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In this issue:
Pantsing vs Plotting
Writing Prompt
WWT Tool Kit Craft Card
Pantsing vs Plotting
I got a new book idea this week.
It came to me while I was watching something, if I remember correctly. But for the life of me I can’t remember what. You know how it is, when the idea hits you and then all of a sudden you’re up and looking for pen and paper and you don’t remember anything at the moment except the idea, and hurry, hurry, write it all down before it fades away!
Right away, my mind started figuring out the four-part arc. Then I figured out the logline, and the negation of the negation, and most of the nutshell.
But, Meg, you might be saying. Aren’t you practicing writing into the dark these days?
Yup, I am. But I’ve been thinking about it, and I guess I don’t see these things as mutually exclusive. When you’re starting from nothing, yeah, it makes sense to pants. When the idea hits you before you start writing, and you engage with it by writing it down, more ideas just kind of show up. Me? I write those ideas down, too.
But I still have no idea how the idea will end. I’ve got the gist of the what, but I’ve got no idea about the how. And although I’ve had some scenes pop into my head, I’m writing them down as scene bits, with the dialogue and action and whatnot, instead of doing what I used to do which was to make a list of scenes that still need to be written, with descriptions of what’s done and said. (We’ll see how that works out.)
And I’ve been asking for this, to be honest. I’ve been wanting to receive a new idea. I’ve been wanting to try writing into the dark a story that’s already somewhat contained. I love the spark of a new book idea—more than I love writing into the dark with nothing, that’s for sure. Writing into the dark is fun, too, don’t get me wrong. And I love knowing that even if I don’t have an idea, I can still do that. It’s all fun. But the new book idea? Love.
I thought I might write the new idea right away. Like, put the current project on the break it seemed to want to be on anyway and write the new one. But that hasn’t happened yet. I’m still plugging away on the current one. I’ve got a bunch of stuff to do coming up later in the month, and it would be a very good thing if I could get the current story done before then. That’s a lot of words per day, but it would be really nice to just have it done. I think the creative mind agrees, because she’s still writing the current story even as she flows bits and pieces of the new story at me.
So, Meg, does that mean you’re outlining?
I’m not. And I went to look at some of my pre-writing work on my old stories, and I noticed that I never really outlined the whole thing anyway. I’d figure out the beginning in some detail, and I’d figure out the general sense of things in all four parts, but the details got fewer and fewer toward the end of the outline.
So no, I’m not outlining. But this time I’m making that choice consciously instead of telling myself I’m outlining and then crapping out and just starting before the outline is done.
I am doing some research for the new story, though. And that’s a lot of fun, especially when I’ve got a context to read for, so I know better what’s usable and what’s just interesting.
And I’m having fun. That’s the most important thing.
Writing Prompt
Character: THE MOTHER
Light Attribute: Nurtures and protects. Represents unconditional love and abundance.
Shadow Attributes: Smothering and overbearing, leading to the suppression of others’ independence. Martyrdom.
Setting: A lush, walled garden.
Object: A worn silver locket, a basket of ripe berries, an antique watering can.
Emotion: VULNERABLE. Exposed, sensitive, open to emotional harm.
WWT Tool Kit Craft Card
As mentioned before, I’m making a deck of craft cards to quickly remind myself of techniques while also having a convenient place to keep track of elements like character, conflict, and theme specific to each story. This week’s card is story steps in The Nutshell Technique:
Thank you for reading!
I hope this helped you, and I hope your writing goes well this week.
Keep at it,
Megan
WritesWithTools
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