A question for authors -

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mattlynn

03 Sep 2011, 10:31 AM | Post: #51

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RE: A question for authors

I plan the whole book....

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Douglas E Wright Reading The Woman in Black

04 Sep 2011, 05:44 AM | Post: #52

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RE: A question for authors

I mainly go with the flow. But the tales are written many times until they become something I wasn't prepared for. I am tinkering a bit right now with plotting, however I am finding the exercise has me bored a bit with the process.

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SimonHaynes

05 Sep 2011, 05:26 AM | Post: #53

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RE: A question for authors

This post was last modified: 05 Sep 2011 05:27 AM by SimonHaynes.

I've done 'tightly plotted' and I've done 'write where the mood takes you'. The former led to a longer, more structured book while the latter led to zany and crazy but more fun.

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Nick Wastnage Reading Pausing, again, between books

05 Sep 2011, 02:11 PM | Post: #54

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RE: A question for authors

Simon. I like you have tried both. Now I plan loosely and then go with the flow, checking occasionally that I'm not so far off that I've lost myself.

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SteveScaffardi

11 Sep 2011, 03:03 PM | Post: #55

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RE: A question for authors

I have only written the one novel so far, but I found that once I had an idea, I just went with the flow. However, in saying that, I was constantly thinking where the story was going or how I could change it. I actually found that most of my really good ideas would come when I was sitting on the train to work or when I go out jogging.

And one thing I always do is I pick a playlist of songs - almost like a soundtrack to the story I'm writing - and the ideas really come thick and fast. It might not work for everyone, but it works for me! Smile

If anyone is interested, I have put together some hints from my own experiences for authors going down the self-publishing route on my website: http://www.stevenscaffardi.com/selfpublishingtips.html

Hope it helps!

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Geoff Woodland Reading The Help - paperback

12 Sep 2011, 04:37 AM | Post: #56

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RE: A question for authors

Because I like to write historical fiction I spend a huge amount of time on research. Everything has to be ‘true’ to the period and the story has to fit around certain incidents that happened. A major historical event is ‘locked in’, but I might move a certain small historical item in time (a few months or perhaps a couple of years) to fit the story, which is based around the major historical event.
As I read and research, the basic story comes to life in my head and I start writing. My wife is of the opinion that I like the research more than the writing. I don’t think so, but they are both very close. Smile

My historical novel Ice King is true to the above rules, even to the fact of using the old names, in Liverpool, for places that still exist, but are now known by
a different name. With hindsight I should have included a glossary page as I have been asked about places that are no longer located at the place I mention in the story, but they still exist today at a different location.
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Geoff
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Roger Cave Reading Istanbul Puzzle

21 Sep 2011, 05:56 PM | Post: #57

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RE: A question for authors

Hi all

I actually plan the books in terms of where I want it to go. But as I have some many stories planned I can write one novel, using the ideas I formatted, while fine tuning the plot for ones in the future.

Needless to say, although I stick with the plots I've laid out, it's free format writiing once I start, and on occasion it changes track, or something comes to mind as I write. But isn't that part of the fun?

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Shayne Parkinson Reading River of Stars by Guy Gavriel Kay

22 Sep 2011, 05:32 AM | Post: #58

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RE: A question for authors

I have at least a rough outline before I start. I do make sure I at least know how it ends (or at least I think I know). Much of the outline will be vague, but there'll be a few scenes that I've envisaged in detail before I've written a word. The outline gets refined and filled in as the book gets written, and as it becomes clearer what needs to happen and in what order.

I like to get to know the characters before I start writing them. I let them bounce around in my head for a while, getting a feel for how they sound and how they interact. I make notes about them, and when I do start writing them it often involves scenes that I know will be discarded.

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tssharp

22 Sep 2011, 10:00 AM | Post: #59

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RE: A question for authors

I plan most of it, in a rough stage by stage process on paper, but the rest kind of fills itself in and mutates as the story and characters grow.

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DavidGaughran

22 Sep 2011, 01:56 PM | Post: #60

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RE: A question for authors

I take what I think is called the "flashlight" approach.

I make a very rough sketch (like 3 or 4 bullet points) of a chapter or two ahead of where I am, and just write - often ignoring said bullet points. Sometimes I don't even know how the sentence is going to end.

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