It begins with a character, usually, and once he stands up on his feet and begins to move, all I can do is trot along behind him with a paper and pencil trying to keep up long enough to put down what he says and does.
~William Faulkner
I’m with Faulkner on this, only my situation is the other way around.
No matter what I do, one of my characters has gotten ahold of me since last week and won’t let go. She haunts my dreams, and sneaks into any writing I do, generally follows me around and strings along a whole gaggle of ideas behind her.
I guess I must buckle down and write.
I say, someone hounding you into writing is a good thing. I wish I had such a someone right now. 🙂
We’re all hounding you to hit that “publish’ button!
Btw, if you need an eye to look out for proofing issues, I’m here.
I think about this topic a lot. Do I need an outline or do I just write a great character, breathe life into them, and let them run? Stephen King in On Writing, says just to let your characters write the stories themselves. I agree, but an outline never hurts to push them past hurdles. Nice use of the word gaggle and working in a photo of ducks.
-Josh
I think to each writer his own.
Personally I find plotting short stories meticulously tends to kill them, but then, I write literary fiction. Other genres might be different. I sometimes have a vision of the scene that ends the story, but not more.
Haven’t attempted a longer work yet, but I guess even there I’ll finish the first draft organically and then proceed to figure out the plot!
Thanks for the visit, and when I stepped over to your blog your twin contest had me rofl 🙂
I agree with the plotting of short stories. I never really outline my short fiction, but I sometimes do have an idea of where I want the story to go. I have only recently tried outlining, and that is for a longer work (I hate to say novel until I finish). I’m glad that you got a laugh out of my jab at my brother. I like to have a good time on my blog.
-Josh
Josh, I think I’m your writing twin, evil or good I can’t say 🙂
I can’t stand the word “novel” either, but I guess I’ll finish one some day and give it a name.