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mmerriamOver here, ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
wordswoman provides some invaluable links concerning creating and maintaining plot, which was the discussion topic at the last Twin Cities Speculative Fiction Writers Network meeting.
I left a comment thanking her for the links, to which she replied:"You're welcome! Sorry that you missed the discussion on plotting--I was very curious to hear how you go about it. If you have tips for the TCSFWN crew, I started a discussion topic over there."
Now,wordswoman has seen more of my fiction than anyone except careswen, so her request is legitimate, but I had to chuckle to myself because frankly, I'm the last person who should be giving advice about plot construction.
0 Words: "Hey, I've got a great idea for a novel! I've even got a couple of interesting characters!" Now, do I start to construct an outline, or think about where the story is going, or how it's going to end? Oh no. I just jump in and start writing, working with my (hopefully) interesting characters and a vague idea about what kind of story I want to tell.
2000 Words: Still no real plot, but the characters continue to be interesting, and I think I can see the vaguest outline of a plot on the horizon....
5000 Words: Oh Noes!!! Still no Plot! Casts around looking for a plot. Thinks I have one. I can haz plot? Noes!!! No plot for you. But the story is working anyway, so I keep writing.
10,000 Words: Finds the thread of a plot hiding in the story. HUZZAH!!!
15,000 Words: Plot false alarm. Still no plot. Adds several new characters and tries not to panic about lack of apparent plot. Story still moving along. Decides Muse is plotting something.
25,000 Words: New characters try to take over story. There might be plot, but probably only a nefarious one being conducted against me. Continues slogging along.
30,000 Words: Considers buying plot--cemetery plot--because the novel and characters are starting to kill me. Story still moving along, despite no plot.
40,000 Words: Freaks out because I haz no plot! Rolls several characters into one. Kills a few more and writes a couple out. Changes some of the character motivations. Goes back and rewrites the new characters in and takes out the old ones. Suddenly finds plot!
50,000 Words: Not plot. Several sub-plots instead, but nothing to tie it all together. Story still moving along nicely, even without a plot.
55,000 Words: Considers burying novel in garden plot. Drinks bottle of Scotch...
60,000 Words: Screw it! We don't need plot, we iz literary and experimental. Yeah...
65,000 Words: Remembers I am not at all literary or experimental, but am an urban fantasy / adventure / paranormal romance writer. I need a plot. Looks around at other books for plot to steal. Gets out ouija board and tries to commune with the ghost of Shakespeare. Still no plot.
75,000 Words: Kills several characters. Wonders if it is all an evil plot. Wails, pulls hair, and gnashes teeth. Story still moving along nicely.
80,000 Words: Plot? Plot? Here Plot! Runs around in a circle looking for plot. Falls down. Story gathering steam as it nears the end.
85,000 Words: Hits the end game and discovers The Plot Was There The Whole Time! It was hiding in plain sight under all that Story. Which is, by the way, careening toward the end like an out-of-control locomotive.
95,000 Words: The end! With a neatly tied up plot! Decide that during rewrite I will go back and add sub-plots based on the remaining characters in order to make it look like I knew what I was doing the whole time. Takes a deep breath. Laughs. Passes out. Spends the next week staring at the wall...
Three Weeks Later: Begins rewrites. Discovers Plot sucks...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And that, my friends, is how not to do plot.
wordswoman provides some invaluable links concerning creating and maintaining plot, which was the discussion topic at the last Twin Cities Speculative Fiction Writers Network meeting. I left a comment thanking her for the links, to which she replied:"You're welcome! Sorry that you missed the discussion on plotting--I was very curious to hear how you go about it. If you have tips for the TCSFWN crew, I started a discussion topic over there."
Now,
wordswoman has seen more of my fiction than anyone except careswen, so her request is legitimate, but I had to chuckle to myself because frankly, I'm the last person who should be giving advice about plot construction. 0 Words: "Hey, I've got a great idea for a novel! I've even got a couple of interesting characters!" Now, do I start to construct an outline, or think about where the story is going, or how it's going to end? Oh no. I just jump in and start writing, working with my (hopefully) interesting characters and a vague idea about what kind of story I want to tell.
2000 Words: Still no real plot, but the characters continue to be interesting, and I think I can see the vaguest outline of a plot on the horizon....
5000 Words: Oh Noes!!! Still no Plot! Casts around looking for a plot. Thinks I have one. I can haz plot? Noes!!! No plot for you. But the story is working anyway, so I keep writing.
10,000 Words: Finds the thread of a plot hiding in the story. HUZZAH!!!
15,000 Words: Plot false alarm. Still no plot. Adds several new characters and tries not to panic about lack of apparent plot. Story still moving along. Decides Muse is plotting something.
25,000 Words: New characters try to take over story. There might be plot, but probably only a nefarious one being conducted against me. Continues slogging along.
30,000 Words: Considers buying plot--cemetery plot--because the novel and characters are starting to kill me. Story still moving along, despite no plot.
40,000 Words: Freaks out because I haz no plot! Rolls several characters into one. Kills a few more and writes a couple out. Changes some of the character motivations. Goes back and rewrites the new characters in and takes out the old ones. Suddenly finds plot!
50,000 Words: Not plot. Several sub-plots instead, but nothing to tie it all together. Story still moving along nicely, even without a plot.
55,000 Words: Considers burying novel in garden plot. Drinks bottle of Scotch...
60,000 Words: Screw it! We don't need plot, we iz literary and experimental. Yeah...
65,000 Words: Remembers I am not at all literary or experimental, but am an urban fantasy / adventure / paranormal romance writer. I need a plot. Looks around at other books for plot to steal. Gets out ouija board and tries to commune with the ghost of Shakespeare. Still no plot.
75,000 Words: Kills several characters. Wonders if it is all an evil plot. Wails, pulls hair, and gnashes teeth. Story still moving along nicely.
80,000 Words: Plot? Plot? Here Plot! Runs around in a circle looking for plot. Falls down. Story gathering steam as it nears the end.
85,000 Words: Hits the end game and discovers The Plot Was There The Whole Time! It was hiding in plain sight under all that Story. Which is, by the way, careening toward the end like an out-of-control locomotive.
95,000 Words: The end! With a neatly tied up plot! Decide that during rewrite I will go back and add sub-plots based on the remaining characters in order to make it look like I knew what I was doing the whole time. Takes a deep breath. Laughs. Passes out. Spends the next week staring at the wall...
Three Weeks Later: Begins rewrites. Discovers Plot sucks...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And that, my friends, is how not to do plot.
