How I Write

Someone asked me the other day how I write - plan things out in advance, or just sit down and write. This is the response I gave (more or less):


 I used to sit down and see where things went - for a long time I had a great deal of success (for want of a better word) with it - I found just writing would lead my characters on their own adventures, and things would crop up that I hadn't considered before, and that'd be fun. But there was also a lot of time spent staring at the keyboard, or blank page, or whatever medium I was using.

These days I plan somewhat. I have a distinct ending in mind, a good idea of where I want to start, and normally a few things along the way that connect all the dots. That's not to say that I don't surprise myself from time to time - I think that will always happen. I don't plan nearly as much as some people I know - I don't have (when I'm writing a novel) a hard chapter by chapter breakdown and word count in mind when I start. Sometimes I don't even have everything I need plotted out. I have enough, though, to know the kind of story that I want to tell.

I think if I plan, plot, and layout everything, it kills off some of the creative urge, because it feels like I've already written the damn thing (even if it is only in bullet point form). 


There are, I will admit, advantages to both styles. I think at the moment, the hybrid style I use is the right "fit" for me. I take the "sitting and just writing" step before I sit and write more often than not these days. I find myself thinking about a story before I go to bed, or before I take a nap, etc., and make a few notes on my cell phone (it's always with me, so it's just easier this way).

Like last night - I rolled over and grabbed my phone a few times to make some notes about some short stories I've been thinking about (or had just thought about), and a couple of novels (or longer works). I was tempted to jump up and grab the netbook, but I like doing it this way (as I said, for now). 

Characters With A Mind Of Their Own

Developing good characters is an important part of the writing process. Without them, any novel is going to suffer. And, if it does, then people are going to have trouble reading what you've written, or, worse still, they won't bother reading it at all.

The 'down side' of having good, well-developed characters is that sometimes they won't do what they're told.

You have an idea, you have the characters, the locations, the obstacles, the plot, and everything else worked out, and things are looking great. Until your characters decide that they'd really rather not do what you want them to do.

I can hear people saying "but they're your characters, don't they just do what you want them to? It's not like they have a say!". If only it were that easy.

Sure, you can force characters to do your bidding, but you run the risk of it feeling forced. You risk the all important suspension of disbelief being broken, and the reader going "hang on a minute...". And that's bad. I've read many novels where I stop reading, and start thinking not about what the characters are doing, but why the hell they are doing it. Why they are acting so out of character. It leaves the over-all reading experience lacking. You want the reader to be immersed in the world, the characters, and so forth, not questioning things (unless, of course, that is the kind of novel you're writing, but that's not what I'm talking about here).

So, the best solution, is to let the characters do what they want. To hell with your best laid plans - let the characters be the characters that you created, not force them into some situation, or action, that they wouldn't do. They might get back to the track that you have waiting for them, or they might lead you on your own merry adventure, as they explore their options and your world the way a real person would.

At the end of the day, I think this can make for a better story.