Blogger: Michelle Ule
Filling in for Rachel Kent today.
After two years of work writing a novel, I’ve finally finished and am plotting the next one. I’ve completed most of the research (this is the project interrupted by World War I), but the plot points have changed over the two-year hiatus.
I’ve been looking at my calendar and hoping I’m not going to take another two years to write a novel.
I type fast; but is there a way to use my writing hours better?
Recently, I came upon a blog post that intrigued me by both the concept and title, as a way to save time.
What do you think of the possibilities in this lengthy post by novelist Rachel Aaron?
How I Went From Writing 2,000 Words a Day to 10,000 Words a Day
I haven’t tried this yet, but the article is very interesting and full of wise advice.
Basically, it boils down to plotting like crazy BEFORE you write rather than after. Aaron contends that if you have at least an outline of what you want to accomplish in a scene before you start, you can write much faster than if you’re trying to sort it out while you’re creating.
For “seat of the pants” writers this may seem stifling. They like to find out what is happening in their story while they’re writing it, allowing the characters to dictate action as it unfolds.
There’s nothing wrong for this type of writing style, per se, but you can wander off onto some rabbit trails if you’re following your characters’ leads.
Which means, you may have to go back to earlier passages and rewrite things that don’t fit into where the character ended up.
The opposite end, of course, is the detailed plotter, who has everything figured out before they start and it’s just a matter of writing down the words. Mystery writers, in particular, really have to be detailed plotters for their stories to make sense.
I’m not a detailed writer myself. I prefer the “picture frame” method, wherein I sketch out the story line. I know where we begin, where we end, and major scenes along the way. 
When plotting, I draw a diagram or matrix showing what should happen when. I pay attention to how many chapters I have, the length of the chapters (trying to keep them about the same length to smooth out the rhythm for the reader) and calculate where major plot twists should occur.
Once I start writing, however, I’m open to the characters leading me into different places than my plot for their own purposes.
They often take me up on it.
But I can write much faster if I know what I want to accomplish in a given scene and historically for me, those scenes rarely need to be rewritten.
That can be important, especially if I’m on a deadline.
How about you? How do you plan out your writing projects?
Are you a plotter, seat of the pantser, or a picture framer?
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Pantser here!
I wrote my debut novel by the seat of my pants.
I plotted out the next novel, and the second I did, it died for me. I couldn’t write it. I had to scrap the idea and start over with something else.
Whatever works, right? 🙂
I’m a picture framer, I suppose. I like to know where I’m starting, where I’m ending, and major scenes that must occur along the way, but I enjoy the surprise, too. 🙂 Like an unexpected dozen pink roses and a box of chocolate caramels.
You pretty much have to know those elements to write a story, otherwise it’s impossible to “salt” the tale as you go.
Any writing needs creativity and a lot of times you don’t see things until you’re well into them.
Then you go back and add . . . even if you’ve planned out your story. 🙂
This is the first time I’ve heard the term picture framer. It defines my routine well. I use the scene cards on Scrivener to get an idea of possible scenes. Then I can move them around to my liking.
I’ve read numerous books on being a plotter and tried some of the techniques, but it boxes me in and I have broad shoulders so it gets rather uncomfortable. 🙂
I think I invented that term to describe my own work, Jenni.
I’ve read about the Scrivener method, but somehow haven’t used it yet. I’m trying on my most recent project to do a detailed outline. We’ll see.
I found, though, that when I was writing the last 20,000 words of my WWI novel, that having lived with the story and character so long, I wrote out a list of the ten chapter remaining, wrote out what needed to happen in each one to reach the planned ending and then started.
I finished it in five days and that part of the book has scarcely needing any editing at all. Curious.
That’s the first time I’ve heard “picture framer,” too. I’m glad Michelle invented it … because it fits the person in the middle, like me … 🙂 One who isn’t too lax, but isn’t too rigid either. And I think all methods are wonderful … I love that there are many ways to accomplish the work! 🙂 And I love to hear people share their work methods.
For my next MS , I’ll definitely try framing.
I actually used to be a real life picture framer. And I do straighten pictures on people’s walls when I visit their homes.
Mine need straightening! 🙂 You’re also a heart straightener, with encouragement.
Aww, thanks Shelli!
I’ve considered myself a framer for years. And not only for my writing, but for life in general. If I plan out every detail I tend to get hung up on them and loose the creativity, but if I don’t have a framework I tend to wander off, get lost and waste time. Glad to know I’m not the only one.
Exactly, Janet.
I’m a planter – a little of both – with a binder which is similar to your picture frame. I like to see where I’m going but I don’t have to know exactly how I’m going to get there. Sometimes my characters surprise me. Makes the journey fun.
Planter, or planner? 🙂
You’re right about the flexibility making the journey fun. It also helps that we’re God in the story writing . . .
Planter – or maybe I should say plantser!
I am a reformed pantser. That’s always how I’ve written previously but I did a lot more plotting for my current WIP and writing it has been incredibly painless. I may never go back! My outlining process for this one sounds similar to yours, Michelle. I’ve never heard it referred to as picture framing before–I like that! I have heard of plotting “candy bar scenes” which was my aim with this outline–getting the rough idea for those fun or emotional scenes jotted down so I have something to look forward to and to keep my enthusiasm from waning.
LOL, Laura.
