Where I am in the writing process:
I've put aside my Lilith story for the moment to start gearing up for NaNoWriMo. I'm slowly starting to work out a story idea that I'm getting excited about. I've been using the Snowflake method that I linked in a post earlier in the week, although I'm planning on skipping several of the steps that seem repetitive to me.
My current problem:
Procrastination. I'll do a day where I pound out 2400+ words of planning (character sketches, summaries, etc) and then won't type a single thing the next day. It makes it a bit hard to focus sometimes. I did however come up with what I think is a pretty cool title and signature for the forums on the NaNo site:
My question this week:
The Snowflake method has you creating a spreadsheet of every scene in your book, and then writing at least a paragraph about each scene. The creator says you're likely to end up with a 50 page document. That seems like overkill to me, and is one of the reasons I'm adapting the method for me. When do you feel that outlining/planning becomes too much?
Also:
Have you signed up for my Small Packages Blogfest yet? I'm looking for blogs with 300 followers or less to take part in it. Review the guidelines and topic for November and spread the word to others!
7 comments:
Hope you get lots of bloggers for your blogfest!
I should look up that Snowflake method!
I've been brainstorming like crazy for NaNoWriMo. I still haven't checked out the snowflake method, but I think I might give it a try tonight.
Love your banner!
Oh, I suppose if you get tired of the outlining method of choice, then it's too much. I will be gearing up for NaNoWriMo this week as well. Good luck with your writing this week.
I've never liked outlines, but the more I write the more I find them necessary. I wrote the first draft of my current WIP without outlining first...and it was a mess. Characters disappearing or popping up out of nowhere, subplots completely falling off the earth, others coming out of left field. After that draft, I did a loose 5-page outline before starting the rewrite (yes, the first draft was so bad I had to start over from scratch). I still don't love outlines, and I don't know what I'll do for my future novels, but I love letting the writing just take me wherever it will.
I'm afraid if I adopted the outlining-first method, I might end up forcing my characters and plot into places that seem logical at the outlining stage but less organic when I'm in the midst of my novel.
Outlining and planning becomes too much when I've spent forever doing it instead of the actual writing. I've been known to spend a big amount of time planning my novel instead of writing. I'm participating in NaNo also (creativeangel)!
I'm glad I'm not the only one with a love/hate relationship with planning/outlining!
I think I've done as much planning as I will do (which is good seeing how soon it's coming up!).
Good luck everybody!
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