Wednesday, August 24, 2011

My Plotting Ways

I think everyone before me this week covered plotting quite well. So when I sat down to think about the angle of my post, I was left with a blank. Jay talked about writing by the seat of his pants! J.A. likened her plotting to old maritime maps. Liz talked about her plotting rituals.

And then I noticed a theme. Everyone talked about his or her plotting ways. So, here, in pictures, is how I tackle plotting.





As you can see, I am all sorts of productive when I'm plotting. 

But to be serious (me? serious?), I've written a novel by outline and by the seat-of-my-pants. I prefer the latter, only because, as Jay said, it's more exciting and it leaves the door open for new scenes, or characters, or subplots. BUT...I have reached 20,000 words on a manuscript only to realize I have no idea what happens next. That's frustrating. I'm like a big yellow lab when it comes to focusing. It takes me all of two seconds to lose interest. If I let that book sit for a few days, by then I have a new idea for a new and better book and then I'm off running again. So an outline keeps me focused and I've found that never, not once, have I followed an outline exactly as it was written. I still find room for spontaneity. So, the best of both worlds, I guess?


Jennifer Rush is the author of ALTERED coming Fall 2012 from Little, Brown. Check out her blog for news and updates. 

6 comments:

  1. Ha! That could have been me and my husband too. Though it was the shower instead of the bath for me.

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  2. Ah! The time suck that is Project Runway!

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  3. This is great, Jennifer. I totally bathtub "plot" too : )

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  4. Lenore --- I'm usually the shower too, but I couldn't find a good shower pic! :(

    Liz --- I seriously cannot get enough of Project Runway. Or HGTV's Design Star. More! More!

    Veronica --- :D The plotting excuse is universal. I think you can use it just about anywhere!

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  5. The bathtub thing is totally true! One of my old copywriter bosses used to swear by Conceptualizing in the Tub.

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  6. I do loads of plotting while I'm going to sleep! I often run previous scenes in my head like I'm watching a film and then see what happens next. Or fill in plot holes I haven't figured out yet. Love the pics!

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