so what the hell do I know?
*slinks away to go stare at plotting board so she can never be accused of not trying to learn more craft-stuff*
OMG! Are we living parallel lives? Writing parallel books? Sheesh, this struck a cord. Going to my blog to think about this.
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