Purple Monster

Whilst writing I have had unexpected things happen – characters that were of no consequence who present themselves suddenly as major players – this has become extreme with some major plot changes creeping in because of the new characters actions. My husband says he doesn’t believe this really happens, that the characters and story steer themselves – after a little conversation about it I realised that we both approach novelling in very different ways.

I tend to do a lot of what is known as free writing, I will use various stimuli a phrase, a picture etc… and just sit and start writing the first thing to pop into my head. The Punks structure itself is built up from me doing something similiar. I have been collecting snippets here and there and the whole thing started with a title. Of course there is the fact that it overlays a story idea I have been working on since my teens but most of the actual writing is still response writing. I may write chapter outlines but as you may have noticed I rarely stick to them – I have the main story arch fixed in my head but everything else is fluid!

My husband on the other hand, has an extensive wiki/database of information and characters and their interactions with each other. He outlines everything in minute detail and the actual discription and dialogue is hung on this frame. He wouldn’t dream of throwing an extra character into the mix without deliberating and looking at the potential out comes for weeks!

Though I am keeping notes and things on my novel this time I am still essentially a free writer, he is not – his writing is still fantastic and is far more of a polished item when he’s finished his first draft than mine is!

I just thought the two approaches were interesting – even more so as the novel he is writing is a joint effort between us – he is writing his part first (and has been for about 7 yrs now) I will then write mine once his is complete. They are two stories interwoven – his from the male protag and me from the female. It will be interesting to see how the combination works!

To a certain extent Alaric has issues with writing fiction in that he has a very demanding job and when I am incapacitated he has me and small child and elderly aunt to look after. I write most days unless my hands are trully too painful which fortunatly doesn’t happen that often. His rigid structure is probably essential for him to keep the momentum up with the story as there are huge gaps between his writing sprints!

Having said that when I have tested my monster writing game on him or he’s come along to the writing group I run he has excelled in the free writing, producing powerful openings to stories and sometimes even complete short stories. It often makes me wonder what would happen if he had more time to write – I think he would complete the nano challenge in the first week and produce something damn hot! Maybe if I ever make it to a best selling list I can give him that time.

Posted: Friday, November 26th, 2010 @ 11:34 am
Categories: Uncategorized.
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