angelgazing | where lovely girls go

Arg. Arg and further arg.

I had this conversation typed up last night, finally, after hours of fighting with it. I had the conversation, and it said nothing, of course, but underneath it it said everything. And there were hints and coldness and other various things that it needed. That made it work. You know?

And, naturally, my computer crashed and it was gone. Gone. And now I'm staring at the place where it should be, and it's not there and the replacement doesn't fit right. It doesn't say the same thing at all.

I know that there are people who do outlines and lots of drafts and such, and I'm just so very much not one of them it's sad. Nine times out of ten I go in with nothing more than a vague idea of where I want it to end up, so I'm just along for the ride. And it's hard for me to understand the Outline people, but harder for me to understand the Drafts people.

Because I may go through 100 versions of a first sentence or a first paragraph, but the truth of the matter is, that most times, when I finally manage to get the story started, I don't go back, I don't change things, I don't add things in. I start it and I keep writing until I think, 'okay. Okay, it's done.' There's often very little actual story difference between my first, rough draft, and what you see.

So please, tell me dear f-list, where do you fall? Are you a Drafter? An Outliner? A Fly-By-the-Seat-of-Your-Pantser?

Do you ever wish you could be the other thing?

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I outline, and then I outline the outline, and then I do character arcs within outlines. I do this because I've often fallen in love with the beginnings and settings of books and TV shows, only to find out that that was all the creator had planned, and it all eventually begins to unravel and/or turn into a rambly mess, especially if the creator can't let go of the characters. I also like the richness that can be added throughout a story by knowing what's going to happen. Although planning closes possibilities of plotting (and it's good to remain flexible), it really opens up the storytelling within that planned story.

lmao See, I could never go through and do that. Even one outline makes my head hurts. Besides the fact that, nine times out of ten, when I go to write a story of any actual length starting out, I do it because it's an idea that I have to write. Once I do an outline on something like that, it feels like I've written it, and I'm over the urge. If it's not eating at my brain I have a hard time writing it at all.

I'm so very jealous of your outlining, you have no idea. Because it seems somehow just easier. There's no wondering what comes next. There's no frozen inability to move to the next place... Ah, how it'd be nice to be rid of those things...

Besides the fact that, nine times out of ten, when I go to write a story of any actual length starting out, I do it because it's an idea that I have to write.

I definitely understand those writing urges, and being too disciplined with writing can definitely take the muse out of it sometimes. I also write a lot of short stuff (i.e. smut) and poetry that is just spur of the moment whatever. But I'm trying to write a book that I can get an agent to get published, and I want to continue doing that professionally. So, I figure that I have to go about it with a system. Especially so that when I'm not necessarily feeling that muse, I can look at the outline and see what needs to be written. And once I start looking at and thinking about the lists of questions and events and characters, the muse is there. On the other hand, I could never be like Stephen King, who writes a certain number of words per day. I write until I'm satisfied (or until I'm convinced that what I'm writing is crap and have to stop).

I wish I could go without the planning, but I feel as if I would have to be psychic in order to write with the richness of plot that I want.

See, I'd love to write a book to be published. I want to launch a fandom. I want to walk through a bookstore and see mine on the shelf, or, even better, being purchased.

Sadly, I don't have the discipline. I write more for style than structure. And I cannot plot to save my life. It's really kind of tragic, so my hat's off to you.

I'm like you actually, but that's mostly 'cause I'm a one-shot kind of gal. I get an idea in my mind (a very abstract one, mind you) and start building something from there, making it up as I go along. If I'm having problems with one part, I skip it and write the next scene, and when I'm done I only spell chek and look all of my not-so-sure words (the bane of not being a native english speaker) and think of a title.

But yeah, I don't ever do outlines; but the first line and the last one are always the most difficult. That and dialogue. Dialogue is evil!! XD

Ps. Sorry about your computer, mine used to give up on me all the time too.

Well, that's a fair assessment. lol I can't remember the last time I wrote something that wasn't a one shot. The last time I split something up into parts it was just because LJ wouldn't post it as one. I think the only place we really differ is, you know, it's extremely rare that I write the next part and then go back. I have to look up words all the time too, but I don't get a decent excuse of this being my second language. :p (Though, honestly, I never would've been able to tell that you weren't. Ever.)

Dialogue is evil. It's so tricky, too, and I don't like it.

I like it only slightly more than plot.

One-shots are the nicest things ever aren't them? Though, honestly, I never would've been able to tell that you weren't. Ever.) Oh, thanks, that's one of the best compliments I can get XD

And plot is shiny and bright and beautiful! But yeah, tricky as hell.

Plot is evil. Plot is... always plotting against me, man! It hates me! Hates me!

In unrelated news, I've got no idea why I've suddenly started adding "man" to odd sentences. Huh.

Hah. Three guesses which one of them I am. That is correct; you may give yourself a coconut. I am, indeed, a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pantser. Again, probably because I'm a one shot sort, too, and also because plotting is not my friend (is, in fact, my sworn and most hated enemy).

I don't know. Sometimes it's fun just writing and seeing where you end up, but sometimes I see other people talk about how they draft, and the characters just talk to them, and they outline, and the characters talk more to them, and make them revise the previous outline, and I think maybe I'm doing something not quite right. I don't think I have it in me to do anything else, though.

But I don't like coconut. I, in fact, feel that coconut my be further down on my list of likes than Tom Cruise and Plot. Frankly, I demand a better prize.

Now, see, to what is usually a frighteningly large degree, the characters do lead my story where they will. Out of nowhere I'll scroll up and realize that Sirius was agreeing, and so I don't need much of this mess. It's a thing, I suppose. The Absence of Truth went on so very, very long because Rusty wouldn't let it end. He kept avoiding conversations they should be having in favor of the ones they shouldn't. All of a sudden, they were staying in Texas longer, and making out in parking lots. I was ready to kill him by the time it did get to a place like over.

Though I think for that story, really, my usual way of "okay, I will do something vaguely like this and just hope it ends up somewhere--OMG HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?!" Since, you know, that's what was going on for Danny and Rusty too.

wow that really sucks. If you were writing it in Word, didn't you get one of those rescued document things? I'm so sorry that had to happen to you. Evil computer. *kicks it for you* hmm I hardly ever write but when I do I am a Fly-By-the-Seat-of-Your-Pantser but then again I also do multiple drafts because usually the first time round, it's not very good and then I go back and add things on. I envy people who can actually plan and have ideas and plot and stuff.

where lovely girls go

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