Finish Him - Flawless Victory!

[Thabes]

FTDS's (FinishTheDamnStory) contributions make me smile.

But it brings up a question for me... I sit down and halfway mount my muse and start a really fun story just to write. But, I don't have an ending. The last thing I want to do is force one because my plot isn't concrete at all - I establish great characters and spend the time to develop them over a couple of chapters but I'm not really working toward any specific goal.

I suppose it turns into more of a chain story than anything else at that point.

My question is, do most authors write with a preconceived plot? It certainly seems like it would be stronger, but half the fun of writing for me is the creation process as I move along. Having a predetermined end would make it a chore of just adding fluff.

(no, I haven't submitted a story for years, but I'm working on a few now and keep deviating from the endings I envisioned)

 

[sr71plt]

I have something preconceived when I start to write even if it changes.

And I don't inflict half-finished stories on readers. If I can't finish it before posting, that's just tough on me.

 

[PennLady]

I usually have an idea and the outlines of a plot. Often what I have is a beginning and an ending, and an idea of how to get between them, but filling in those blanks can be difficult.

I have taken a while, sometimes, to finish a story, but I've never not finished a story. My intention going forward is to be done before posting, or so close that all I'll need is a final read or something like that.

You don't have to go with your "original" ending, either. There are no story police who are going to come get you if you don't. You may think that X ending will work, only to find as you go along that everything is going in a different direction and so you go to Y ending instead.

You say that a "predetermined" ending would take the fun out of it for you -- for me, not having an ending to shoot for would make it impossible to get very far. I need that goal to work towards.

 

[Thabes]

Even when writing longer, multi-part stories?

My issue is that I know... <smiling> I just absolutely and unquestioningly know with certainty that I'll have a fantastically wonderful and perfectly knotted ending each time I begin a new story without a plan. And as proof, I think it actually happened once while I was in college. <sigh>

But, I hear ya. Better to plot than to pray. Works with vengeance and vendettas I've learned through other mishaps. Better to apply what we've learned.

 

[Tx Tall Tales]

I found my longer stories come about one of three ways:

1) Fully fleshed out and plotted (none longer than 5 chapters)

I try to write these completely before submitting. They tend to do better. Readers will still ask for continuations. My story The Last Boy Scout is like this. One weekend scenario, fully fleshed out, with a clear ending. I've had literally hundreds of requests to continue it.

2) "Soap Opera" Stories - character and situation driven

These get written when I feel the urge. Obviously not as satisfying to readers. My 29 chapter CvsN and 13 chapter Blackmail Tale are of these type. They drag on for years, but it hasn't effected the scores much, if at all. Pool Payments and Sis-in-Law Incentives were this type, and were finished after 12 chapters. One took 4 months to complete, the other about 10 weeks. Pool Payments went faster because the chapters were much shorter.

3) Stories that were never meant to be multi chapter

These are the hardest. Write a story and I let the readers convince me to expand it. Two Moms, Two Laps is my best example of this. Completing a plot and outline while trying to build to as satisfying conclusion, while the readers pound on me for not finishing faster. I'm really going to have to try to avoid these in the future.

 

[RoyceConnors]

I usually have a beginning and an end in mind and develop the story in between as I write. I have a problem getting to the end sometimes, the story keeps writing itself.

 

[Thabes]

Again, great tips!

I think I've been completely convinced to target a full plot, write it in it's entirety (or at least have it fleshed out enough to follow through with), and then post in a timely manner without ever letting the readers hang.

Not quite as fun for me as an author because it makes me trace a pattern and then color by numbers, but if it becomes a better picture in the end? Very much worth it.

 

[Darkniciad]

I usually know where everything starts and where it ends. The characters end up moving me from A->B according to their whims, though. Sometimes B ends up being a block or two off from my original destination as well.

I'm sticking to my decision to never post an unfinished story again. I still have SOTM hanging there and that bothers me almost every single day. It will until I post the last chapter.

 

[PennLady]

Even when writing longer, multi-part stories?

Yes, especially then, maybe. My stories frequently end up longer than I intend or expect. And my goal may be something simple to start with, something as simple as (in a story I wrote a while ago): A shape shifter loses her shifting ability but eventually gets it back.

Then I fill in the rest.

My issue is that I know... <smiling> I just absolutely and unquestioningly know with certainty that I'll have a fantastically wonderful and perfectly knotted ending each time I begin a new story without a plan. And as proof, I think it actually happened once while I was in college. <sigh>

But, I hear ya. Better to plot than to pray. Works with vengeance and vendettas I've learned through other mishaps. Better to apply what we've learned.

Well, as a couple of us have said, just because you pick an end point doesn't mean you can't change it. So you can plot but not be locked in.