Outlines

[DerelictionOfSanity]

My method is to write up a quick&short outline for any work and go with it as long as it works for me. I'll often end up with several different outlines for a story and taking pieces of each (having the outlines helps prevent self-contradiction)

The other way I sometimes work is to have all my main characters fully developed and to be constantly asking myself "What would X do if confronted with a given situation?" The main problem with this method is I sometimes have to scrap certain scenes/characters because it just doesn't flow. At one point I ended up turfing a story entirely because I realized that there was just no way the two characters I had thought up would ever put up with each other for long enough to fall in love.

 

[Dr_Strabismus]

The best-laid plans of mice and men
Gang aft agley.
And leave us naught but grief and pain
For promised joy

Burns

My plans aren't even best-laid, so they Gang eer agley.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

I

Maybe it might help if you write a short story Zoot, which you know has the elements needed for the novel. Sounds like a synopsis to me!

Yeah, actually what I find myself doing a lot is actually writing like a letter or description of the story to myself, which I guess is the same as an outline. For some reason that just helps me think things through.

The funniest part is the tone of voice I often use in my head as I'm writing that letter. It's kind of like an angry grandfather, all blustery and indignant: "What!? But...But.. You mean to tell me he does WHAT?!?! Why that's PREPOSTEROUS!!"

It's funny... I noticed long ago that one of the fun things about writing porn was how it allowed you to keep the scene in your mind for so much longer than just fantasizing did. I suppose the same thing happens in that letter-writing thing too. The very act of writing the story down keeps me focused on it long enough that changes and other possibilities have a chance to present themselves, whereas if I'm just walking along and thinking about it, the ideas come and are gone

 

[CharleyH]

Yeah, actually what I find myself doing a lot is actually writing like a letter or description of the story to myself, which I guess is the same as an outline. For some reason that just helps me think things through.

I buy a notebook for every story I write and then keep notes, write passages, doodle keywords that I love, pen dialogue lines. It helps 'me', anyhow. F. Scott Fitzgerald (I think) kept a wall or board of notecards (those recipe/speech card thingys) and I've always found that fascinating to the point of buying those cards.

Unfortunately, that process didn't work for me. I suppose we all have ways of organizing our narratives, and finding the one that suits each of us is a bit of a process and trick.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

I kind of rely on my faulty memory as a filter. I figure if I have to write an idea down to remember it, then it probably wasn't very good. The good ones stay with me.

Yep. If it keeps coming back, I know I need to write it.

So it's kind of like Meryl Streep's face in that regard.

LOL!

I 100% agree with the SK/Eudora Welty way of writing... it's a very intuitive way of working. I call it following my nose. I'm really no more than a dog on a fox hunt or a pig looking for truffles...

What's worse is a query letter. Have you guys ever messed around with a query letter? These things really have me scared now.

I hate query letters. They're just selling tools... "This is who I am, this is what I've done, this is why you should invest in me and my work..." Ugh. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Necessary evils. The thing I'd suggest is to just inject your personality into the letter as much as you can. They read a million of them, they're all basically the same, for better or worse... so as much of "you" as you can put in there the better. (In terms of tone not personal details... I don't mean tell them all about your new puppy and your kid's college graduation) You'd do well writing a query, I think, Doc... you have an affable but confident air, when it isn't edging toward arrogance... (takes one to know one)