Plotting and Outlines vs The Panster

This entire week and part of the last has left me short of pulling my hair out. I have come to the understanding that I just might be a panster. At first that scared me, you  know, not having those little pebbles left in my path to follow. However, if outlining holds you back and trips you up is as bad as choosing a rocky path and falling down time and time again. Leaving you bruised and not wanting to continue. So I am throwing all my studies on outlining to the wind for the moment and going PANSTER. Lets see what happens.

So today my goal is to NOT spend all day outlining and actually WRITE. I entire purpose of doing this is to discover what works for ME. I might not be a panster and I just might need an outline, but I know that what I am doing now needs to be tweaked! So if something is not working for you….change it…..simple really. It springs to mind the saying by Thomas Edison……”Hell there are no rules…we’re trying to accomplish something.”

HAPPY WRITING

Diving Right In

I am off and with a good start. Last night I began with my first scene of 237 words. Today I was able to add to that scene and begin my next scene with another 261 words.

I still have more plotting and planning ahead of me, but I will never get the experience needed if I don’t dive right in and accoplish something.

I feel good about how the story is beginning, even if it is not following my outline to the ‘ T ‘. Your muse can lead you to interseting plot twists when you give it some slack to work with.

Tonight I hope to accomplish another 500 words and finish my second scene. This will wrap up my prologue. Tomorrow will be all about outlining. I hope to have at least 2,000 words finished by Sunday.

Working Towards My Goal

Today I joined Holly Lisle’s writing blog. She has asked fellow writers, no matter your experience level, to join her at her blog and to write a book with her. I have to say, it really grabbed my attention. Her rules are simple- have fun. And only do this if you really want to. She is not asking you to collaborate a book with her, she is asking you to match her word count with your own work. This is just the thing that I needed. I have begun my book with a count of 237 words, and that was within an hour. Lets see what the second hour brings.

Here is my next step towards making my dream a reality- a step of many to come!

Words to live by……

I often frequent Susan Wiggs blog. She once shared with her readers a saying that I found to be true.

 When she was a teacher, she would instill these words into her students and what great words to live by.

“You don’t have to blow out somebody else’s candle to make yours burn brighter.”

Thanks for sharing Susan.

So You Think You Can Write…..

Was the first thought in my mind when I sat down to flesh out my heroine and her hero and soon found it was not at all easy. When you get right down to it, writing -writing good anyway-is not so easy. Sure, you can learn the terms and the how – to’s, but in the end you have to have the imagination and determination to see this through and succeed.

Now I am coming to understand and respect the work that is demanded of me. I look forward to pushing myself to becoming better each time I sit down to weave my plots and throw conflict in the way of my characters. I have finished creating my main character and she is one tough cookie. Now I need to finish creating her counterpart. So today my tasks are

• finish character planning
• sketch out my rough plot using my goals and motivation and conflict
• decide what secondary characters I will need to compliment my story

So I continue on my way with the first few steps of many to come!

A Quote from Abraham Lincoln

There are so many times when a good quote holds so many answers.

Food For Thought:

 “You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.

You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.

You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.

You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.

You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.

You cannot build character and courage by taking away people’s initiative and independence.

You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.”

…..Abraham Lincoln

Writing the Novel

I have spent the last eight months studying and learning the in’s and out’s of characterization and world building. Its now time to put it all to the test.

For the past two weeks I have had an idea rolling around in my head. I could see a few scenes forming and some dialogue. Now, that idea has blossomed and I am ready to sit down and thoroughly plan it out. 

Tonight my tasks include :

1. working out my story outline

2. fleshing out my hero and heroine 

I know these two task will take me at least two – three days of planning ………so, here the road to writing my novel begins! The first step of many to come!