Mark Henrikson's Blog - Posts Tagged "writing-process"
The Writing Process
I read a quote from Stephen King the other day that said only amateurs use outlines when writing fiction. If that is true, then I am going to be stuck in the Grapefruit League for a while.
I just can’t construct a multi-layered story with logical plot twists, adequate foreshadowing, and character development on the fly. I need a sentence or two per chapter detailing the situation, setting, who is involved and what I need to have happen to mesh in with the rest of the story. It’s not like I am married to the outline, in fact I probably only stay 75% true to it, but I need those signposts along the way. Otherwise it just comes out as a sequence of random events with cardboard characters rather than an orchestrated story with some depth.
Anyone else have a different method that works for you?
I just can’t construct a multi-layered story with logical plot twists, adequate foreshadowing, and character development on the fly. I need a sentence or two per chapter detailing the situation, setting, who is involved and what I need to have happen to mesh in with the rest of the story. It’s not like I am married to the outline, in fact I probably only stay 75% true to it, but I need those signposts along the way. Otherwise it just comes out as a sequence of random events with cardboard characters rather than an orchestrated story with some depth.
Anyone else have a different method that works for you?
Why oh why do I write?
As I sit at the keyboard night after night until midnight I have to question if I am all together sane. Writing a novel is tedious, lonesome, and exhausting (add frustrating and utterly infuriating if you hit a patch of writers block). Seriously, when I finish writing a novel I am completely and thoroughly spent, so what keeps me coming back?
“It’s not like the writing has made you rich or famous,” the devil on my left shoulder says.
“That’s not the point,” the angel on my right shoulder fires back. “He has a story and characters that he loves inside his head demanding to be told.”
The devil throws his hands up. “Oh fine have it your way, but I still think playing a video game would be easier.”
The angel does a back flip and I am back at it again. Wait, did I seriously just have a conversation with devils and angels on my shoulders? Maybe I should get to bed pick it up tomorrow.
“It’s not like the writing has made you rich or famous,” the devil on my left shoulder says.
“That’s not the point,” the angel on my right shoulder fires back. “He has a story and characters that he loves inside his head demanding to be told.”
The devil throws his hands up. “Oh fine have it your way, but I still think playing a video game would be easier.”
The angel does a back flip and I am back at it again. Wait, did I seriously just have a conversation with devils and angels on my shoulders? Maybe I should get to bed pick it up tomorrow.
