On assignments where we had to turn in an outline, I wrote the paper first, then made an outline of it.

I think we have an over-achiever in here tonight! Writing an outline and a paper at the last minute is a time honored tradition.

beathen is me!

TIME honored tradition. There is no other way.

I learned how to do that 3 x 5 card outline (and to procrastinate) in the 7th grade. Can't produce a paper any other way!

And honestly? The ones I pulled out of my orafice at the last minute always turned out the best.

Oh, I was all about the last minute. It was almost a matter of pride to see how close I could cut it without turning in the paper late or allowing my grade to suffer.

Which just means I've had to completely retrain myself now that I'm self-employed. No one gives me a deadline on a novel, and you can't write a 400-page novel on one burst of adrenaline like a 10-page paper.

you can't write a 400-page novel on one burst of adrenaline like a 10-page paper.

There's no comparison here. Writing a 400-page novel is something you (hopefully) like and/or want to do. Papers for school - those you are forced to do and doing them at the last minute always forces you to be clever and not over-write it.

No one gives me a deadline on a novel

Next Wednesday. Go.

Next Wednesday. Go.

t thwaps P-C

I think I'll stick to my existing self-imposed 8/31/05.

::pulls up a chair to watch the marathon novel writing:: Popcorn anyone?

Haven't I heard stories of novels flying out of people?

I guess one can become like Michael Palmer, or Anne Rice where all you have to do is the Mad Libs version of novel writing.

Create an originally compelling structure, then just change the names/sex of specific characters...drop them into a different generic city...juggle the disease/crime/kink that vexes the central plot bunnies and voila! Instant best seller...just add water!

Aaah. Disregard my petty criticism...I'm just jealous.

Create an originally compelling structure, then just change the names/sex of specific characters...drop them into a different generic city...juggle the disease/crime/kink that vexes the central plot bunnies and voila! Instant best seller...just add water!

I'm a fan of historical romance novels and there are about three general plots that get slightly restructured for names and places.

1) Guy falls for headstrong virgin/widow who has determined not to marry but woos her to agreement.
2) Girl falls for guy who is totally clueless and it takes girl being in peril for guy to know that he loves her.
3) Girl and guy fall for each other but guy won't admit it, he drives her away, she gets engaged to someone else which drives guy into a rage and tricks her into marrying him and woos her back to him.

I can read a 400-page novel like these in about three days. It's lots of fun.

I'm just jealous

Me too.

I'm happy to say that the wip doesn't really match any of beathen's three plots, though it has small traces of #1.

(Which is not to say that there aren't great books with all those plots, just that I like to twist the usual plot devices around a bit before I use them.)

Beathen's list missed #4: the compromising situation.

Also, #5: The Arranged Marriage.

It occurs to me, as I attempt to go through and clear out my things, that I've read into the thousands of romance novels, especially Regency historicals, since I started reading the things at 13. Many (probably about 90%) I've owned. And I wonder why I don't have any space anywhere.