Who bounces around when writing their stories? (What's your process?)

[ZfrkS62]

I always seem to start a new story by writing the lines that randomly pop into my head that I think sound awesome even though they're going to end up being in the middle, or near the end of the work.

The last story I completed, started out with a variation of this line in my head as I was swiftly driving home one day with light traffic,

"103mph. He still wasn't aware of her. His hands were completely loose on the wheel. Right hand was even mimicking the fingering of the bassline. She was thankful for the shoulder harnesses as she wouldn't have to hide the excitement poking through her shirt. His eyes were darting between the door mirrors, and head swiveling to scan the gaps in traffic and pick up the next corners, but he never seemed to pick her up in his vision."

It ended up being close to the halfway point in a shifting POV story.

I find myself going back into sections and expanding, tweaking, and rearranging before getting through the story itself. I'm currently on one where I'm blocked from advancing the story, but finding ways to push earlier sections, which will probably cause issues elsewhere. I just ended up deleting a line while I write this post after realizing I have no idea how I was going to make it happen considering where I've gotten already.

I have a hard enough time finishing short stories, I have no idea how you series writers manage it.

 

[MrPixel]

My process is to envision the scene and not write the scene, then concentrate mostly on "how did we get there?" That way the writing for the scene itself is a product of the development. Flows much better that way.

Also, I'm not afraid of the scene becoming something different. Frequently the story takes off on its own and writes itself. That's one of the things that makes story writing so much fun and satisfying.

 

[MelissaBaby]

I always seem to start a new story by writing the lines that randomly pop into my head that I think sound awesome even though they're going to end up being in the middle, or near the end of the work.

The last story I completed, started out with a variation of this line in my head as I was swiftly driving home one day with light traffic,

"103mph. He still wasn't aware of her. His hands were completely loose on the wheel. Right hand was even mimicking the fingering of the bassline. She was thankful for the shoulder harnesses as she wouldn't have to hide the excitement poking through her shirt. His eyes were darting between the door mirrors, and head swiveling to scan the gaps in traffic and pick up the next corners, but he never seemed to pick her up in his vision."

It ended up being close to the halfway point in a shifting POV story.

I find myself going back into sections and expanding, tweaking, and rearranging before getting through the story itself. I'm currently on one where I'm blocked from advancing the story, but finding ways to push earlier sections, which will probably cause issues elsewhere. I just ended up deleting a line while I write this post after realizing I have no idea how I was going to make it happen considering where I've gotten already.

I have a hard enough time finishing short stories, I have no idea how you series writers manage it.

I always write like that. I will often write the ending first, then work toward it. Usually, I will have a well thought out beginning and at least a solid understand of the ending before I type out the first word.

I have used the metaphor of writing a story as taking a journey. I know where I am starting and where I am going, and have a pretty clear road map of how to get from one to other, allowing a few detours on the way. I will very often write pivotal midpoint stops well before I actually arrive at them.

With respect to anyone else's method, I can't see any logical reason why you should write a story straight through from beginning to end. If there are themes or motifs you want to run through your narrative, haven't you put yourself at a disadvantage? If you have recurring supporting characters, doesn't it makes it harder to maintain consistent characterization?

 

[ZfrkS62]

With respect to anyone else's method, I can't see any logical reason why you should write a story straight through from beginning to end. If there are themes or motifs you want to run through your narrative, haven't you put yourself at a disadvantage? If you have recurring supporting characters, doesn't it makes it harder to maintain consistent characterization?

I always imagine novelists having a room full of red strings stretching from wall to wall with flow charts and character maps trying to organize plots, sub-plots and shadow plots. I can barely develop two horn balls enough to get them off.

I think about some of the Doctor Who shadow plots that they managed to keep straight (ie Crack in the Universe that followed the entirety of 11) and wonder how the hell they come up with this stuff AND keep it straight.

 

[ZfrkS62]

I just started editing a 40k word story that started off as a smutty joke of a story but morphed into a lust-filled drama somewhere along the way. The original line that got the characters going is no longer even in the story. Neither is the original plot. The allure of a particular side character can completely overtake a story sometimes.

It's like when the side quest in a video game is better than the game itself.

 

[SeraphNocturne]

Plotter here!

I map out stories in advance with a solid vision in a linear fashion so much that the idea becomes a full on synopsis, and then I write it. It helps me maintain focus and not get distracted, as well as incorporate ideas that I might otherwise lose amongst the ADHD rapid fire thought process I have… I love that I can add in if I like but I believe knowing where I’m going from beginning to end has improved my writing drastically.

When it comes to writing with a series, I’ve got entire documents dedicated to characters and world building to help eliminate continuity errors and things like that.

With stand-alone stories, my process is much the same, but I do find myself on occasion leap frogging through. I’ll write different sections and then piece them together if they sound better in a different order.

 

[SimonDoom]

Plotter here!

