I ALWAYS start a story as notes, scribbled ideas longhand in a notebook. It feels ... more intimate that way, maybe?
Or possibly less committed.
My god...he's gonna do the whole speech.
Buffy ,'Chosen'
The Great Write Way, Act Three: Where's the gun?
A place for Buffistas to discuss, beta and otherwise deal and dish on their non-fan fiction projects.
Amy - Aug 19, 2009 6:58:39 am PDT #2047 of 6690
Because books.
SailAweigh - Aug 19, 2009 7:04:20 am PDT #2048 of 6690
Nana korobi, ya oki. (Fall down seven times, stand up eight.) ~Yuzuru Hanyu/Japanese proverb
Yeah, like it's got a reality besides electrons on my screen. Paper gives it heft and smell and "OMG, I wrote something."
Gudanov - Aug 19, 2009 7:18:31 am PDT #2049 of 6690
Coding and Sleeping
Paper gives it heft and smell and "OMG, I wrote something."
That's what my laser printer is for.
SailAweigh - Aug 19, 2009 7:26:46 am PDT #2050 of 6690
Nana korobi, ya oki. (Fall down seven times, stand up eight.) ~Yuzuru Hanyu/Japanese proverb
Yeah, but I didn't touch it first, the printer did. And printers run out of ink. Plus, the typeset is anonymous. Writing is in my hand.
Huh. Guess I'm a little on the persnickety side about my writing. It might be a kink, even.
Gudanov - Aug 19, 2009 7:28:20 am PDT #2051 of 6690
Coding and Sleeping
I started the story with an outline, but I didn't really use it much. It provided some good milestones for the plot so things didn't wander though. The story morphed a lot as I went along. Then there is the haunting question of whether the wrong character is the main character.
SailAweigh - Aug 19, 2009 7:46:11 am PDT #2052 of 6690
Nana korobi, ya oki. (Fall down seven times, stand up eight.) ~Yuzuru Hanyu/Japanese proverb
Yeah, I don't do outlines, except in research papers. In fiction, I find it's more like chess. I get the first 5-6 steps down to get my strategy lined up, but then there's too many permutations available after that to try writing them out. As long as I get to my final destination, the rest is very mutable.
Then there is the haunting question of whether the wrong character is the main character.
Is the problem really who the main character is or more a problem of POV? Or something you can change with a POV change?
Gudanov - Aug 19, 2009 8:01:24 am PDT #2053 of 6690
Coding and Sleeping
I'd have to make loads of changes to switch and have it worth doing. It would probably make for a better story, but it would also be a lot harder to pull off and maybe beyond my ability to really take advantage of.
If everybody who reads it says, "it was (whatever descriptor) but I think X should have been the main character", then I might have to rethink it.
Connie Neil - Aug 19, 2009 8:01:31 am PDT #2054 of 6690
brillig
I love the Where I Write site, they're surrounded by Stuff too! And Critters!
Beverly - Aug 19, 2009 8:31:56 am PDT #2055 of 6690
Days shrink and grow cold, sunlight through leaves is my song. Winter is long.
Find The Writer's Desk in a used bookstore somewhere and spend some time over the photos. Scroll down for a b/w of Eudora Welty at her desk.
Ginger - Aug 19, 2009 8:58:29 am PDT #2056 of 6690
"It didn't taste good. It tasted soooo horrible. It tasted like....a vodka martini." - Matilda
Writing is in my hand.
Writing is in the tips of my fingers on the keyboard.