Taking notes

[gauchecritic]

I had an idea for a story today whilst I was at work.

Normally I just continue thinking about it for a long while, scenes, characters, where it's going and stuff.

This story is Sci-fi, it has complicated and scientific things in it. The main theme is reflected in the sub-theme and vice versa. (I'm not entirely sure which is which)

There is conflict, there is resolution (of a kind) there is mystery, there are characters and relationships.

There are 130 words, 14 sentences and 8 paragraphs.

So I mailed it to myself. Now I don't know what I'm supposed to do with it.

Do I just keep it as an idea and work on it in my head as usual, keeping the notes for reference?

Do I expand the notes, putting in more detail?

Do I use the notes as the actual basis and start with the first sentence and fit the rest of the story into it, between the lines?

I haven't written a story this way before. What do you do?

Gauche

 

[CharleyH]

There are 130 words, 14 sentences and 8 paragraphs.

I'd go quantum . . .

 

[gauchecritic]

Re: Re: Taking notes

I'd go quantum . . .

Quantum is only a minor time travel aspect.

GaucheIf you don't know the answer just say so

 

[dr_mabeuse]

I've heard of a technigue called "writing from the inside out" in which you start with an outline and make it more and more detailed and keep on fleshing it out until you have a story, but I've never tried that.

To tell you the truth, Gauche, I have no idea. I don't work from outlines or notes, and if I did write down the idea for a story it would probably be because I didn't want to forget I'd had the idea in the first place, not because I couldn't remember the details. Once I have a story idea, I usually play with it a lot in my head until I get something firm enough and interesting enough to write, and then I start writing it. I figure the rest of the story out while I'm writing.

It kind of sounds to me like you're not especially blown away by your idea. Either that or it didn't present itself in story form. It sounds like you haven't quite got a grip on it yet? Not quite sure what to tell you.

---dr.M.

 

[Guest]

Normally I just continue thinking about it for a long while, scenes, characters, where it's going and stuff.
Do I just keep it as an idea and work on it in my head as usual, keeping the notes for reference?
Do I expand the notes, putting in more detail?
Do I use the notes as the actual basis and start with the first sentence and fit the rest of the story into it, between the lines?
I haven't written a story this way before.

Gauche, I go along with Mab. You seem to have done very well with your 'normal' thinking about it. Something caught your mind's eye or you would not have written the notes and sent them to yourself. You seem to know what to do next (answers are in your questions above), but whether you will remains to be seen, at least by you. Me? I'd presume the note-taking was necessary due to being at work, but I'd continue in my head and then start writing when my head tells me it's time. I don't think I've said anything substantial here but I'll post anyway.

best, Perdita

 

[Weird Harold]

Do I just keep it as an idea and work on it in my head as usual, keeping the notes for reference?

Do I expand the notes, putting in more detail?

Do I use the notes as the actual basis and start with the first sentence and fit the rest of the story into it, between the lines?

Any of these options will work.

Personally, I'd go with the third choice to start with. Just edit each of your eight paragraphs, expanding each concept with more details until you have your eight chapters finished.

 

[Liar]

I've heard of a technigue called "writing from the inside out" in which you start with an outline and make it more and more detailed and keep on fleshing it out until you have a story, but I've never tried that.

That is exactly how I mostly write. However, the pieces I write are often quite long, novels and stageplays. So I start with a synopsis, flesh it out with interresting lines and things as tthey pop up in my head and sit down to make a section structure (often chapters or scenes). After that, I take ch1, and write it. If I don't feel like it, I then take ch3 instead of 2 and patch up the little pieces in between as I go along.

So Gauche, it might be a good way for you too, but you know, you can't really tell until you've tried it. I got the idea from a teacher at a creative writing course a few years back. I thought it sounded just plain bonkers. But it is writing all the damn text that is tediuos, not making up the story. And they are, to me, two very different things. So it was a blessing to separate the two this way.

I say give it a shot. Take your mailed outline, make a roadmap of checkpoints, and fill in the gaps. If it doen't work for you, try something else.

#L

 

[Raging Whoremoans]

I find writing from notes to be restrictive and stifling.

I wouldn't abandon the story idea at all and would love to see it if you decide to pursue it.

I normally write straight from a central idea and embellish as I go along, but it might be nice to have the chronology of paragraph ideas to begin with. I'd probably combine your idea of beginning with the first sentence (if you're happy with it) and letting go for the first few full paragraphs. If, when you refer back to your rough sketch, you're happy with the direction it's going and seems to be following your original ideas, chuck the sketch and roll on. If you're not happy with the flow or direction, you could try the idea of going one paragraph at a time, according to your notes, and simply elaborate.

Just a thought.

~ R W

 

[Guest]

I've heard of a technigue called "writing from the inside out" in which you start with an outline and make it more and more detailed and keep on fleshing it out until you have a story, but I've never tried that.

...

---dr.M.

I've tried doing that with my latest story, and I just can't get into it. It's quite a complex story and I knew of certain events, which had to happen, and the complexities of the characters, their conflicts and resolutions, and so on, so I wrote some notes, and tried to build the story from there. I've tried fleshing it out and adding and adding, and tweaking, but I still can't get into it. That's something I never do, not even when writing a novel. I love to just sit and write and let the creativity flow. But, I'm also feeling a bit experimental, and that particular technique doesn't work. Not for me, anyway. It could well work for you, though Gauche.

Give it a try, and see what happens.

Lou

 

[Seattle Zack]

Gauche, I've never writen from notes, or outlines, or anything so structured ...

But some of my best stuff (or, at least, the meager outpourings I've had the most success selling) has sprung from a single concept ... an almost fully formed story, dropped into my mind, begging to be written.

Gently introduce the "notes" you've already written down and use them as ideas ... casually reject the "structure" you've already created but don't disregard it.

Of course, I could be completely wrong. I usually am. Don't pay any attention to me, is my best advice.

 

[snooper]

I've heard of a technigue called "writing from the inside out" in which you start with an outline and make it more and more detailed and keep on fleshing it out until you have a story, but I've never tried that.

It's used all the time in technical writing, where it is known as "top down".

1 You have a single problem to solve so you write it down. For us that means an idea.
2 You break it down into its next level components. Those eight paragraphs.
3 You take each paragraph, in any order you choose, and start again breaking it down as though it were the step one idea. Expanding those paragraphs.
4 This process continues until there are no more sub-ideas capable of further expansion. The publisher starts to tear it apart at this point.

I write all my books like that, but I know it doesn't work for everyone, especially not the "my characters write my stories" brigade. Of course, some of the original expansions get moved, changed or even dropped in the process of self-editing.