GeraldRice   03-01-2010, 11:53 AM
#1
I was tooling around on the internet and I read a bit about James Patterson. Apparently he has a 3 inch thick folder full of ideas and he collaborates with other writers because he can't write them all. Do you have a folder of stuff you just don't see yourself getting around to? And if so, do you have any plans to do anything with it?

They passed an old woman who was just opening the door of a brown Cadillac. An old man was already sitting in the passenger seat. The car had a personalized plate with the letters “J-U-S-P-R-A-Y”.
“That stuff work?” Israel said to her.
“‘Scuse me?” the little old woman said, clutching her keys.
“The spray. Does it keep them away?”
“Keep who away?” She looked confused.
“I gotcha.” Israel gave her a conspiratorial wink.

www.feelmyghost.webs.com
fpw   03-01-2010, 12:50 PM
#2
GeraldRice Wrote:I was tooling around on the internet and I read a bit about James Patterson. Apparently he has a 3 inch thick folder full of ideas and he collaborates with other writers because he can't write them all. Do you have a folder of stuff you just don't see yourself getting around to? And if so, do you have any plans to do anything with it?
I have bits and pieces - ideas, situations, etc. - in notebooks and in a computer file, but no outlines or the like. I have a list of story beats I'm working off for THE DARK AT THE END, but I seem to be avoiding formal outlines lately.

FPW
FAQ
"It means 'Ask the next question.' Ask the next question, and the one that follows that, and the one that follows that. It's the symbol of everything humanity has ever created." Theodore Sturgeon.
Bluesman Mike Lindner   03-01-2010, 01:05 PM
#3
GeraldRice Wrote:I was tooling around on the internet and I read a bit about James Patterson. Apparently he has a 3 inch thick folder full of ideas and he collaborates with other writers because he can't write them all. Do you have a folder of stuff you just don't see yourself getting around to? And if so, do you have any plans to do anything with it?

Gerald, I bet you keep a notebook with you at all times. 'Cause anybody who writes gets ideas, phrases, hooks all the time. You don't write them down, you forget them. Which reminds me...
GeraldRice   03-01-2010, 01:26 PM
#4
Bluesman Mike Lindner Wrote:Gerald, I bet you keep a notebook with you at all times. 'Cause anybody who writes gets ideas, phrases, hooks all the time. You don't write them down, you forget them. Which reminds me...

I've done that with poetry more than anything else. A really good line and not had a notebook handy. A story idea, or character tends to linger, follow me around and stare at me. Sit at the table while I eat. Keeps my spot in the bed cool. Point its index just inside my peripheral vision while I drive. Whisper nonsense as I'm trying to think of something. I eventually HAVE to write it down. There are ideas I had in my head for years that crept their way into The Ghost Toucher.

They passed an old woman who was just opening the door of a brown Cadillac. An old man was already sitting in the passenger seat. The car had a personalized plate with the letters “J-U-S-P-R-A-Y”.
“That stuff work?” Israel said to her.
“‘Scuse me?” the little old woman said, clutching her keys.
“The spray. Does it keep them away?”
“Keep who away?” She looked confused.
“I gotcha.” Israel gave her a conspiratorial wink.

www.feelmyghost.webs.com
GeraldRice   03-01-2010, 01:50 PM
#5
fpw Wrote:I have bits and pieces - ideas, situations, etc. - in notebooks and in a computer file, but no outlines or the like. I have a list of story beats I'm working off for THE DARK AT THE END, but I seem to be avoiding formal outlines lately.

I didn't know how to outline until last year. I don't know how 'proper' mine are now, but they are effective for me. Mine consists of fleshing out the characters I want to put in my story and then writing paragraphed, abbreviated chunks, that move the story along. I can interchange these chunks as I see fit and as I go a story develops in my mind. I highly doubt it would make much sense to someone who hadn't read the complete story. I even inject pieces of dialogue I want to include in a draft.

They passed an old woman who was just opening the door of a brown Cadillac. An old man was already sitting in the passenger seat. The car had a personalized plate with the letters “J-U-S-P-R-A-Y”.
“That stuff work?” Israel said to her.
“‘Scuse me?” the little old woman said, clutching her keys.
“The spray. Does it keep them away?”
“Keep who away?” She looked confused.
“I gotcha.” Israel gave her a conspiratorial wink.

www.feelmyghost.webs.com
Bluesman Mike Lindner   03-01-2010, 02:28 PM
#6
GeraldRice Wrote:I've done that with poetry more than anything else. A really good line and not had a notebook handy. A story idea, or character tends to linger, follow me around and stare at me. Sit at the table while I eat. Keeps my spot in the bed cool. Point its index just inside my peripheral vision while I drive. Whisper nonsense as I'm trying to think of something. I eventually HAVE to write it down. There are ideas I had in my head for years that crept their way into The Ghost Toucher.

Then you're lucky, Gerald. I find, I don't write it down, it is =gone=. And of course, most, maybe even 90% I'll never use. But I find the notebook valuable for this: The Muse sees me writing. And She'll think, "How sweet! The broken-down bluesman tries and tries. But of course, he has little talent and needs help. I'll visit him again."

And then, I have another lyric!WinkBig Grin
The Mad American   03-02-2010, 12:07 AM
#7
GeraldRice Wrote:I didn't know how to outline until last year. I don't know how 'proper' mine are now, but they are effective for me. Mine consists of fleshing out the characters I want to put in my story and then writing paragraphed, abbreviated chunks, that move the story along. I can interchange these chunks as I see fit and as I go a story develops in my mind. I highly doubt it would make much sense to someone who hadn't read the complete story. I even inject pieces of dialogue I want to include in a draft.


How did you learn? A class or a book or someone show you? Curiousity killed the cat and all that.

"No other success can compensate for failure in the home." D.O. McKay

"Never raise your hand to your kids. It leaves your groin unprotected."
~ Red Buttons

Too literal? I'm sorry you feel I have a Literal Agenda!


GeraldRice   03-02-2010, 12:21 AM
#8
The Mad American Wrote:How did you learn? A class or a book or someone show you? Curiousity killed the cat and all that.

I guess learned isn't the correct terminology. In theory I knew hot to plot, I just didn't have the will to do it/didn't understand the purpose of it. So I just flew by the seat of my pants when I wrote and wound up veering off course at some point. The plot actually kept me on target for a change.

They passed an old woman who was just opening the door of a brown Cadillac. An old man was already sitting in the passenger seat. The car had a personalized plate with the letters “J-U-S-P-R-A-Y”.
“That stuff work?” Israel said to her.
“‘Scuse me?” the little old woman said, clutching her keys.
“The spray. Does it keep them away?”
“Keep who away?” She looked confused.
“I gotcha.” Israel gave her a conspiratorial wink.

www.feelmyghost.webs.com
Ken Valentine   03-02-2010, 12:32 AM
#9
GeraldRice Wrote:I guess learned isn't the correct terminology. In theory I knew how to plot, I just didn't have the will to do it/didn't understand the purpose of it. So I just flew by the seat of my pants when I wrote and wound up veering off course at some point. The plot actually kept me on target for a change.
Man do I know how that goes!

I don't have the ability to write a story, but knowing how often -- and how far -- I tend to digress from what I originally intend to write, I would imagine that having an outline (or a series of leads) to follow would be a tremendous help.

Ken V.
  
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