Comments on: Losing the Plot

By: STEVEN

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By: Nanci Panuccio

Nanci Panuccio — Sat, 01 May 2010 16:30:05 +0000

Brent,

Such great insight!

That’s what I love so much about writing or any other creative endeavor. It’s largely a receptive process. I love slipping into that dream space. Sometimes we just have to get out of our own head, stay open and let the story breathe. And trust that the story and its shape will emerge.

I feel “lost in the morass of infinite possibility” (love that!) even when writing short fiction. I’m often flooded by a myriad of associations, memories, images and so forth. Harnessing it all is a huge challenge for me. That’s why I enjoy revision so much. It is, like you say, “sculpting in clay.”

Two novels in progress! Wow! Looking forward to them…

By: Brent Robison

Brent Robison — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 14:40:57 +0000

Lose control — good advice! Those rare moments of “channeling” are the best. But then, the subsequent revising is also key, and fun, like sculpting in clay.

In my writing, this plot business has been not such a problem, at least at the individual short story level. Mostly, they came fairly organically, through writing as exploration (never “plotting”). Sometimes just time was required before a story could find its way. But then, I was thrilled to experience, as if from nowhere, connections occuring between and among stories, and I began to assemble an interwoven collection that corresponded with my growing study of nonduality as a philosophy. Never had a clue when these stories began that this is where they would take me.

But now… I’m working on two novels and often feeling lost in the morass of infinite possibility. Maybe I’m not cut out for long-form. Or… I’ll slowly feel my way through to the other side, fully experiencing every minute in the dark. Time will tell.

By: Theresa Milstein

Theresa Milstein — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:47:52 +0000

I wholeheartedly agree. I don’t know how anyone could write such a detailed outline and character sketch, without killing his or her creativity. The only time it would make sense is if a person plans to pitch a series, because s/he wants to demonstrate an idea how the story will progress, and eventually end, but that’s after writing the manuscript for the first book.

By: Nanci Panuccio

Nanci Panuccio — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:05:24 +0000

Hi, Niyi

Thanks for your thoughts. Wow! Very impressed with your list of favorite authors.

I particularly like what you say about earning your audience. I think that when you write what matters to you, your audience finds you and is grateful.

By: Niyi Immanuel

Niyi Immanuel — Wed, 27 May 2009 12:49:45 +0000

Nanci has been very blunt and helpful. Initially when I began writing, I always wanted the kind of stories that made people stay up at night. You won’t blame me because I set my standards based on the style and caliber of writers I admired like Forsyth, Dekker,Rivers and Archer. So you see, I was heading for a suicide even before I started living.

Another issue of importance is our personal goals. For example I wanted to write a stunning book by my 16th birthday. In retrospect, I LAUGH at my immaturity.

My advice is first know what messages you want to pass across. Then begin to write as it comes to you, careless in your first and second draft. Gradually your style emerges. Don’t rush. No one can say your message like you.They may have the same message but your style will earn your audience.