Boring shit about writing

[talktooloose]

As minisinoo pointed out recently, writers love to talk about their process but no one is really very interested.

As I get into the second half of my novel (which, hopefully, is actually the second 40%) I have forced myself to do more planning than I did in the first half. To this end, I wrote a planning doc this weekend. The first part of the process was PAINFUL! I wrote headings for each character arc and each relationship arc and then filled in all the details I had in my head and made up new details for areas I was missing.

I hated this process and spent half of the time surfing LJ and porn. I'm not sure exactly why I hated it, but it seemed monstrous, diminishing, stultifying.

However, the second half was tremendous fun. I laid out a grid and began slotting plot into chapters. Suddenly, shapes and structures starting suggesting themselves to me and the world of surprise, which I love when I'm actually writing, suddenly opened up. I realized that a certain chapter would suddenly be from an odd perspective. I realized that a quiet concert scene would offset the saddest of moments.

I love structure and the mechanics of storytelling. Love it, love it. It is the mood and dynamic that makes the world come to life; not the bald list of events.

I can't wait to write the rest of this book.

Comments

[lux-apollo.livejournal.com]

I really need to force myself to start doing that again. I had what I wanted for the first 20 chapters plotted out before things started to grow beyond their size...

You know i enjoy reading about your process. It gives me ideas of things to try to work on mine, smooth out the rough edges and drag the muse back in when she goes out flirting with those *other* guys.

[talktooloose.livejournal.com]

The process is incredibly important, I'm realizing. Now that I have clearer structure ahead of me, important character details and relationship details are becoming obvious. It's astonishing how much of a character arc is time dependent. As an example, I'm suddenly understanding Bobby's character post-X2 and how it interacts with Scott's grieving character because I know just how many chapters I have to develop the tension.

Rather than reigning in the muse, I feel I'm putting a corral around her in which she can perform the most astonishing jumps.