Outlining and changing the plot a bit

Preface

Dear all, I'm just a beginner at writing a larger piece.

All those writing exercies I find here and there are extremely helpful in polishing my skills. Also are the constructive comments I got from you.

To have or not to have an outline

I started writing 'Copper Moon' without an outline.

In fact I wrote a piece and then decided to extend it along the lines of the story.

As I saw the protagonist in my head, her features and actions were clear as they could be.

But when I started writing it, my mind wondered over here and there and I felt that I was loosing it.

(Like this entry....)

What was the problem?

I kept repeating myself 'I should have done an outline' and 'I am suffering the lack of a neat outline'.

But my problem might have been either the lack of outline or something else.

Changing the plot

The thing is that the protagonist does not fit into the 'box' the very first piece suggests.

I was reluctant to change the protagonist to make her fit for the expectations AND to give up ANY of the suggestions occurred in the first piece.

In fact I was stuck to the 'outline' provided.

All right that was not an outline, per se...

If you read it HERE, and read some of the readers' comments, you see what I mean.

Writing a story about a werewolf and or serial killer seemed interesting. And it still is, to me!

But as far as I see, and as far as I see it NOW, this suggested atmosphere does not fit my protagonist.

Feeling right ->Back to writing

So, after gaining some confidence via writing completely different things andreceiving friendly pattings on my virtual shoulders, I'm focusing on the story again.

I feel stronger than ever that the flow and the potential outcome has changed....for better or worse?

The point is this: I feel no guilt for making this change.

This has been a great breakthough for me.

Perhaps, this, the fear of changing the plot, was blocking me. We'll see.

This story and the one in the oven

After all, it's my story and there's no plotline, other than mine, that is, other than the one that serves best the purpose of writing it up to my highest possible standards. I'm going to write this story to make the impression on the reader the clossests to the concept I have in my head - I hope I will succeed in doing so.

The changes I made fits the protagonist better.

When I wrote the first piece I had no intention of turning it into a 'large' short story. The first piece had a strong character and I wished to build p a story around her.

I kept her as a protagonist but the focus shifted.

The shifting happened quite early, but I was hesitating.

I still think the first piece is good and I might write another story about that protagonist. This werewolf/serial killer thing will surely give me at least one go. I think it's in me, but not this time. Not now.

Thanks for following me.

Am I a writer?

I found a meme on Jason's site.
No one tagged me, which I really don't mind.

This meme is about the 5 strong points of myself, as a writer.

This is where the main problem starts.
Am I a writer?

What are the criteria of being a writer?

Is there any?

Is it like.....

Do I write on a daily basis? Do I get payment for writing? Are my things published?

No, No, and no again.

Yet, I don't think these qualify.

Are there times when I feel like that what I have in my mind, my feelings, my experience (being spiritual, physical, world-ly, or supernatural, are to best dealt with by putting them on paper?

Are there times when you can't resist the need to write? No matter how rare these times are? When writing is the only solution?

Do I feel drawn back to what I have written just to make it convey the message more and easier?

So I sometimes just let my writings be as how they are?

Do I sometimes feel my writings are inseparatably from my inner part?

Yes, and yes to all.

Do they qualify?

To Jason I said I was more pessimistic and tended to focus on my weaknesses. He gave me some good words of advice, which cheered me up a bit.

I gathered some strong points of myself, yes.

But I might keep the results for myself.

I don't always consider myself a writer in the first place. I'm just someone who sometimes writes.

Dealing with writers' block

here's an interesting article.

second run

A note for those who are new to this site:

this blog was called to live for the purpose of monitoring my process of writing a short story called 'Copper Moon'. I vowed to NOT post pieces. I will post the entire thing when it's ready.

I fancied writing 8-10 pages.

Now I have pieces that make up to like 7-8 pages, but the whole thing is quite incomplete and is totally missing a real plot.

I also said that I will never post again about not writing, so this is where I stop.

I'll be away for the weekend and I do hope to get the necessary solitude and distraction from my everyday life to think deeply about the progress I wish to make.

I'm thinking of getting orderly and coming up with a plot and get it right.

Chances are that the short story will be longer than I thought.

The main character does not seem to be doing anything, basically.

Technically speaking there's no action.

Only characters, 2 of them are important, to be honest.

Considering that it is 8-10 pages long, that really should not be a problem, though.

On the other hand, the lack of action is.

Okay, I'm off.

pathetic

I am frightened how much of the entries comprise of whining over not-writing. I should say an end to this.

So here and now I promise not to write a single line about not-writing.

