MERRY CHRISTMAS: SEE THE STORY
The title of this blog is a bit misleading. It dosn't have anything to do with the Season, unless you are planning on writing a short story set at Christmas. I'm using the title to wish all who read my blog a Very Merry Christmas, safe and happy travels, and nothing but the best in 2008!
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You have often heard me say I don't waste my writing time creating outlines. But when I think of it again, that might be a little stretch of the truth. When I do begin to write, I want to have some idea of where I'm going with my story. I need to "see" my characters--at least the most important ones. Though I may do many rewrites, edits, even major changes of scenes, I need to know a few things about my story before I begin to write.
What is the goal of my story? What will these characters I imagine are going to tell their story, need or want in order for their tale to be entertaining? What will it take to reach an acceptable conclusion, even one that you and/or my other readers never thought about?
Can I "see" the story's bone structure? I should be able to put this image into words. I need to have some inkling of how the story ends--that's my light at the end of the tunnel. Do I have some scenes in mind? I need to jot those down. Are there to be highly tense episodes, then lulls in the excitement? I had better be able to create a flow of tension, then resolve to a certain point before bringing in the next obstacle. If I can't do that, my readers will quit on me.
If I put down what ideas I do have about my story--scenes, character sketches, beginnings, endings--I have something that very much resembles an outline. I do write outlines--sort of. So, shoot me. I'm a writer of fiction and I lied. Isn't that a part of what makes me, and you too, dear readers, a writer?
Again, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY WRITING IN 2008.
****
You have often heard me say I don't waste my writing time creating outlines. But when I think of it again, that might be a little stretch of the truth. When I do begin to write, I want to have some idea of where I'm going with my story. I need to "see" my characters--at least the most important ones. Though I may do many rewrites, edits, even major changes of scenes, I need to know a few things about my story before I begin to write.
What is the goal of my story? What will these characters I imagine are going to tell their story, need or want in order for their tale to be entertaining? What will it take to reach an acceptable conclusion, even one that you and/or my other readers never thought about?
Can I "see" the story's bone structure? I should be able to put this image into words. I need to have some inkling of how the story ends--that's my light at the end of the tunnel. Do I have some scenes in mind? I need to jot those down. Are there to be highly tense episodes, then lulls in the excitement? I had better be able to create a flow of tension, then resolve to a certain point before bringing in the next obstacle. If I can't do that, my readers will quit on me.
If I put down what ideas I do have about my story--scenes, character sketches, beginnings, endings--I have something that very much resembles an outline. I do write outlines--sort of. So, shoot me. I'm a writer of fiction and I lied. Isn't that a part of what makes me, and you too, dear readers, a writer?
Again, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY WRITING IN 2008.
posted by Barb | 9:07 PM
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