Just Starting Out Again

Hi all! Today, I want to introduce you to one of my bestest best friends in the whole wide world: Theresa Jankowitz. We met at University and over the years, I've managed to pull her over to the dark side. Some of you might already have met her when we traded character interviews a couple of weeks back. Anyway, she's still new to the blogging world, so I really hope that you ladies and gents will go over and give her a lot of love.

^_^

Just Starting Out Again

The most difficult part of writing anything is not starting writing.  It is getting past starting.  I can’t tell you how many stories I have started writing.  I always get an amazing idea for a story and start writing with gusto. But after the first three paragraphs the brand new writing engine develops a little purr.  By paragraph five the purr has turned into a growl.  Paragraph 8, a roar.  By the time I reach paragraph ten my writing engine blows up in a spectacular show of irritation and loss of enthusiasm.

This time round I have finished a whole chapter.  So far.  The surprising thing is that I’m still going.  My engine sounds the same as when it came fresh of the assembly line.  It is a new model, too.  One with all kinds of shiny bells and whistles.  What is so different this time?

This time I began with the end in mind.  Incidentally, this is one of the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey.  A good read, by the way.  Back to the point.  When I started writing my newest WiP, I knew where I wanted the story to end.  I didn’t even know much.  I knew only one scene.  That is enough to keep me going for now.

I am a plotter.  I never wanted to believe it.  I was proud of my pantsing.  I liked going with the flow and do what I felt like.  Only it didn’t work.  Along with knowing where I wanted to end, I realised that I need to know how I am going to get there.  That was a big surprise for someone who likes to think that I have figured myself out.  Big surprise.

I now plot and plan, and plan and plot.  I think about where I am going and why.  It helps.  I actually have a plan in mind for three whole chapters.  It is more than I can say of any of my discarded Works In Progress.

My point?  Don’t take yourself and your style of writing too seriously.  It will probably change spectacularly along the way.

What about you?  Did your style change somewhere along the way?

Thanks so much, Theresa!

There are still a few GPF slots open for the rest of the year, but they're going fast, now. So if you still want one, don't wait until you have a topic. Book now! My e-mail address is mishagericke(AT)gmail(DOT)com.

Have a great weekend everyone!