Plotting is Hard

Does plotting kill the story or make it better?

I'm struggling with this right now. I believe I have a talent. A story-telling talent. I see a story in my head. The natural ebbs and flows, ups and downs come easily to me. But sometimes, if I sit and try to identify the elements I've created, I can't.

How do the characters grow?

I don't have the analytical mind. I can't always see those types of things.

Have they grown? Sure. They have to! They did this and that and the other thing to get to their Happily-Ever-After. That doesn't happen without change. No. Don't ask me to tell you how they grow!! They just grow, darn it!

So...this is why plotting and narrowing the storyline is hard for me. I love to have a story plotted. Don't get me wrong. I think having the end in sight is crucial to getting there. I didn't used to be a plotter at all, and those stories need the most work.

I might have to fight the plot i'm working on, but I'm determined to write a story that has as little revisions as possible. Lots to think about. Lots to do.

...and did I mention I'm still editing and revising? *eyeroll*

Sunday Summations

Look at me!! Actually getting to my regularly scheduled programming. :D I'm just going to chat today about a number of things.

In my writing world, things have picked up again. Phew! Seriously dudes! I'm such an impatient sick person. Today, though I'm over 11,000 words on the story I started 10-1-12. That's no record, believe me. And I wanted it to be LOTS more, but I'm satisfied for now. This has been a fun story for me. It's got a Mythical [smartass] Granddaughter of Mother Nature paired up with a Guardian Angel. I don't often write outside of reality...well, I take that back--dead bodies and stuff aren't really part of my reality either. :D But you know what I mean. :) I'm really enjoying this...it's a story where almost anything goes. If I want it there--and it makes "Celestial" sense--there it goes. I've created a world. I'm still creating a world.

I've been reading a little more this month. Back to the basics romance. I read a story this week, written by a good friend of mine, Nina Croft. It's not a story that's out yet just one that she wanted feedback on. It was so good. And it just hit me, I really miss the romance... the sexual tension of those good ol' fashioned romances, even the sex. I love that about romances. I started reading romances when I was 22. Late in life compared to some, but if I take a step back I can see that really, I've been reading romance all my life. Fiction has always been my mainstay...and most fiction, including YA and juvenile, have elements of romance. Not always romance in a man/woman way but also in the HEA, overcoming conflict kind of way.

National Novel Writing Month is in November. I'm gearing up...plotting, thinking, getting ready. I'm going to pick a day of the week to blog on how that's going. There really should be a day that starts with N. Don't you think?? Wednesday though. That could work. Feel free to pop in and tell me how you're doing as well! I want to hear and be inspired by your progress. Also, if you want, I'll be spending a good bit of time--while writing--on the forum SavvyAuthors. They've got a Nano Boot Camp, not affiliated with the official NANOWRIMO webpage. Good spot though. Looking forward to the accountability and motivation.

Enough about writing...actually, if you've made it this far, I commend you. I don't read blogs that are more than 3 long paragraphs in length. So, I'll stop.  Enjoy this Sunday!
With Love,
Bethanne

Busy Plotting and Writing

This morning the DeeJay, DJ, Deejay announced a song by a newish singer... I'd never heard of her.

It occured to me that I'm not that up on new artists. Not only that, but there seem to be so many new ones--all the time! It's not like the 80s and 90s when we'd see a new artist on the scene every few years. Not only that, but aren't they all a bit similar? I was listening to country this morning and the song could have been sung by at least two other artists that I do know.

This made me think of writing.

There are so many similarities within a genre!
But, just like music, people eat it up. As a matter of fact, I'd go so far to say that people like having the familiar in their hands.

So, write away good writing friends.
And no worries about getting it just right.
...unless you're talking about grammar then please get it right.
:D

With Love,
Bethanne

September goal, complete--ms subbed to Entangled.
October goal, started--new story [can't wait to tell you about it!]

[not so]Wordless Wednesday

508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, photo credit: http://www.508pir.org/odessey/belgium/ardennes_02.htm

Sometimes, you wait for inspiration, and you think, read one more book. That will help. Watch a movie and that will help. Pray, meditate, chat, brainstorm... Read again. But then you realize, your focus has been wrong. You can't even really put a finger on it. You can't pinpoint it. But there it is--all of a sudden--staring you in the face.

An Idea!

And I don't mind admitting, an idea straight from heaven.

I know it because as soon as I start researching, details fall in to place.

I honestly feel inspired and unbelievably relieved...

I get to write a story. One set in a time I love.

How exciting is that?
Very.

Workshops

I don't know everything.

*GASP*

I know, it's shocking.

On the other hand, I join workshops. I read how-to books/blogs. And it's often times all the same information. The bottom line is, knowing doesn't make me a better writer.

I need a workshop that shows me how to practice all these neat little tidbits. I suppose success is figuring out how to apply the knowledge to writing. And that is harder than it sounds. :P

As I'm plotting my newest WIP, I find myself second guessing every little point--Will it work? Did I do that in my last WIP? Is it too cliche? How appealing is that literary manuever?--until I'm pulling my hair out.

...there's something to be said about flying by the seat of your pants. OTOH, I just can't do another year's worth of revisions just because I didn't plot my story through. So....

I found another workshop, and I'm just going to plod through and hope that this novel is better than the last. No, that sounds depressing... I'm just going to blast through, knowing that everything I learn will make this WIP keener than the last. :D