I can’t remember who wrote about the key to exciting writing: just leave out the boring parts! But it’s a great idea to give yourself something to look forward to as you’re moving through a work in progress.
I found great fun in writing scenes out of order, I wrote about it here: http://michelleule.com/2014/04/01/writing-novel-order/
Thanks for the link, Michelle, that was a great read! Sometime when I’m stuck I’ll have to try thinking outside the box and do some writing out of order.
Great post, and thanks for the Rachel Aaron link!
Michelle, I’m a plotter and enjoy the process and when I decide to write without an outline, I write to infinity and beyond (as Budlightyear would say). I decided to ditch the outline for a 3000 word short story and write what came into my head, after all I knew what the story was about. Um, think again. At 8000 words I was only half way through and had no clue how to end the story. The story literally droned on and on. I stopped wrote a very brief outline, finished it that day with a word count of 3000. By the way it blows my mind that anyone can write 10,000 words a day, I struggle to write 2 or 3000 with an outline. Something I need to work on. Your advice will certainly help.
Susan–I think you’ve got some interesting points. One of our Books & Such clients recently wrote a 75K manuscript in 19 days. I’ve just sent her a message asking her to either comment on this post or just tell me how she did it.
I just did a little calculation. I type 125 words a minute. Doing the division, theoretically, it would take me 600 minutes–10 hours–to type 75,000 words.
So, I guess I could write a novel in two days.
Would it be any good?
And how would I do it?
IF it was thoroughly outlined–a process which I’m guessing would take more than 10 hours to do in detail–theoretically it might be possible, but I’d not bet on quality or even coherence! 🙂
My arms, too, would be a disaster . . .
Jesus asked what builder builds a house without first planning and preparing to do so–drawing up the blue prints, calculating the cost, collecting the materials, organizing the assistants, contracting out what you can’t do (as a writer, what would that be? The editing?) and then goes to work.
I read once that Karen Kingsbury–the mother of six–used to take week-long sabbaticals away from her family. I think her mother came in to do the work, and then wrote her novels in that week.
I don’t believe that means she arrived at her location and stared at an empty page wondering, “gee, what will this story be about?” I imagine she spent all that intervening time since the last sabbatical putting together her story in the bits of time that mothers survive on.
I do that myself and I’m sure most other writers do as well, while you’re washing the dishes or in the shower, inspiration strikes. You dash to the computer, type something quickly, and then return to the task at hand.
I don’t see a detailed outline as being a strait jacket–and I’ve changed all the stories I’ve written from what was initially submitted to the editor. That’s where the creativity comes in. But if you’ve plotted out the twists, the changes, the emotional high and low points, written up ideas for clever dialogue and know exactly how it will end, I think writing up the story will be far easier once you can steal away.
And now I’ve practically written another blog post!
My final point is, while you don’t use anywhere near the same muscles writing a story as you would building a house, on intense writing days, I’m exhausted by nightfall. Mental work IS real work–even if all you have for it, alas!, is spreading hips! 🙂
Oh my goodness, what a wonderful reply. Thank you. I cannot type so fast, because of an old injury I have a couple of fingers that don’t type, but in fairness I was never fast at typing, 60 on a good day. I like your reference to Jesus and building a house that’s what we do, prepare and plan and build a story. I’m wondering if I’m afraid of losing the essence of the story or is it the writing when I try to go really fast.
I usually have my story well planned out before I start writing but I leave lots of room for ideas I come up with as I go along. I also tend to write the ending of the book first so I know where I’m going.
That said I really liked Steven James book on writing, “Story Trumps Structure, where he lists the virtues of not plotting every detail. I don’t know if I can do that but I like the freedom it offers.
Sounds like you’re a framer, Darby. A happy place to be! 🙂
Yes and no. As I’m going through my WIP I’m finding a few inconsistencies. Planning and charting better would have helped with that. However the voice of the narrator is what I wanted: a very loose, conversational style, not like all that literary rubbish I used to aspire to.
Very interesting pots, Michelle! 🙂
I’m definitely an intense plotter, heavy planner, but I do always leave wiggle room for my story to breathe. I use notecards to plot. I’ve been simultaneously plotting 15 novels as I’m revising my first novel. I write a single idea, snatch of dialogue, etc. on a notecard and throw it in a picture storage box.
As I add more cards for different books I secure the cards that are for the same book with a rubber band and put it back in the box. That way I can sit on those first book ideas for months and even a few years while I’m writing my next book and the time will get me past those first cliche ideas to deeper, more interesting possibilities.
I love this idea! It just clicked with me when I heard of it. I’ve definitely modified it to work for me but the original idea was from the late great Michael Crichton.
It’s a plotting method he set up while in medical school. Here’s an article about Crichton’s notecard plotting system so you can see if it might work for you – http://woelfdietrich.com/2014/06/11/michael-crichtons-method-for-plotting-out-a-story/
Hope it might help someone!
sorry! I meant interesting points, Michelle! lol
Well, I started out as a Pantser and ended up really enjoying Plotting ahead of time, so I morphed into a Plotter.
I started as a pantser, but I’ve turned into someone who does a loose outline. The loose outline, generally a paragraph or so per chapter, allows me to know where I’m going. This helps ward off writer’s block. If I feel the outline isn’t working, I ignore it, but if it is working, I stick to it. My first drafts are still awful and will need rewritten, and probably re-outlined before the rewrite.