Fives senses plotting

Most of my plotting happens when I’m on holiday. This works well for me because setting is a big part of my writing and I like to evoke setting rather than describe it. I’m always trying to move beyond the ‘mention olive trees three times so the reader knows you are in Greece’ approach.

I like to plot when I’m on holiday because writing itself can be a solitary, antisocial activity. Plotting can happen anywhere, anytime and it can be quick.  Plot while you’re waiting for friends in a café, waiting for a train, or waiting for your partner to finish a phone call.

Don’t wait for a beautiful scene; in books, interesting things happen in all sorts of mundane places. It’s what happening between the characters that makes for riveting reading.

I use the fives sense to capture setting as I travel, just a few headings in a notebook and I write free flow.

Then I read back over it and ask myself…

What could happen here?

First kiss, stabbing, child kidnapped, flirting over cocktails, wedding? And so I have the kernel of a plot point.

Invasion of the exciting new plot!

It happens at some point in the writing of a manuscript that a shiny new idea comes along. It’s fresh, the hero is hot and the conflict is exhilarating…but you are 3 chapters/half way through/polishing your WIP.

You can’t play with the new idea, or can you?

Sometimes taking a coffee hot chocolate break and sitting with a blank piece of paper to capture the idea is all it takes to stop it from trying to take over. The idea will still be there waiting to be written after the WIP is done. Because if the WIP doesn’t get finished, it can’t be submitted which means it can’t be sold.

Don’t ignore those brilliant new plots, just coral them and hog tie them so they don’t get in the way and can’t distract you—did someone say bounty hunter?

Ohhh shiny…..

Duck - Incoming...Or is it - CATCH!

Incoming what? Catch what, you ask. Plots, that's what. I'm not a plotter, never have been, tried it but it's not something I've perfected. Perhaps I should.

Even though I'm not a plotter I've had to duck and then catch a few times, usually as I'm about to fall asleep. That's the time when the brain is winding down and all those thoughts that are usually blocked run free. It's also why most writers have a note pad next to their bed. I don't have a note pad - do you see a pattern? I'm a bit of a rebel. I may not have a note pad, but I do have an e-reader which I can make notes on. I've done that a few times.

Other times it can happen when you're in the middle of a scene and an extra walks in and you go, hmmm what is their story. They stand patiently while you make a quick note then move on.

I had that happen on my recent WIP (the partial of which got an R :-( ). Anyway this character popped up and she's still in the back of my mind. She's got a story there, but as she's just had a personal tragedy she's waiting until that special someone comes into her life - or should I say, he shows himself in my mind. I'm looking forward to when that happens.

It's the life of the writer and I love when it happens, sometimes I wish it would happen a bit more.

Proofreading

Reading snout loud has its uses.  It can puck up all manor of things like overly long sentences, dialogue that is tongue twisting and words written in ways they shouldn’t bee.
I don’t want to condom you’re writing - we all make miss takes.

Have a look at the following link witch is a poem buy Taylor Mali called “The the impotence of proofreading”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OonDPGwAyfQ&noredirect=1



Enjoy.