I map out stories in advance with a solid vision in a linear fashion so much that the idea becomes a full on synopsis,

I'm a plotter, too, but I think of my method as more three-dimensional than linear. Like building a house. I start with the idea, then develop the characters and plot, kind of like putting up the frame. Then I fill in the rest. I don't work, necessarily, from one side of the house to the other. I might bounce around from this side to that side. I often write the last page of the story long before I write the middle section. I like to know where I'm going and to write with an eye to getting there in an aesthetically pleasing way.

 

[SeraphNocturne]

I'm a plotter, too, but I think of my method as more three-dimensional than linear. Like building a house. I start with the idea, then develop the characters and plot, kind of like putting up the frame. Then I fill in the rest. I don't work, necessarily, from one side of the house to the other. I might bounce around from this side to that side. I often write the last page of the story long before I write the middle section. I like to know where I'm going and to write with an eye to getting there in an aesthetically pleasing way.

I’ve been working on not being so rigid in my process… so I’ve certainly been doing more bouncing around as I write. I’ve changed up pre-plotted chapters based on fan commentary. I think character creation and development comes easiest for me! Once they’ve been given life they tend to take it from there, I’m just the broad with the keyboard, my characters are running their own show.

But yeah, I’m not at all against getting out of my comfort zone. I’ve just finished a story from a first person perspective, I’ve never written anything quite like it. And I think my next standalone idea, a Sci-Fi/Fantasy piece, is going to stay a rough idea… I’m just going to go off the top with it and see where it goes!

 

[Euphony]

Ye old plotter v. pantser debate.

Honestly, I (and I'd assume most) are part both but prefer to self-identify as one over the other as their authorly personality. (mindframe is everything. Do whatever you do to get words on the page.)

I skew plotter if only to force accountability (to the work, to the characters, etc.) and organization in a space where I forever fought against it. (as a young author it was tantamount to murdering any fun, very "adulting. Screw those guys, man.")

I've grown and realized the message is my best master. Outsourcing responsibility to some ethereal other than to myself has the odd outcome of my being more accountable than if it's only me I disappoint if I don't see it through.

Organization and outlining reenforce this for me.

As a former pure pantser, I will say finding the tools that fit you (organizers, word processor, writing instruments) helps keep the mindset and even extensive searching for what "just works for me" pays huge dividends in the work.

My research tools have sparked some of my best ideas by merely freeing up my headspace to full bore play.

 

[TxRad]

No bouncing around here except between stories. I usually have something of a plot in mind when I throw one character out on the table and see where they go. Sometimes its two characters. If things are flowing, away we go. I keep notes on names, characteristics, ideas, in a section below where I'm writing. No need to search for an age or hair color that I've already used.

Complete panster here.

 

[ElectricBlue]

With respect to anyone else's method, I can't see any logical reason why you should write a story straight through from beginning to end. If there are themes or motifs you want to run through your narrative, haven't you put yourself at a disadvantage? If you have recurring supporting characters, doesn't it makes it harder to maintain consistent characterization?

That's the only way I can do it. Any themes, characterisations or support characters appear when the story needs them, and they then keep going. I consider my stories as slices of a fictional life (often derived from a from a real one), and just as you can't plan the intimate elements (the people you fall for) in a real life, I can't plan it in a fictional one.

Life doesn't start at the end and work backwards. I could be hit by a bus tomorrow, but I don't plan for it.

 

[DeLaFaye]

I'm definitely a healthy mix of pantser and plotter. I physically write out the bigger points of my plot, character details, as well as most research that I find useful. It keeps everything together for me as I write out the lion's share on my computer, letting myself free to write a bit more organically, allowing the scenes develop within their predetermined structure.

 

[Emilymcplugger]

When I was writing ALL THE DEVILS ARE HERE I started at the beginning but would start new chapters knowing what would be in them and just tied everything together.

Same with HOT AND FUZZY and even now with THE PROCESS whilst I am working on Part One I am also writing Part Two, and when Part sone is finished I’ll start Part Three in order to keep momentum going, hopefully by the time Two is nearly finished I’ll probably have fleshed out enough to do Parts four and Five but I never work linearly with my stories, EXCEPT in one key aspect.

I only ever work on one story at a time.

That’s my personal restriction.

 

[MillieDynamite]

I either write a bullet point outline or write the story by the seat of my pants, start to finish. Mysteries are plotted out with false leads here and real clues there.

 

[DrHappy]

I always spend more time with prep than I do actual writing. I enjoy the prep, though! I don't often get a chance to write, so the prep may take more than a year for a story!

I start with a One Note folder where I keep a list story elements. One Note allows me to add and edit my notes whether I'm on my computer or my phone. the story elements may be bits of conversation snippets, or plot elements, ideas for a scene, or ways to transition from one scene to another. They may be half-baked ideas that get kicked around, such as "Maybe he finds her when he's lost." I may add additional One Note pages as the I continue to collect story elements.

