tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post5727001947114691880..comments2024-03-18T21:16:14.441-04:00Comments on Jungle Red Writers: Panicked About Plotting!Jungle Red Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16646429819267618412noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-17356573060835446952018-06-05T00:12:54.625-04:002018-06-05T00:12:54.625-04:00Lucy, your post reminded me of The Armchair Compan...Lucy, your post reminded me of The Armchair Companion to Agatha Christie. I do not know why I was reminded of the book. I remember jotting a few notes with characters' names and which book in the series for an author that I was working several years ago.<br /><br />As a reader, when I read a mystery, I like to read and enjoy the storytelling. <br /><br />I have been trying to write a novel and while I have great ideas, my biggest challenge is writing the dialogue. I write "She said...." "He said..." and it becomes redundant! I want to write sentences that grab your attention.<br /><br />DianaBibliophilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07764234701385787238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-82898797122755710112018-06-04T22:33:32.759-04:002018-06-04T22:33:32.759-04:00Yes, agreed. It always helps. It's kind of am...Yes, agreed. It always helps. It's kind of amazing, Paper! Imagine. xoxHank Phillippi Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07630366214207785339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-36836093391993531102018-06-04T21:48:55.826-04:002018-06-04T21:48:55.826-04:00I was so relieved to read that you all go through ...I was so relieved to read that you all go through what I experience. It takes me the longest time to sit down to write my WIP, which is why it almost always gets done late in the day. And when I start, I discover after writing a few sentences that I need information. Most recently this necessary information was about funerals: services, wakes, etc. Are "visitings" and wakes held over the weekend? And so it goes. Amazing that our books get written. Marilyn Levinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10424778692932139865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-49721340142076809622018-06-04T17:37:15.370-04:002018-06-04T17:37:15.370-04:00When I was working for a bank, some new employees ...When I was working for a bank, some new employees required more reassurance than others. They felt they weren't doing things correctly. Later they were all promoted. That angst was because they cared about the job. Thank you for caring about writing.Sally from PAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03649707016754971847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-24112397425585881772018-06-04T16:20:33.818-04:002018-06-04T16:20:33.818-04:00I agree. I've planned and not-planned and done...I agree. I've planned and not-planned and done both and there's just as much angst, just in different places. What I wish I could do is write fast but I can't keep myself from second-guessing myself, going back and making minor and major course corrections. But misery LOVES company so it's so nice to know that I'm not alone in my insanity. Hallie Ephronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04759439029582054503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-52050096335015661412018-06-04T15:21:28.173-04:002018-06-04T15:21:28.173-04:00Lucy, you know I go through this every time, right...Lucy, you know I go through this every time, right? The worst part is now I am going through it with a second draft--convinced I've destoyed the story. That's a first for me.<br /><br />My friend Jessie Crockett is a plotter and we might envy them, but she says during the outlining she goes through all the same stuff--the sighing, the renting of garments, the opening of the refrigerator and finding the same unappealing stuff that was there the last time. It's all just compressed into a one month period instead of a six-month period.Barb Rosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16470220932617188498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-77497882050782805502018-06-04T15:16:14.667-04:002018-06-04T15:16:14.667-04:00Julia--a college writing teacher at AWP told how o...Julia--a college writing teacher at AWP told how one of his students wrote a lovely coming of age story about the inevitable breakup of high school sweethearts mid-first semester in college, with poignant dialogue--and then a space alien comes and eats them! Clearly the poor kid had no idea how to end the story. The author was a college freshman, but I still feel that way sometimes.Barb Rosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16470220932617188498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-42590927560449659972018-06-04T15:15:35.667-04:002018-06-04T15:15:35.667-04:00I'm with Jenn -- planner/plotter, so I general...I'm with Jenn -- planner/plotter, so I generally know what's going to happen when I start writing the actual sentences, but the panic still does occur, in the outline process. (Which sounds so much more linear than it really is!) I take great comfort in the late Sue Grafton's story, which I heard her tell more than once, about freaking out mid-book, telling her husband she couldn't do it, yadda yadda, and he'd tell her she said the same thing last time, and she'd check her book journal and sure enough, but THIS TIME it was really true and he'd tell her she said that then, too. And all the way to Y that way. So, apparently, this IS the creative process!Leslie Budewitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11942314846112875042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-65794636627698988562018-06-04T15:15:33.851-04:002018-06-04T15:15:33.851-04:00Ingrid and Debs - that saying is a godsend when I&...Ingrid and Debs - that saying is a godsend when I'm bogged down or when I have a crazy day where all I can get to is a single scene.<br /><br />Lucy, Scapple is made by the same folks who make Scrivener. You start with a blank canvas. Click anywhere to create a text box; I jot down ideas for plot points. Then you can drag one box to another and it draws a dotted line between the boxes to show that the points are related. That way, I can do a progression of ideas from A to B to C - and if I find that plot point C also relates to plot point E, I can draw that connection. Once that is done, I have a lovely spaghetti mess of boxes and ideas, but I can visualize the relationships.<br /><br />You can drag the boxes from Scapple into Scrivener to create scene cards, but I haven't done that yet.<br /><br />And yes, it was such an epiphany when my partner said, "Your first draft is your outline." It makes sense. I don't really know where the story is going until that is done, same as a more "traditional" outline.<br /><br />Mary/LizLiz Millironhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04919409969263609919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-81204060116860028482018-06-04T14:13:35.227-04:002018-06-04T14:13:35.227-04:00Kristopher, I think the same thing when I start wr...Kristopher, I think the same thing when I start writing a new review, and then sometimes I think that maybe I just don't have it in me anymore. Thank goodness for the great books that do in the end inspire me to keep writing.Kathy Reelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17004247271452356577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-28639658332575543252018-06-04T11:52:28.772-04:002018-06-04T11:52:28.772-04:00You are all so encouraging! Now, I'm going to ...You are all so encouraging! Now, I'm going to go put some of that advice to use...Deborah Crombiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16988750789088153601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-15153391816533467022018-06-04T11:49:27.988-04:002018-06-04T11:49:27.988-04:00Yes, Hank, that's the sort of thing I was talk...Yes, Hank, that's the sort of thing I was talking about. Sometimes I just have to work it out on a piece of paper. It's a different brain pathway, maybe.Deborah Crombiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16988750789088153601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-28975724632237947162018-06-04T11:47:21.408-04:002018-06-04T11:47:21.408-04:00Julia, congrats on Youngest's graduation, and ...Julia, congrats on Youngest's graduation, and you must be so proud as well that she's volunteering for a candidate.Deborah Crombiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16988750789088153601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-38954809895761529882018-06-04T11:46:22.807-04:002018-06-04T11:46:22.807-04:00Karen, too funny!