Writing this particular blog involves responsibility towards those who read. I feel I have violated the law of trust by basically saying nothing.

Stop it. Right now.

there are days

when the notion of keeping on writing this short story does not even enter my mind.

Days come and go, I do my chores, have some rest, regularly meet my virtual and real friends, blah, blah...

There are days when I re-visit the protagonist and all I hear is 'I'm just fine, there's nothing wrong with me, I'm ok' and everytime I hear this I have no intention of whatsoever to keep on writing the story.

I don't sense the energy around the main character, or - what I feel is all too peaceful and quiet to stir me to start writing.

Perhaps, I will return some days later on again....? Ask something else....?

Do not accept a 'happy face' message, no matter how honest that sign is - perhaps I have to ask questions.

Well, I'll see.

full moon

interruption

I may not write it at all.

I don't feel like....

- my efforts would make worth it

-my English / my writing style would make it acceptable, for why be mediocre? I'm to excel and I don't feel I can.

I'm not saying 'I'm sorry' for I am not. I don't wish to push myself into something I no longer believe in. I thought it would be a good idea, but now I dont.

I think I should be looking at the Moon instead.

to post or not to post

I don't write a single line these days...no wonder - the muse is repelled by the dust and upheaval we have in our house.

I am planning to continue whenever things have calmed down to an acceptable level. I guess it will be mid-September. Or early November, eeek.

Can the take a break that long without the risk of getting out of the habit of writing?

I think if there's something I have to write, I will write.

Now I don't have - but I'm not sorry about that.

My body's aching with hard work around the house and my mind is tired, too.

So, I think I'm taking a break from this blog for an undefined length of time, with the strong desire to return whenever possible.

The first job I'll be doing is outlining. My story is in need of one. You may think how stupid it is to start writing anything without a plot, a planned start and finish of events.

Well, that's just how it happened.

In the meantime I visit sites of writers and potential writers and learn a lot.

directions

I started writing in February with quite a core story, I liked it, others who read it in my other blog, said to have liked it too. Some even ventured to say they wanted a sequel or, expansion into a larger piece.

I was unsure about any continuation, but later on the story demanded more air and space within me, so I decided to go. That's when I started this very blog, in June.

Eversince I've been adding pieces to the original thing.

Sometime I got this feeling that the story goes into another direction. If I am to write 8-10 pages, those lines I wrote today for example, take the story into no other, new direction, cast no light onto the understanding the protagonist, onto a better getting the whole concept.

I can't seem to hold to the original idea.

I keep wandering into small descriptions. I lack actions. I don't really like how things have been going lately. I write - and I'm really happy about that. But what I write is another issue.

I will try to outline the story - too bad I have not done it YET: this will set the path of the story.

mixing up

I kind of wrote another piece today.

There are many pieces now, still not reaching 10 pages, as set forth at the beginning. I think I'm half way through with the story...in the sense of length.

Story-wise I don't really know.
One day I'll have to pick up the pieces and match them. Put them in the right order. Match dates, and other features of time, space and characters.
Now I tend to write impulsively and see where it leads me.
Perhaps, I should be getting more goal oriented now.
I'm learning new things about my own self and I like the process.

If you have any stories to share, feel free to comment.
If there is any of you out there.

Full Moon

small update

No signs of writing. Lack of interest? Lack of inspiration? See the previous post, also.

the state of non-writing

Perhaps I have come to terms with non-writing. With being an un-writer.
That tiny voice inside disagrees, though.
It's clearly disagreement. Resentment.

Well, I do what I can. Live, play with my kids, do ridiculous trips to get bruises and suffer from overexposure to the intolerable heat. But this blog is about writing.

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get this?

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No, I'm not quitting.

The deadline is December.

In fact I wish to finish the short story by November so that I can hand it over to some native English speaker to correct my mistakes.

August, September, October and half of November.

Perhaps I have enough time.

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I read a lot, do a lot - and try not to think about not writing.

time to relax

I have been obsessing over not writing a single line in the past days (is it weeks already?!??). This obsession about having a little (?!) break from being creative and inspired makes me just as much nervous as the break itself.

I keep telling myself I wont be able to finish the story at all, it is empty and you have nothing elso to say. I feel quite bad about this part of myself.

At the same time, my other aspects of life are going quite well.

I'm doing good as a mother, housewife, whatever.

The thing I'm not good at at the moment is writing.

I came to question myself : Why is it so important for me to write? What is that writing and finishing writing a piece holds for me that is otherwise unattainable in my life?

