The Power of Organization
I'm trying to get my left brain and my right brain to work together in my writing endeavors. I think I might have hit upon the perfect solution.
The last completed novel I wrote was an exercise in perseverance, dedication, and WHAT NOT TO DO NEXT TIME. I am taking those lessons to heart. I keep remembering all the problems I had just trying to recall what my character's goals, conflicts, and motivations were. That should be simple to do, right? But I hadn't plotted those particular aspects of my novel before I began writing it. I did a lot of other work, but not the most important - which are the GMC's.
After attending a writing conference in Iowa a few weeks ago, some authors handed out very simple charts detailing what each character's GMC's were, the plot turning points in both the plot and the romance, the black moment, the resolution, etc. So I decided to try my hand at it.
After doing a few detailed charts, I can't believe how much better I feel about this novel. I don't feel as though I'm wandering in the dark. Does that make me a pantser or a plotter?
Or...
Am I just being organized?
I think I must be a plotter. I can't just sit down and write without a clear road ahead. Sure, I leave room for lots of things to happen - but I have my points that I have to reach in order to get to the end.
More importantly, I know who my characters are. I had problems with this in the last manuscript I finished and I was bound and determined not to let it happen again.
At any rate, I feel like the path is now smooth and not riddled with lots of bumps and potholes. I'm sure the occasional mudhole will appear, but now that I have my trusty 4Wheel Drive Organization Extraordinaire, I should be able to navigate through them with no problem. :-)
The last completed novel I wrote was an exercise in perseverance, dedication, and WHAT NOT TO DO NEXT TIME. I am taking those lessons to heart. I keep remembering all the problems I had just trying to recall what my character's goals, conflicts, and motivations were. That should be simple to do, right? But I hadn't plotted those particular aspects of my novel before I began writing it. I did a lot of other work, but not the most important - which are the GMC's.
After attending a writing conference in Iowa a few weeks ago, some authors handed out very simple charts detailing what each character's GMC's were, the plot turning points in both the plot and the romance, the black moment, the resolution, etc. So I decided to try my hand at it.
After doing a few detailed charts, I can't believe how much better I feel about this novel. I don't feel as though I'm wandering in the dark. Does that make me a pantser or a plotter?
Or...
Am I just being organized?
I think I must be a plotter. I can't just sit down and write without a clear road ahead. Sure, I leave room for lots of things to happen - but I have my points that I have to reach in order to get to the end.
More importantly, I know who my characters are. I had problems with this in the last manuscript I finished and I was bound and determined not to let it happen again.
At any rate, I feel like the path is now smooth and not riddled with lots of bumps and potholes. I'm sure the occasional mudhole will appear, but now that I have my trusty 4Wheel Drive Organization Extraordinaire, I should be able to navigate through them with no problem. :-)
posted by Melissa Amateis | 1:50 PM
3 Comments:
Hey, whatever works. Just get writing!
I am a big plotter. I have to be organized or else I can't work. And if plotting works for you.... go for it!
I'm a plotter too :-) Always have been. That's why I LOVE FDin30D sooooo much. It meshes with stuff I'm already doing, but gives me even more structure (I thrive on structure *g*).
Good luck with your plotting :-)
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