Guest Blog by Jennifer Wilck, author of A Heart of Little Faith
I am not a plotter by nature. I write based on what characters pop into my head and start talking to me. They get louder and louder until I write them down. Sometimes they give me a scene or a chapter. Sometimes it’s just a conversation. Other times, it turns into an entire book. Once I tell their stories, they fade away and someone new takes over.
While it might not be the most organized way of writing, it works from me. When my characters speak to me, the writing flows and I can disappear into the story. I love writing and it feels easy. That’s not to say that it IS easy, but it feels that way. Knowing that this method works best for me, you’d think I’d stick with it, wouldn’t you? I mean, I’ve gotten two manuscripts published this way, I enjoy doing it, and I’d like to keep doing it for a long time.
You’d be wrong. While writing my second manuscript, I met an awesome critique partner. She and I are like Yin and Yang. Her strengths are my weaknesses and vice versa. We are brutally honest with each other, we keep each other striving to perfect our craft and we’ve even become friends. So I hope you’ll understand my fear when I’d finished the manuscript, edited it, sent it out to a publisher and had it accepted. Now what? I didn’t want to lose her, because I’m not convinced that I’ll ever find a critique partner as good as she is.
So, after doing my happy dance upon getting my publishing contract, I immediately sat down at my computer to begin a new story. Only, there were no characters talking in my head. I had a story idea that I’d wanted to try for some time. It was also a romance, but with a Jewish theme. It would be tricky, because it would have a story within a story and also because I wanted to make sure that it appealed to everyone, regardless of their religion. It would require planning. It would also require the assistance of my non-Jewish critique partner to make sure that what I was writing was clear, understandable and interesting.
I decided to outline what I wanted to write, even though I’ve never, ever been able to use an outline for any writing in my life. Even as a student, I’d complete my papers weeks early in order to write the outline after the fact so that it would match the paper I’d already written. Going against every writing instinct in my body, I wrote an outline and sent it to my critique partner.
At that point, I could have set the outline aside and written from what was in my head, because by that time, I was getting faint murmurs from my characters. I should have, but I didn’t. I sat down, looked at my outline for chapter one and wrote chapter one. It was excruciating. I used every opportunity to become distracted. I took long breaks between scenes and eventually, chapters. So long, in fact, that I continuously had to consult the outline and what I’d written previously, to know what to write next.
But I did it. I wrote the whole story. I stuck to the outline. The first draft, like most first drafts, needs editing and rewriting and will continue to keep my critique partner busy for months. It’s short and needs to be fleshed out in some areas. But none of those issues are the real problem.
Oh no. Did I mention that this story is supposed to be a romance? Well, I left something important out. Nowhere, and I mean nowhere, did I put in any sex scenes. Totally forgot about them. Hello!!! What romance writer does that? I realize that not all romances need to show the sex scenes; my first book had the sex take place behind closed doors. My second one was most definitely “open door.” I don’t want sex in the book just for sex’s sake, but come on, these characters are supposed to fall in love and have sexual chemistry!
I was so focused on getting everything down in the outline, and then following the outline exactly, that I completely forgot to have my hero and heroine demonstrate any physical attraction for each other. And there lies the problem. I’m not used to having to “make” my characters do anything. When I write, my characters lead the story. They tell me what they want to do and say. It doesn’t always work, but it’s organic. When they fall in love, it seems like the most natural thing in the world. When they sneak a glance or covert touch, the reader roots for them and wants more. The love my characters feel for each other, and how they show it, is not based on what my outline says should happen. As I’ve now seen, when my outline dictates my writing (and please understand that this is only a judgment of my own writing), my story is stilted and emotionless.
So, for my next round of edits, I’ll be tossing that outline out and writing from my heart. Isn’t that where romance comes from anyway?
About the Author: Jennifer is a chocolate-loving romance writer who’s days are filled chauffeuring her daughters to too many after-school activities, volunteering at school and temple and trying to steal time away with her husband. When all of that gets overwhelming, she retreats to her computer, where she write stories that let her escape from reality. She has two books published with Whiskey Creek Press: A Heart of Little Faith and Skin Deep. She can be reached at: www.jenniferwilck.com or http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jennifer-Wilck/201342863240160. She also writes a blog, Fried Oreos, at www.jenniferwilck.wordpress.com.
Book Purchasing Links: A Heart of Little Faith
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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Talk about a hook…how could anyone not read a blog with a title like that?
Good writing is a blend of the objective and subjective. That’s why some of us can’t use an outline. We need to ‘hear’ our characters and be led by them, not some chart or other restrictive device.
John, I know, right? Now I just need more to fall for it…
Really interesting reading, Jennifer. I, too, am an organic writer. The way that unfolds for me is I get caught up in a flow (or whatever you want to call it) from the imaginal world. It’s sort of like living in two places: the real world and the world of my story. Because that method creates lots of edits/rewriting, I’ve toyed with trying an outline. Maybe, having read your blog post, I’ll actually experiment. After the novel I’m working on is finished, that is. I think it’s too far downstream to shift gears right now.
Thanks for stopping by, Ann. And good luck with your experiment. I’ll be interested to hear how it works out for you!
Your post made me laugh, not just a little bit, but a lot. I have seen many different types of artists who are “organic” in their methods for putting together whatever art form it is that they ascribe to. I have also witnessed the types of struggles that take place when they attempt to put something together in a manner which is outside of their familiarity zone. While the experience of doing an outline for the foundation of your book may have its virtues, even if you did forget the sexual chemistry, it provided you with something invaluable: the knowledge that you write the way you do for a reason, without doubt.
I remember the first time someone approached me with music, and asked me to write the lyrics for them, it felt odd. I did finally accomplish the task, but I was used to hearing the sounds in my head, and writing the words according to the music I heard. The song turned out the way this person wanted it, though it was never one of my favorites, it was done.
Back to your books… and the characters that speak to you!
November Rain, so glad I made you laugh. And you’re right, it was beneficial for me to stretch out of my comfort zone, see what I could do, and how I do it best.
I write in much the same way as you. What flows, flows, and the characters lead the way. I’m just there to document their shenanigans.
I’ve never used outlines, except as a student, and even then, only when they were required. If an instructor needed one upfront, I did it, but if it was to be turned in as part of a final project packet, I wrote first and then drew up the outline based on what I’d written.
There are countless right ways to do something and very few decidedly wrong ones.
Came over from GBE2 cause of your title. lol I love how you write your books. I am the same way. I’ve often told people, “the characters live the story, I just write it down.” I think it’s a great way to write, but have found too, that sometimes just writing a bit of an outline works in the same way I’d write a dream down. More, I’d say: a summary. It allows me to follow where I’d “like” the story to go in case I get sidetracked, or forget where I was headed (I’m usually working on 2 stories writing, one editing, and one getting ready to publish lol), but in the end, my characters may make the story change. I’d say writing from the heart is the best way to make a worthy story. I read a lot of people now go into so much detail about how to make a good story, and I prefer what Stephen King said in ON WRITING. “Don’t get lost in the details.”
P.S. Aren’t we always so much more critical of our writing than everyone else? lol
Beth, I think you and I are the same writer person, just in different bodies!
AHBrowne, I love the Stephen King quote! And your outline idea is a good one.
Thanks for stopping by!