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Don't read further if you do not wish to help or wonder about my situation. Careless and superficial comments are not always welcomed. But if you wish to tell me something in the hope of working the problem out, then please proceed. You have been warned :)

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I always, always wanted to be creative and always, always thought that I was just not. I thought - do I still hold this opinion of myself?

Well, perhaps, in some areas, yes.

So, creativity and being inspired was a 'state of mind' I admired - and I still do. Being talented, standing out somehow. Isn't it what everyone's aspiring to?

I thought my brains are not so bright.

My husband keeps telling me the opposite and he's quite honest you know. No masking the truth, not even white lies. Then there must be something else within me that keeps me believing I'm not brainy enough, not talented at all, not being creative at all - the list is endless.

Writing seems to prove my creativity.

Writing seems to justify my mind, my existence - but maybe I have gone too far with that.

There are many other aspects of my life that I can be good at. I might excel at gardening for example. You know what - when I put all my heart's energy into gardening, I do excel.

I started making our own bread and voila - everyone's got high opinions about that.

Perhaps writing is just another area I would like to stand out and gather those pats on the shoulder.

At the same time I'm far from the person who 'gains applause in practically every job he starts doing' - don't get me wrong....

Writing is an escape, too.

I think I just have to let this block (is it a block at all???) pass and NOT obsess about this present state of my mind.

This clear-headed discussion might help, though.

--

These were the bitter words of desparation, my friends.

Fact is, when I am inspired, I write. And whenever I finish a piece (well, nothing's ever completely finished, but let's agree on that there's a finish, a final touch to every literature, when the author thinks it's ready) - I feel great and relaxed. When I'm inspired, I must write what I write.

But when I'm underinspired or for whatever reason don't write, I feel the smallness about me.

I think I'll have to avert my attention in these periods of non-writing toward sthings I CAN still do. I have to be content with what I have at the moment. Today for example, I made a delicious lunch. Isn't that something to be proud of? I will read another volume of pages in the book I'm in at the moment. Isn't that an achievement? I will play Catan with my son in the afternoon and will be having HUGE fun doing so. Isn't that one of life's worthy moments?

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I'm talking instead of writing

yes.

I wrote a letter to my main character.

I doubt that would deemed 'normal' at any cost.

I'd rather be writing about the protagonist, than to.

I fear the theme slipping out of my hands.

a month passed

a month passed since I started this blog.
It appears that one who's watching my other blog has found his/her way here, into the Copper Moon project. That is sort of good. I like to do it alone, this constant monitoring of my (non)progress.
yeah, I'm watching my progress with some irony.
Not THAT MUCH to watch, though.

At least the progress does not really shown in the numbers of typed characters - rather in the way I see myself and the whole process of writing.

Regularity has helped me. That is great.

This blog is dedicated to the project alone and this is also helpful.

I have many, many doubts about writing, about writing this piece in particular, about me being a proper writer in the first place and so on....

And there are times when I think that I could make use of a friendly voice...Some of my blogging friends has surely had some sort of experience with writing....

But this is my writing, my problems, my way of doing things...

So, delurking is welcomed - sort of.

getting lost

I fear getting lost.

motivation

There are times when I just can't think of writing a single line. I'd like to write and I do imagine myself writing and I do enjoy writing, but I don't seem to have the inspiration. I guess this must be something similar with every writer - those of the lesser kind, that is.

But this is not my main topic.

It is motivation.

The story I'm writing about is a bit strange. Or is it an ordinary story with strange characters?

Nevermind.

The reason behind their behaviour(s) and feeling(s) is the motivation, right?

And that's where I'm troubled now: am I to give, depict and detail the motivation or rather, am I to leave it mysterious as it is a bit to me?

I have to make things clear in my head.

What are MY motives?

Am I to let the protagonist act on his/her free will OR am I to analyse him/her?

Who's the main character? Is it him/her or me?

Am I more important and wise? Or am I just peeping into someone else's life?

Am I to give life to him/her - or am I only allowed to enter his/her life as a visitor?

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and finally: am I to define myself as a writer?

that is: am I to consider myself as one and if the answer is yes, am I to declare and attach a style of writing to me? will that confine me or liberate me? why all these nonsense creep into my mind? why am I so unsure of myself?

of being able to finish it off?

where is my confidence?

what am I to do once I finished with the 'job' ?

will writing all the way through worth all the trouble I feel?

does anyone around feel like this?

piece by piece

I wrote some pieces again today. Hurray.
I go by writing pieces that will be hold up for the complete story at the end.

Some are more detailed, some are not, some are only hints.

Sometimes my mind begins wandering off - it's like I'm watching a movie that I am only partly in control of.