February 20, 2013

The Best Laid Plans: ROW80 Update

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I try to plan my writing. I really, really do.

I write the notes and ideas down. Even try to outline.

Yet, I am the writer that I am. And clearly, I am someone who needs to let the story reveal itself through writing, with some input from the characters. (Yes, my characters tend to have minds of their own.)

When I hear other authors talking about planning, outlining, note cards, etc., it sounds so much more like me. I write out a to-do list every single day and make a pro/con list for every important decision in my life.

But not with writing. No matter how much planning I try to do, my best ideas come to me through the scenes. I read the last chapter I wrote and then start typing. The details simply flow, and I have learned to accept it.

Now, what do I do if an agent asks for an outline? Guess I'll be making one once I'm done writing.

Now it's time for my Wednesday A Round of Words in 80 Days (ROW80) update...


WRITING
My goal: Spend an hour a day writing/planning the Depression Cookies follow-up. My progress: Success. Falling back in love with this book!

My goal: Deep edits and "filling holes" work on Chasing Memories (my NaNo project). 
My progress: Got back the edits on the prologue and chapter one. Will tackle those tomorrow. Can't wait!

BLOGGING
My goal: Post here on Monday, Wednesday & Friday and write some A to Z posts so April is not so overwhelming. 
My progress: Barely got this post up, but keeping my fingers crossed for Friday and a couple of A to Z posts.


READING
My goal: Read two books per week. 
My progress: Reading. Published two reviews already this week on Mom in Love with Fiction. Still need to get the Beautiful Creatures book review up.

4 comments:

Eden Mabee said...

Your writing patterns sounds suspiciously like my own, Tia.

Truly the way characters speak through us is something I always found fascinating,

It's enough to wonder sometime when we read so much about the multiple personality disorders... Are our characters living as other lives within us? Not so much in the disorder sense, but that they are there and real.

Or spirits? Spiritual planes?

All these ideas... Ooh, now there is a blog post. What is a character?

Thank you, Tia, for being an inspiration. And yeah, writing an outline after the fact... sounds like a smart move.

Jo Michaels said...

HAHAHA! I loosely outline and then give my characters free reign :) The Bird shocked the sh*t outta me when it twisted the way it did. I hate detailed plots. Like I've always said, you're my twin! WRITE ON!

Cate Russell-Cole said...

Hi Tia, I found your post really interesting as I am a planner. I guess planning doesn't always work! I tend to think things through in my head before they are put down on 'paper.' Whatever works is great!

Great to see your enthusiasm and progress. Have an awesome week full of flow days.

Julie Glover said...

You're doing great! I say that you use whatever writing method works for you.