At some point, I typically start another folder with a sequential outline of key events. This helps to identify any holes or continuity problems. My most recent story turned out to have lots of critical sequences of events that needed to be worked out. The final story looks like a very natural and easy sequence of events, but it took a lot of effort to get there.

Once I'm happy with the overall sequence of events with a storyline that I feel is interesting, I'll go ahead and begin writing. The writing is usually very fast at this point, and I can easily crank out several pages at a time. I rarely need to do any serious rewrites.

 

[oneagainst]

I just do what the Voices tell me.

 

[PennameWombat]

I start where I start. That may actually be the beginning, middle or end of a story.

One of my personal favourites, because it's a bit out of character for me, is based on a scene that popped into my head (A Dream of Age and Beauty). Older woman, a business exec of some sort, younger man, a professional but not an exec. It's a company event in some large ballroom, but they're off in a corner while she waits to speak. He's reaching under the back of her skirt, a view hidden from others, and fingering her while she stands next to him and brushes her hand against his crotch just before she goes to speak.

But it hit me. How the hell did they get there? It struck me this was the middle of their story. I sketched backwards and forwards to find a beginning and an end that got them to that point and what happened next.

"Mel's Universe" has clear beginnings that set the various threads in motion, various published stories cover those. It also has an ending, and the stories that have been published fit in various places along the timeline to get us there. So any story that I decide fits in that universe, I decide where and when it fits, and that guides the structure.

With Adrift in Space, my beginning was set by previous stories, and I knew the ending (that had to act as a trigger for Mel and Chris). But I needed a coherent way to connect them, as they weren't obviously going to connect. The details of the middle that I wrote differed from what I'd originally envisioned, it morphed as I worked on it (it’s just over 70,000 words, definitely an example of gardening a novel.)

I will often write stories through, from beginning to end, just because I know the events that need to happen. But not always, as described.

 

[yowser]

I'm a plotter, too, but I think of my method as more three-dimensional than linear. Like building a house. I start with the idea, then develop the characters and plot, kind of like putting up the frame. Then I fill in the rest. I don't work, necessarily, from one side of the house to the other. I might bounce around from this side to that side. I often write the last page of the story long before I write the middle section. I like to know where I'm going and to write with an eye to getting there in an aesthetically pleasing way.

Fascinating that there are so many different construction methods.

Some of us spend our entire time on just the plumbing: hydraulics, fluid dynamics, laminar flow, hot water heater location, thermodynamic couplings, leakage potentials, et al. and then just build the rest of the house around that one system.

Paint color and drywall quality seem to be minor details. But I agree with the aesthetics.

 

[Emilymcplugger]

Fascinating that there are so many different construction methods.

Some of us spend our entire time on just the plumbing: hydraulics, fluid dynamics, laminar flow, hot water heater location, thermodynamic couplings, leakage potentials, et al. and then just build the rest of the house around that one system.

Paint color and drywall quality seem to be minor details. But I agree with the aesthetics.

I just start building. My head tends to work out the architecture as I go along, and if I need to change something I can always go back before I post and make amendments.

 

[dasgoodshit]

the story takes off on its own and writes itself.

I think that's the way it should be. I think the characters should be "alive" so they know what to do.

 

[AWhoopsieDaisy]

I bounce around. At any given time I have five wips I'm actively working on. Whichever one has content in my brain to put on the page is the one that gets worked on that day.

I also work out of order. For every story I have a corresponding bits document that's full of scenes that don't yet have a solid place chronologically in the story.

 

[swathyFmly]

I was just seeing the climax of a netflix film with its climax when the two love mates kiss on a ball room finding each other..Such moment triggered a thought in me. I wanted the feel good to last. the first thing that came to my mind was to indulge in taboo thoughts. Led me to think. Could intimate taboo sex be a fulfilment to harness and hold on for a little longer to the emotional catharsis which will get released....you feel the urge to mate with pure lust and craving to sink and be one with the fuck mate who has such a vibe. the question is can such vibe be evoked in conventional sex. perhaps not. Maybe the chances are that in taboo sex.. such vibes can be evoked.

 

[AchtungNight]

As a fanfic writer I like to negotiate mock contracts with imaginary versions of my characters. This character will do x but not y, tells me their feelings about various things, etc. We think up lots of fun twists together this way. Heavy introspection can wear you out but it’s worked out for me plenty of times.

 

[Emilymcplugger]

I find I’m writing far harder and starting to bounce more with the new story THE PROCESS.

With my first story ATDAH I was done in about 3 months, 5 chapters and around 65,000 words. But HAF, 8 chapters and around 100,000 words took over a year. Couldn’t figure out why but it was just because I was tied down by the format of HOT AND FUZZY to really free flow. Now I find the story is far more fluid and far easier to get down.