I’m mostly a pantser. I write stories without an elaborate outline. And I’ve got the unfinished stories to prove it. That was my main problem for a long time. I’d start something and then it would just die somewhere in the middle.
Eventually after looking at where they died and what was happening, I figured out why they died. The stories were missing something vital.
Now, this was when I was slogging through it on my own. I didn’t need any darned book on writing. I was already writing. You heard it here first. I admit I was completely, totally WRONG!
If I’d have been less stubborn, I wouldn’t have had to slog through unfinished manuscripts for months trying to find out where I went wrong. I could have simply opened one or two books and read a little. I’d have also learned about helpful things like character description charts and basic outlining.
Before I write anything now, I do a basic outline, nothing too involved. Just the characters’ problems, what gets in their way both personal and external conflict, and the resolution. I don’t know the exact way the book will end. I let the characters tell me that, but I know I have the basics to get there.
Now, if you’re a newbie writer, don’t be stubborn. Get the writing books. Or at least check them out from the library. You’ll find some of them very valuable.
One book I highly recommend for newbies is Goals, Motivation and Conflict by Debra Dixon. You can’t go wrong with it.
I’ve got many partials for another reason. My muse wonders. But, this is the year…to finish several of those without starting anything new on my own. 😉
Mel
Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll look for it.
I’m familiar with the wandering muse syndrome. I usually have at two projects going at the same time. That way if I’m blocked on one, I can go to the other one and work on it for a while.
Hope you finish those wips!
Rebecca