Overthinking, Overwriting, Overplotting
When I write, I tend to write from the gut. I have a "big picture" idea of my plot, almost like a movie. I have the story arc. I have the main characters--and I know their back story fairly well, know their emotionality. I start at the first word. I keep writing until I get to the end. What happens in between sometimes stumps me, but in the end I write through it. That's my process.
No outline. No character sketches. I write more freely and emotionally this way.
I have friends who write detailed outlines and detailed character sketches. I have friends who use index cards, friends who use flowcharts, friends who use Post-its and storyboards, friends who use all sorts of props.
That's all good. Whatever works.
Except . . . .
I do think sometimes writers can get so involved with trying to be clever, that they lose their emotionality. They can have such complex methods for creating, that they drown their book in details.
The clue?
If in all this plotting and all this writing, and all this thinking . . . the writer loses the elevator pitch. If a book cannot be reduced to a core 25-word punch . . . to something real and emotional and basic.
I've seen it happen. If YOU cannot even BEGIN to detail your book without a fifteen-minute backstory explanation, guess what? Your agent won't be able to pitch it.
I worked with a writer years ago whose plot was so convoluted. The first thing I did as his writing coach was tell him to drop fifteen different devices he was adding. His hero didn't HAVE to have so many weird burdens and back story elements. Reduce it all to an emotional core--keep the plot except we don't need three different villains and four different people on the police force blocking his way, oh . . . and the hero's sister doesn't need to have leukemia at the SAME TIME that his child is missing and his identity is stolen and . . . and . . . and his father is going through a divorce . . . and his wife is threatening to leave and . . . you get the idea.
You can overthink your book.
Thoughts?
No outline. No character sketches. I write more freely and emotionally this way.
I have friends who write detailed outlines and detailed character sketches. I have friends who use index cards, friends who use flowcharts, friends who use Post-its and storyboards, friends who use all sorts of props.
That's all good. Whatever works.
Except . . . .
I do think sometimes writers can get so involved with trying to be clever, that they lose their emotionality. They can have such complex methods for creating, that they drown their book in details.
The clue?
If in all this plotting and all this writing, and all this thinking . . . the writer loses the elevator pitch. If a book cannot be reduced to a core 25-word punch . . . to something real and emotional and basic.
I've seen it happen. If YOU cannot even BEGIN to detail your book without a fifteen-minute backstory explanation, guess what? Your agent won't be able to pitch it.
I worked with a writer years ago whose plot was so convoluted. The first thing I did as his writing coach was tell him to drop fifteen different devices he was adding. His hero didn't HAVE to have so many weird burdens and back story elements. Reduce it all to an emotional core--keep the plot except we don't need three different villains and four different people on the police force blocking his way, oh . . . and the hero's sister doesn't need to have leukemia at the SAME TIME that his child is missing and his identity is stolen and . . . and . . . and his father is going through a divorce . . . and his wife is threatening to leave and . . . you get the idea.
You can overthink your book.
Thoughts?
Labels: overplotting
posted by Erica Orloff at 9:20 AM
7 Comments:
Lately, I think I start out with the fear that I won't have enough plot. I write from beginning to end, but I keep brainstorming and jotting down scenes ahead of time. It seems to end up that I end up one or two sequels of material ahead of where the book ends.
I did that the last two times. I need to not do that this time, LOL.
Hi Spy:
Yes, sometimes doing it without an outline can be problematic. I usually write "free" the first fifty pages--then I will do exactly like you do . . . brainstorm some plot so I have a clear path. But it's an imperfect science.
E
I cast my characters (photos of actors/actresses) and jot down their most poignant personality points (both positive and negative).
Then in addition to a general concept, I summarize the first few scenes (a sentence or so of what might happen). Then I draft.
The characters determine what's next--and I've learned that upping the stakes doesn't mean throwing everything including the kitchen sink at them. ;-)
Great post!
I start with a fairly complex, high-concept thriller plot, written in third-person, multiple POV.
The reader never sees any of that.
What the reader sees is my detective's call to action, in first-person POV, and his subsequent involvement in the ongoing events.
This might seem like a great waste of words, and maybe it's a method that only works for me. But, it allows me to get to know my principal characters, and I'm always aware of what's going on behind the scenes.
kathy:
I like that. YES . . . upping the stakes doesn't mean throwing in the kitchen sink. :-)
E
Jude:
It's all what works for the individual writer.
E
I think this is why I've had a difficult time finishing my current project. I "had" a pitch, but I buried it beneath the layers. My bad.
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