Comments on: On your mark, get set… Pre-plotting basics http://writerunboxed.com/2009/02/10/on-your-mark-get-setpre-plotting-basics/ about the craft and business of fiction Sat, 11 Feb 2012 19:56:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Therese Walsh http://writerunboxed.com/2009/02/10/on-your-mark-get-setpre-plotting-basics/#comment-101580 Therese Walsh Wed, 11 Feb 2009 18:57:27 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/02/10/on-your-mark-get-setpre-plotting-basics/#comment-101580 Hi Lorna, I'm glad you found the post helpful! Maya, good luck with your decision. Maybe ask yourself which you would regret NOT pursuing? (Maybe one of them already has its hooks into you and you don't know it!) ClaudiaV, I have a friend who always inserts research questions for herself (e.g. "Go back later and include information on such and such an opera.") It can help to do that so that you don't disrupt the creative floor. Thanks for the good luck, and right back at you! Hi Lorna, I’m glad you found the post helpful!

Maya, good luck with your decision. Maybe ask yourself which you would regret NOT pursuing? (Maybe one of them already has its hooks into you and you don’t know it!)

ClaudiaV, I have a friend who always inserts research questions for herself (e.g. “Go back later and include information on such and such an opera.”) It can help to do that so that you don’t disrupt the creative floor. Thanks for the good luck, and right back at you!

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]]> By: ClaudiaV http://writerunboxed.com/2009/02/10/on-your-mark-get-setpre-plotting-basics/#comment-101528 ClaudiaV Wed, 11 Feb 2009 09:30:23 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/02/10/on-your-mark-get-setpre-plotting-basics/#comment-101528 I get very excited when I have new ideas. I have this need to put them on paper right away. For example, this week, in my book, I jumped directly from chapter 21 to 23 cause I was so excited with what was going to happen. In addition, them, I wrote chapter 24. Today I have to tell myself that I need to slow down, get back, and do the 22. I agreed with you about the need of research. In the first book, I did a lot of it but in this one, I have less time. I think I will do that later. For example, if I say that today is new moon, in seven days what kind of moon is it? I think I can put it later and get on with the action. :) Good luck for the second book! Hope you have many wonderful ideas! I get very excited when I have new ideas. I have this need to put them on paper right away. For example, this week, in my book, I jumped directly from chapter 21 to 23 cause I was so excited with what was going to happen. In addition, them, I wrote chapter 24. Today I have to tell myself that I need to slow down, get back, and do the 22.

I agreed with you about the need of research. In the first book, I did a lot of it but in this one, I have less time. I think I will do that later. For example, if I say that today is new moon, in seven days what kind of moon is it? I think I can put it later and get on with the action. :)

Good luck for the second book! Hope you have many wonderful ideas!

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]]> By: Maya http://writerunboxed.com/2009/02/10/on-your-mark-get-setpre-plotting-basics/#comment-101508 Maya Wed, 11 Feb 2009 07:23:53 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/02/10/on-your-mark-get-setpre-plotting-basics/#comment-101508 I'm so glad that February is plotting month!! I really want help here... it seems like a lot of advice out there is about SELLING my novel, which I obviously don't need yet. :) I'm in preplotting stages for two different novels, and I'm having trouble deciding which one to pursue... one is more high-concept and a funnier setup, but I'm worried about being able to make it authentic beyond that. The other is not as high-concept, but my life experiences feed into being able to make it more real. Ah, decisions!! I’m so glad that February is plotting month!! I really want help here… it seems like a lot of advice out there is about SELLING my novel, which I obviously don’t need yet. :) I’m in preplotting stages for two different novels, and I’m having trouble deciding which one to pursue… one is more high-concept and a funnier setup, but I’m worried about being able to make it authentic beyond that. The other is not as high-concept, but my life experiences feed into being able to make it more real. Ah, decisions!!

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]]> By: Lorna Suzuki http://writerunboxed.com/2009/02/10/on-your-mark-get-setpre-plotting-basics/#comment-101473 Lorna Suzuki Wed, 11 Feb 2009 02:59:38 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/02/10/on-your-mark-get-setpre-plotting-basics/#comment-101473 I never gave the pre-plotting process much thought. I just did it. Until reading your article, Therese, I never realized all the steps I took before I wrote a story was referred to as pre-plotting. (Mind you, I never had the opportunity to take creative writing workshops until recently.) I just thought I was taking the necessary steps a novice writer like me took to keep the story on track, to keep my writing organized and to keep me from getting confused! After reading your article, it was comforting to know I'm on the right track. Thank you for explaining the process in a concise manner that is understandable to aspiring writers and a great reminder for more experienced authors to pay attention to these details that can help simplify the writing process. There are some wonderful tips here! Thank you! I never gave the pre-plotting process much thought. I just did it. Until reading your article, Therese, I never realized all the steps I took before I wrote a story was referred to as pre-plotting. (Mind you, I never had the opportunity to take creative writing workshops until recently.) I just thought I was taking the necessary steps a novice writer like me took to keep the story on track, to keep my writing organized and to keep me from getting confused!
After reading your article, it was comforting to know I’m on the right track. Thank you for explaining the process in a concise manner that is understandable to aspiring writers and a great reminder for more experienced authors to pay attention to these details that can help simplify the writing process. There are some wonderful tips here! Thank you!

