Some writers live to outline. They shudder at the thought of writing without the scaffolding. That would be, gasp, deadly.Other writers love to live dangerously and write by the seat of their pants.
Each method works. And each comes with pros and cons. I’m curious though. How many writers come up with a detailed plot first, and how many focus on characterization before anything else?
For me, I’ll have an idea for a book and jot down notes. Maybe even the logline. I’ll then work on the characterization for the main characters (the protagonist and the key secondary characters). I have an extensive questionnaire, but I also work through a personalizing exercise described in Getting into Character: Seven Secrets A Novelist Can Learn From Actors by Brandilyn Collins. (Check out this post for more info)
It’s during this process that I come up with more ideas for my story. Then I organize my outline based on these. The end product might be different from what I’d first envisioned, but that’s okay. It still works with my logline and the story is way better than what I’d originally planned.
So for me, I definitely have to outline. But characterization comes mostly before plot. Of course, I still need to have some idea of the plot before I start; otherwise, the characters would be all over the place.
What about you? Do you outline? Do you figure out your characters first before the plot? Or do you just jump in and worry about your characters and plot as you write?
ps. This cool picture was created on Photoshop Elements. Now you know what I do when I'm procrastinating.
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12 comments:
Interesting question! I have a basic plot, but things don't fall into place for me until I've got majorly detailed characters. I let them dictate how to get from Point A to B rather than dictating it to them.
This is something that I need to give more thought to. I usually just sit down, open Word, and start typing. The characters introduce themselves if I don't push them. Cool process, if the ideas keep coming.
When things dry out, it gets more complicated. I guess, whether by outlining or by seat of the pants winging it, there is a fair bit of "play" that goes on. For me, that's why first drafts are so rough. It's with revision after revision that I get clarity and can whack away the usless drivel from the main story. :)
My first two novels were 100% Pantster style. It drove me nuts - sitting there having NO SWEET CLUE where the storyline was heading, yet exhilerating at the same time as I was swept away by the characters.
My next two novels however are already plotted, character bio's almost completed and first drafts begun (no, I'm not working on them at the same time ... one is screamig at me first).
I'm hoping this new process will be 'speedier' though.
Characters are what I love most about reading and writing. For me, I will come up with an idea or a vague plot or even just the title for a piece and then I will turn immediately to character. They are what propel me through the story, so before I can even try to be interested in a plot line, I have to make sure I am writing about characters I won't want to turn my back on.
So it seems I'm not the only one who focuses on the characters first. I think most writers agree that their characters develop further as they write their first draft. But that's the beauty of writing, we're allowed to be flexible. ;)
Even while I write my first draft, I find my story and plot develop beyound my original outline. New characters introduce themselves. But I still have my outline to guide me.
Oop! I published that before I corrected my spelling errors. :(
I don't even know why we bother with outlines, but we always do. They're usually irrelevant by the time we hit the second chapter. And for us, we usually start with a concept and then we work hard trying to nail the perfect character to work within the concept. Once we've got that down the plot seems to fall into place.
Good question. I like to spend lots of time on the characters once I have a general story in mind--writing about them individually first then using that to help when the story is being developed.
Great thoughts. I usually get snatches of both character and plot as I'm stewing. I'll jot these down, and when I have a scene in my head, I write it. I don't go in order, and I have no idea what will really happen, until it actually does.
And I don't really know my characters until the rewrite, which is usually months after the first draft. It's a lengthy process for me.
It's never the same for me. I wish I had a system, but when I try to apply what I did to write one story, I find it doesn't work.
It's those characters that keep changing things on me. Drat!
I am definitely a fly by the seat of my pants writer.
I had a vague notion of my characters before I started, but mostly I got to know them as the book proceeded.
Then I went back and put in this personality trait or that one to enrich them.
My plot line unfolds this way to. I've been thinking about writing an outline for my next book. (If I can ever finish this one.) It would be interesting to see if it helps. I already have a bunch of ideas about that one though...since I broke the rule and the next book I write is supposed to be a sequel to this first one. :)
Hi-- I'm new here; think I found you through twitter...
I desperately want to be an outliner. I think I try Snowflake every time, but my tendency to be critical of my own motivation(s) makes it almost impossible for me to nail my characters' motivation without it feeling weird.
So I end up just writing, and eventually the characters get buried by the evidence so I have to admit motivation.
But I don't write outline-free, because so far my stories are based on old tales (2 or 3) or epic poems (1 or 2). So I'm not writing completely blind either.
Did I just say I do both and don't do either?
Sorry.
Guess I'm just introducing myself. Hi.
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