Even with all the house projects we have going on, I've managed to get some writing time in. I plotted out a good section of the end of my current WIP (and have made changes already!!!). The end is in sight, and I am anxious to get it down, but at the same time I am finding these current chapters more difficult to write.
My critique buddies are all in different stages this week. Trisha is starting a new work, having polished up and sent out her other WIP's. Fiona is re-working sections of her WIP, and Katie just sent me her new version of an old WIP. Jackie made great progress with her outlining and is working on her first chapter.
How are your WIP's going? Have you learned anything new about your characters? Have they taken you in a direction you didn't expect? Right now I have a war going on between two characters as to who is really the bad guy pulling the strings. I think it is one person, but one of the other minor characters keeps trying to tell me he should be the one pulling the strings as it wouldn't be expected. I am letting it play out in my mind to see where I go. What do you do when your characters throw a monkey wrench in your plans?
Next week I am going to change up my Wednesday posts to more specifics on writing. If you have any topics you would like me to focus on, let me know.
I show them who's boss, that's what I do, Mary. ;)
ReplyDeleteI love when my characters try to take the reigns, but I keep them in line--allowing them a little leeway, of course.
I'm not writing my new story yet, but I'm still world building and developing my characters. It's a high fantasy tale, so it takes a lot longer before I can pound out the first draft.
I let them simmer for awhile. I give it a day or two to just be and usually it works itself out. I have a similar problem with my own story. I have fallen for the bad boy in my WIP also and now I don't know where to put him. He keeps me on my toes. I guess it has taken about a whole six months or so, but I'm finally at the point where I can say I really know my characters now. I wasn't so sure before. My story is still in the revising process though. I just had a beta read a few chapters of it and she gave me some much needed insight. Funny how another set of eyes is all you need. Good luck with yours.
ReplyDeleteWow, PK! I started this fantasy that I'm working on with knowing who my characters were, and an important magic item that I didn't know why it was important. Since then, I've done a bit more plotting, but I don't plot extensively. Usually just enought to have an outline of where I am going with my story (this was my NaNo project, so I did a lot of pantstering with it!) Hope your is going well!
ReplyDeleteTC I haven't really fallen for my bad boy-- he's a bit too sadistic for my tastes, but I am not sure he's the actual one pulling the strings. I think he is, but he keeps hinting he isn't. As for beta readers, good ones are worth their weight in gold! Mine never fail to show me where I dropped the ball (or how to make something more intersting.) One even pointed out something I had done without realizing that I am capitalizing on now. Good luck with your current WIP!
Hate them all for a little while as I reconfigure my plot. If it's not too big of a derail, I don't think too much of it; usually it gets me excited because it's a new path off the trodden one I'm walking. Otherwise, it's every name in the book. =).
ReplyDeleteKatie S. Taylor