Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Pieces of a jigsaw

I was chatting to a friend this morning and she asked what novel two is going to be about. So I started telling her about the settings, the main characters and the backstory and she became very enthusiastic. As I spoke I realised that, although I'm still short on plot detail, I do have the makings of a decent novel there.

I just can't make up my mind whether to plan this one in much more detail than novel one, or whether to start writing and let the characters show me the way. I know from novel one that this might lead to non-productive periods as I wait for the next plot twist and conflict to present itself to me, but I still have some background reading and research to do, so hopefully it will all be clearer then.

I probably just need a few more pieces of the jigsaw to fall into place before I can begin writing seriously...

10 comments:

Sue Guiney said...

That's a hard one. Sometimes all that planning just feels like procrastination. But I do find that planning breeds writing breeds planning, if you know what I mean.

Anonymous said...

Can you do both? Spend some time planning. Write some of the novel to the plan but also write some unplanned stuff and incorporate that as well? That's what I've been doing, although the plan keeps changing.

Looking up, that's pretty much what SueG said, so I'm agreeing with that.

Cathy said...

Sue and Sylvia, thanks, I think you're both right. With novel one I didn't plan in detail but I did have a rough plot framework before I started, so I knew the beginning and end, also a couple of turning points. I need to get at least that far with this one before I start, I think.

Marcie Steele said...

I'm right there with you Cathy. I'm planning a new one and am at the wistful staring into space and then jumping up from the settee to write a note down...it's great fun!

Good luck with it x

Cathy said...

Fun? It's the worst part for me!x

Paul said...

I found that despite all of the planning I did, much of my story went in directions I'd never anticipated. I don't mean the plot changed, but the weaving of it did. I'd say plan to a point and then get going with the writing. You'll only know when to revise your plan when you're actually executing it.

Cathy said...

I think that is exactly the approach I shall take, Paul. I have to accept that I'm not a detailed planner and anyway it did work for me last time.

Anonymous said...

I'm still trying to edit novel one but have thought about the next one two.

I think research is all very good but it stops you from just getting on with the story itself. A fiction novel can go anyway, just like mine has!

CJ xx

Cathy said...

That's true, CJ, but my next one will have some historical backstory scenes of very specific real events, so I do need to research to get detail and settings believable.

For the rest of it, anything could happen!

DJ Kirkby said...

Ooooh times like this are just so exciting!