You Can't Get There From Here

I’m on the verge of starting my second book.  And by that I mean, literally ready to sit down at my desk and type the whole thing out.  I’m almost done with my outline, which, in reality, is more like a first draft, albeit handwritten and sans setting and most dialogue.  But, even though I prefer to finish my outline before I get started, I’m a bit antsy and raring to go.

I think it’s because the story excites me so much.  But part of it’s because, even though I’m seventy-five percent done—and that doesn’t even include the climax, which I’ve already figured out in my head—I’m just not sure how to get that small remaining percentage down.  It’s only like maybe twenty percent of the story, yet, even though I know how it ends, I can’t quite see how to get there from here. 

I hope that sitting down and pounding it out from the beginning will enable this small fraction of the story to emerge and complete itself.  But I’m worried.  I’ve never been blocked before, and I’m not even certain this is actually what blocked looks like.  I mean, I sat down last night and handwrote another chapter.  And boy was I surprised.  It was so dark, so gritty, so violent and emotionally draining, I had to take a step back, it upset me so much.  That can’t be blocked, right? 

I’ve been worried about this for a while now, yet every time I sit down, I manage to progress, to move forward, to write another chapter.  And I still have plenty of notes.  But still, this veil shrouding my last few miles concerns me.  Hell, it downright disturbs me.  But I guess this is what writing by the seat of your pants feels like.  Right? 

I’ve heard being a pantser is freeing, but I don’t like it one bit. 

What about you?  Ever had your vision so cloudy,

you can’t quite determine the path your story should take? 

A to Z Challenge: O is for Outline

Welcome to Day 15 of the A to Z Challenge

O is for Outline:  a general sketch, account, or report, indicating only the main features, as of a book, subject, or project. (Dictionary.com)

There are two camps, if you will, two trains of thought in the writing world.  One—of which I am not a member—is the pantsters.  These are the folks who write organically, by the very seat of their pants.  They might have a general idea of the plot and characters and where they want them to go, but then again, maybe not.  They don’t plan.  They just write.  There’s no map, only a seed of an idea that they allow to germinate, sprout, grow, and flower.  When I was stuck on where to start one of my WIPs, I couldn’t even figure out where to begin an outline.  So a friend suggested I just write what I knew at that point, to get it down on paper, so to speak, in hopes it would generate a flow.  I did just that, and it really helped.  Better yet, I found it liberating. 

Still, I am staunchly of the other camp.  I am a plotter, a narrative outliner.  I first jot down notes in my iPhone as they come to me, but eventually everything is written longhand in a spiral notebook.  My notes are pretty complete, only missing descriptions and dialogue.  From there, it’s easy for me to just read along in my notes and expand while I type away on my computer.

Some outliners write a mini synopsis, cover blurb, or summary statement to get started.  Some use index cards, others the headlight system, in which they have an idea but can see only as far their “headlights.”  Then they “drive” to that point and see a little farther.  Still others generate ideas for scenes and chapters by asking themselves questions:  What’s at stake?  How will the protagonist react?  What will happen when he does?   Do I need more characters?    

There are as many ways to plot and write a novel as there are writers who write them.  While I prefer to outline, so I know exactly where I’m going, I still write in the moment, meaning I write whatever comes into my head at that moment.  So while I am a plotter, I use many of the freebird pantster techniques, as well.                      

What type of writer are you?  Have you ever tried doing it the other way?