That is the question.
Have a story fully outlined, down to the very last scene? Or set off into the unknown, not knowing where you're headed?
Personally, I don't think there's any right or wrong way to write a story. I really don't. It's like art. No one tells a painter which corner of the canvas to start painting on, or how to use their brush. What works for one artist doesn't work for the other. And while there are certain pieces of advice that may or may not be helpful, it's up to each individual to figure out what works for them.
Some might prefer to spend weeks or months getting down the plot, fine-tuning every single scene till it all flows perfectly. Others might prefer to start with a seed of an idea and jump in from there. Others have various combinations of the two opposites above.
Personally, I'm not a huge fan of outlining. I start off with an idea. The spark that sets off the fire in me. From there I get to the end, the main resolution--what I hope my characters will achieve, will learn, how they will grow. It's not always clear-cut from the start. It's often a vague notion. All I know is they learn something and come out a stronger person.
I guess it might go like this:
Step One: Problem
Step Two: Problem Resolution
From there, it's pretty unchartered territory. I may be aware of some key turning points/scenes, which I will jot down in my OneNotes file (for those of you who haven't checked that out in your Microsoft Office folder--DO. It's great for writers.) and keep it in mind for somewhere down the line. Sometimes the scene I'm writing will put the next couple of pieces into place, and I'll have a little more steady ground on which to walk.
There are thousands of ways you can go from Point A (Problem) to Point B (Problem Resolution). I love going on a journey along with my characters to figure that out, not always knowing beforehand what's around the next bend, when we're going to stop for snacks or if we're going to get a flat tire. Sometimes the trip is frustrating, sometimes it's exciting, but it is always, always rewarding. And personally, I love that feeling of being in the unknown, being right there in the car with my characters, trying to figure out the best way to get from Point A to Point B. And even when we're lost and I feel there's no way we're ever going to find the road again, something always comes along and helps us back in the right direction.
Which is only part of the magic that is writing.
Sooo . . . what about you? Do you plot or do you not?
Have a story fully outlined, down to the very last scene? Or set off into the unknown, not knowing where you're headed?
Personally, I don't think there's any right or wrong way to write a story. I really don't. It's like art. No one tells a painter which corner of the canvas to start painting on, or how to use their brush. What works for one artist doesn't work for the other. And while there are certain pieces of advice that may or may not be helpful, it's up to each individual to figure out what works for them.
Some might prefer to spend weeks or months getting down the plot, fine-tuning every single scene till it all flows perfectly. Others might prefer to start with a seed of an idea and jump in from there. Others have various combinations of the two opposites above.
Personally, I'm not a huge fan of outlining. I start off with an idea. The spark that sets off the fire in me. From there I get to the end, the main resolution--what I hope my characters will achieve, will learn, how they will grow. It's not always clear-cut from the start. It's often a vague notion. All I know is they learn something and come out a stronger person.
I guess it might go like this:
Step One: Problem
Step Two: Problem Resolution
From there, it's pretty unchartered territory. I may be aware of some key turning points/scenes, which I will jot down in my OneNotes file (for those of you who haven't checked that out in your Microsoft Office folder--DO. It's great for writers.) and keep it in mind for somewhere down the line. Sometimes the scene I'm writing will put the next couple of pieces into place, and I'll have a little more steady ground on which to walk.
There are thousands of ways you can go from Point A (Problem) to Point B (Problem Resolution). I love going on a journey along with my characters to figure that out, not always knowing beforehand what's around the next bend, when we're going to stop for snacks or if we're going to get a flat tire. Sometimes the trip is frustrating, sometimes it's exciting, but it is always, always rewarding. And personally, I love that feeling of being in the unknown, being right there in the car with my characters, trying to figure out the best way to get from Point A to Point B. And even when we're lost and I feel there's no way we're ever going to find the road again, something always comes along and helps us back in the right direction.
Which is only part of the magic that is writing.
Sooo . . . what about you? Do you plot or do you not?
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