Karen, too funny!<br />Deborah Crombiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16988750789088153601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-9685720697495327062018-06-04T11:44:49.686-04:002018-06-04T11:44:49.686-04:00Thank you, Flora. That is such good advice. I only...Thank you, Flora. That is such good advice. I only have the panic attacks when I am NOT actually writing, lol.Deborah Crombiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16988750789088153601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-59315149219678556882018-06-04T11:43:28.439-04:002018-06-04T11:43:28.439-04:00Yes, great idea, Lucy! And Gigi's quilts are g...Yes, great idea, Lucy! And Gigi's quilts are gorgeous:-)Deborah Crombiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16988750789088153601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-49361059651897796222018-06-04T11:41:54.435-04:002018-06-04T11:41:54.435-04:00Mary/Liz, I love that Anne Lamott quote, too.Mary/Liz, I love that Anne Lamott quote, too.Deborah Crombiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16988750789088153601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-25854585603931641902018-06-04T11:02:20.704-04:002018-06-04T11:02:20.704-04:00Oh we all wonder that Cathy, when going gets tough...Oh we all wonder that Cathy, when going gets tough. But stopping rarely helps. Maybe taking a little break. But if goes too long, I find that I lose momentum and have to go back to the beginning.Lucy Burdette aka Roberta Isleibhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04660402177299546055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-77567745678217850142018-06-04T11:01:16.034-04:002018-06-04T11:01:16.034-04:00so glad Karen!so glad Karen!Lucy Burdette aka Roberta Isleibhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04660402177299546055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-3330596101685264312018-06-04T10:58:01.631-04:002018-06-04T10:58:01.631-04:00I often remind myself of the "bird by bird&qu...I often remind myself of the "bird by bird" mantra, Liz! She also talks about starting by just writing enough to fill up a small picture frame. Definitely makes it seem more doable than a whole book!Ingrid Thofthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04063912686011336076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-9216629370774536342018-06-04T10:42:43.471-04:002018-06-04T10:42:43.471-04:00PS Wish I could be there for your New England appe...PS Wish I could be there for your New England appearances. Sounds like so much fun.Trisshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08058396345946250313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-14154847004114906202018-06-04T10:36:40.319-04:002018-06-04T10:36:40.319-04:00No words to tell you all how comforting this is. T...No words to tell you all how comforting this is. Thank you, thank you. There is always, always, midbook panic. Always! What Julia said about the first 30 and last 30 and the slog in between. The WIP has been the worst. (Really) I was on a panel last week with some other local writers I know. The one I have known the longest ( years!) - said something casual about combining characters and I have been stressed ever since.Because she was right and now it's added to my long list of serious rethinking. Panic ensues. But I have to finish a rough draft first. My one and only trick? Write to myself, by hand, asking all the questions. Why..? If this, then what must happen...? What follows? And sooner or later, my moving pen writes something useful ( I hope) Trisshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08058396345946250313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-21277796949293416412018-06-04T10:34:42.201-04:002018-06-04T10:34:42.201-04:00Thank you for the good advice, ladies! DON'T d...Thank you for the good advice, ladies! DON'T do what I do (get frustrated, stop for months -- or years --, and wonder why the heck I want to be a crime fiction writer anyway). Cathy Akers-Jordanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04614155858703731761noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-16953583406637559562018-06-04T10:20:35.700-04:002018-06-04T10:20:35.700-04:00First, congrats on the Sarah Blair series--so exci...First, congrats on the Sarah Blair series--so exciting! I find it amazing that you can procrastinate by writing a short story. For me, those are the hardest of all!Lucy Burdette aka Roberta Isleibhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04660402177299546055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1001156153899984046.post-18559072813540777952018-06-04T10:14:29.667-04:002018-06-04T10:14:29.667-04:00How much do you want to bet celestial plot resolut...How much do you want to bet celestial plot resolutions were the genesis of the science fiction genre? LOLKaren in Ohiohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13846039203123720312noreply@blogger.com