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]]> By: Therese Walsh http://writerunboxed.com/2009/02/10/on-your-mark-get-setpre-plotting-basics/#comment-101455 Therese Walsh Tue, 10 Feb 2009 23:56:07 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/02/10/on-your-mark-get-setpre-plotting-basics/#comment-101455 Thea, that's a great way to do it, and nobody tells a story like you do. Kath, I love the idea of moodscapes! Thea, that’s a great way to do it, and nobody tells a story like you do.

Kath, I love the idea of moodscapes!

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]]> By: Kathleen Bolton http://writerunboxed.com/2009/02/10/on-your-mark-get-setpre-plotting-basics/#comment-101430 Kathleen Bolton Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:33:09 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/02/10/on-your-mark-get-setpre-plotting-basics/#comment-101430 Thanks for the shoutout, Feywriter Mary! It sounds weird, but I do moodscapes in the pre-plotting part. Certain scenes pop in my head and they evoke a certain mood, and I tinker and tinker until I get the right feeling down. Maybe that's why my drafts are such a mess initially, LOL. :-( Great tips, Therese! Thanks for the shoutout, Feywriter Mary!

It sounds weird, but I do moodscapes in the pre-plotting part. Certain scenes pop in my head and they evoke a certain mood, and I tinker and tinker until I get the right feeling down.

Maybe that’s why my drafts are such a mess initially, LOL. :-(

Great tips, Therese!

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]]> By: thea http://writerunboxed.com/2009/02/10/on-your-mark-get-setpre-plotting-basics/#comment-101414 thea Tue, 10 Feb 2009 17:20:21 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/02/10/on-your-mark-get-setpre-plotting-basics/#comment-101414 I do dream work on stories. I do a lot of intense visualization at night, before bed, to world build. Sometimes I will dream about my whole story. I do dream work on stories. I do a lot of intense visualization at night, before bed, to world build. Sometimes I will dream about my whole story.

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]]> By: Therese Walsh http://writerunboxed.com/2009/02/10/on-your-mark-get-setpre-plotting-basics/#comment-101403 Therese Walsh Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:53:21 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/02/10/on-your-mark-get-setpre-plotting-basics/#comment-101403 Thank you for the award, Feywriter Mary! Something popped into my head as I was reading your comment re: grounding the story through scene fragments. I do that, too, but I also use music to help set the tone (koff) for whatever I'm writing. I've already honed in on my theme song for book #2. Thank you for the award, Feywriter Mary!

Something popped into my head as I was reading your comment re: grounding the story through scene fragments. I do that, too, but I also use music to help set the tone (koff) for whatever I’m writing. I’ve already honed in on my theme song for book #2.

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]]> By: Feywriter http://writerunboxed.com/2009/02/10/on-your-mark-get-setpre-plotting-basics/#comment-101401 Feywriter Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:44:14 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/02/10/on-your-mark-get-setpre-plotting-basics/#comment-101401 I love the early world building. Expanding on the rules of magic, what types of characters. I also write snippets of scenes that come to me. It really grounds the characters for me. Once I see them in the story, their profiles fill out more easily. I have an <a href="http://marywjensen.blogspot.com/2009/02/first-bling.html" rel="nofollow">Award for WU!</a> I love the early world building. Expanding on the rules of magic, what types of characters. I also write snippets of scenes that come to me. It really grounds the characters for me. Once I see them in the story, their profiles fill out more easily.

I have an Award for WU!

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]]> By: Therese Walsh http://writerunboxed.com/2009/02/10/on-your-mark-get-setpre-plotting-basics/#comment-101397 Therese Walsh Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:15:18 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2009/02/10/on-your-mark-get-setpre-plotting-basics/#comment-101397 Vicky, I often have scene fragments in my head from the beginning, too. They become the touchstones for the whole novel and can inspire me on when things get rough in the drafting phase of things. Vicky, I often have scene fragments in my head from the beginning, too. They become the touchstones for the whole novel and can inspire me on when things get rough in the drafting phase of things.

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