Monday, January 27, 2014

A Peek Over My Shoulder


While editing a story, I have to be writing another. I dislike editing so much that I can't do it every single day. A break is required, or I might lose my mind... more than it's lost right now!

It's taken a few years for me to work myself up to writing novel-sized stories. For a long time, I wrote short stories exclusively. I didn't outline until the stories became more complicated. What came first, the outlining or the need for outlining? I'm not sure.
Around that time, I was gifted Scrivener from a good friend who beta reads most of my work. For those who don't know, Scrivener allows a writer to keep an outline with notecards in the same file as the story itself. It keeps research and photos in it as well. I haven't even touched on most of the things Scrivener can do, and I love it.

Before Scrivener, I had three or four files with notes, outlines, potential book blurbs, and the story itself. Now, it's all in the one Scrivener file. 

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The new story is about an integrity shopper named Casey. The outline came first, of course. I ran into a snag in the middle of outlining. This will be the first mystery I've written, so I'm caught up on the red herrings as well as the motive for the crime itself. I have a notebook for this story, which I haven't needed for the others. The rest is outlined there. Sometimes, I just have to see it on paper. 

I've created all the characters I'll need in the story. The main character Casey and her entire family. I've given them all interesting characteristics like the younger brother who is a bit of a loveable screw up. Her mother who was a groupie during the time of 80s hair bands. And Casey's step-father who loves her as if he were her real father. The family restaurant, which is a character of sorts itself.

Those are the basic descriptions. I love creating characters. They'll have more depth than the labels I've given them here. I'm giving them broad strokes because I don't want to give away any secrets or hints!

I'm struggling a bit with how many characters are involved in this story. There are the family members including another brother, the employees of the restaurant, Casey's friends and a few store employees. I'll have to see how it evolves as I get into the meat of the story. Since, it's been half outlined forever. I decided to get started writing without my outline completed in the hopes that the story will evolve organically. It's how I wrote the short stories.

Even though I outline, I don't always stick to the outline. A story I wrote recently had a full outline when I started. I had to keep adjusting it as I added in details not in the story previously. Surprise twists usually happen like that. I won't stick rigidly to an outline if a semi-brilliant idea happens to land in my brain mysteriously from the ether. That would be silly. 

Anyway, that's my writing process. Do you have a process that works for you? I'd love to hear about it. I like comparing notes with other writers. Do you sit down and write without a plan, or does it have to be outlined within an inch of its life?

That includes you bloggers, too! How do you write?




20 comments:

  1. Hi Missy,

    I personally do not write an outline. I usually write what's on my mind. Then break it down into sections. Most of my inspiration comes from what I am aware of and what happens daily in my business. Great post Missy!

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    1. Sections are a great way break a topic down into easily readable parts. I do it with my professional writing.

      Thanks for sharing your process!

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  2. I'm still trying to learn what my writing process is. My first book, non-fiction, can from my head and my heart. My first book of fiction, which I'm writing now, I'm writing in Scrivener which I, too, love. I am nervous about making sure my story works so am taking a novel writing class to be sure I understand how to get this story dancing around my head onto the paper in a way where people want to read it.

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    1. Scrivener is awesome, isn't it?

      Classes are incredibly helpful. I took a creative writing class a few years ago. Where are you taking yours?

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  3. Missy, I was really happy to read, "Even though I outline, I don't always stick to the outline." I think I was much more "stick to the outline" on many things prior to kiddos...Now, well, I feel like lots of things are merely suggestions! I need to mull a topic, story, or article around in my head for a while prior to writing. I don't outline, but then my writing isn't that long and my blogs aren't usually connected to the one before. I really enjoyed reading this, thanks!

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    1. Kids can definitely mess up a solid plan! It's almost like they do it on purpose. It does help to remain somewhat flexible with writing, too. Never know when an awesome idea will land in your lap.

      Thanks for sharing.

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  4. Wow! This looks like a program I need! Looks so nice and organized! Right now I have a place where I jot blog ideas, and then the week before I plan out the blogs and start working on them. But sometimes (like last night) I scratch the whole thing and start all over again LOL You just never know!

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    1. As much as you love organization, you would triple love Scrivener. You can color code certain sections, too!

      I found it easier to plan blog posts in advance, too. This last month participating in the blog challenge has helped me work more efficiently.

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  5. This sounds awesome! I want to share it with my mom because she is a great writer!

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    1. I'm sure she would love the program if she doesn't use it or something like it already!

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  6. I love hearing about your process, character development and those beloved terms like red herring! My blog is basically a mind dump for me...is that a writing process? ;)

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    1. It sure is! You have to arrange things into coherent sentences. That's a process!

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  7. This is a great resource. I can totally see how it would help write a fiction story.

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    1. I'm not sure how I went without it for so long!

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  8. I am a by-the-seat-of-my-pants writer. I love the unexpected journey the stories take me on, and am just as surprised as the reader by the twists and turns. Scrivener is a saving grace... LOVE it!!! I do have notebooks for little notes as well, and in the case of my first cozy mystery, a sketch of the inn's floor plan. :)

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    1. I didn't know you wrote a cozy mystery, Lorelai! I'm off to check out your blog. I hope you have mention of it someplace, so I can check it out!

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  9. I will have to look into this Scrivener! Looks awesome! I don't really have an organized process as of yet. My goal is to just write for now and then become a grown-up writer of things larger than four paragraphs.

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    1. I see peeks of humor in your posts. I'd love to check out something you've written longer than four paragraphs one day!

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  10. I am definitely a short story writer, fly by the seat of my pants kinda grandma. NOTHING in my life is organized outside of my 9-5 life. I fantasize of a hypnotist coming in and hypnotizing me into an organized person! This looks like a great tool if that hypnotist ever appears in my real life.

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    1. It could hypnotize you with its great awesomeness! If you're organized at work, no reason to be outside of work, is there? I vote that that you stay the way you are!

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