tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560069307237139151.post1887065568702038803..comments2023-10-26T06:39:37.076-07:00Comments on Ariel Emerald: Giving your characters a life of their ownFantasticFictionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07585904161476879106noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560069307237139151.post-78891278366571221672010-04-14T17:40:15.282-07:002010-04-14T17:40:15.282-07:00Thanks matthew! Great Blog!Thanks matthew! Great Blog!FantasticFictionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07585904161476879106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560069307237139151.post-5441647292843022652010-03-25T08:07:17.521-07:002010-03-25T08:07:17.521-07:00I've only written one novel, so I can't re...I've only written one novel, so I can't really say that this is how it will always be for me, but I definitely set out a basic plot outline and even a rough sketch of several characters before I ever began to write.<br /><br />Then I let the characters take control of certain scenes and themes, and as long as they didn't deviate from the plot too distinctly it all worked out. Of course revisions and re-writes were required but in the long run it seems that for me a bit of both works best for me.<br /><br />Anyway I found your blog in the list of links on Justine's and I have become a follower. Please feel free to visit mine and do the same.<br /><br />Thanks!Matthew MacNishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03264738483763244969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560069307237139151.post-3117688881361722672010-03-24T16:30:05.932-07:002010-03-24T16:30:05.932-07:00Yeah, it's cool to see how different we all wr...Yeah, it's cool to see how different we all write.FantasticFictionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07585904161476879106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560069307237139151.post-76858135228434274422010-03-24T15:14:27.228-07:002010-03-24T15:14:27.228-07:00I can't outline to begin with; it find it too ...I can't outline to begin with; it find it too constricting and then I just trap my characters with my own ideas. What I find is that since I try to live my novel as best I can (applying school, reading, little incidents, etc.) new ideas about my worlds or characters unfold as I continue to explore. So I start out with a loose outline, at least an idea of the plot and resolution, and outline the rest as I go along. Plenty changes, of course, and I didn't even work out the real solution to my ending until after I had finished the book (I'm still confused as to how that happened), but it keeps the mystery, keeps me engaged in the project, and gives my characters enough leeway for them to become themselves. <br /><br />I love everyone's thoughts here...such a fundamental part of novel writing, it's great to see what everyone else does.Alysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12950629760060046846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560069307237139151.post-40584043199492451402010-03-24T14:50:22.803-07:002010-03-24T14:50:22.803-07:00I let my characters run pretty much free, and I wo...I let my characters run pretty much free, and I wound up with, well, let's just say it's a plot I can't describe in a way that will work for a query. Just a couple of days ago I began tearing it apart, and I'll be outlining this time, at least at the start so that I can say "this is my premise, and this is where the story's going." (Last time I wrote a 10-page synopsis before I started, and within the first couple of pages everything changed. Oh well.) Looks like I'll be demoting one character, promoting another, ripping out a huge chunk of the novel, and changing the ending.<br /><br />I'm nervous about outlining -- letting my characters run free has served well in a lot of ways. I've learned a great deal by going with the flow. Now I have to find a balancing point, so the spontaneity is there, but we still get to have a plot that hangs together.John Baronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01700561722434870258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560069307237139151.post-59018493137892164202010-03-24T14:12:57.513-07:002010-03-24T14:12:57.513-07:00Just noticed. Thanks for listing my blog. -KJust noticed. Thanks for listing my blog. -KAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14115085533635353291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3560069307237139151.post-77745523206425319432010-03-24T14:11:43.674-07:002010-03-24T14:11:43.674-07:00I tried to outline my last draft and failed misera...I tried to outline my last draft and failed miserably at it. I didn't even get the genre right. Tried to force it to be YA when the character was MG. (Emma was even PG, a contrast from the previous finished draft.)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14115085533635353291noreply@blogger.com