Comments on: Writing by the Seat of the Pants http://www.sfnovelists.com/2009/06/17/writing-by-the-seat-of-the-pants/ A mutual support group for SF/F Novelists Mon, 06 Sep 2010 06:06:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Writing By The Seat Of The Pants Part II at SF Novelists http://www.sfnovelists.com/2009/06/17/writing-by-the-seat-of-the-pants/#comment-6722 Writing By The Seat Of The Pants Part II at SF Novelists Fri, 03 Jul 2009 05:54:38 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2009/06/17/writing-by-the-seat-of-the-pants/#comment-6722 [...] novel (fourth in my Crosspointe series) by the seat of my pants and that I had no ending in sight. Here’s that blog if you are interested. I told you then that I’d have an update for you and that I hoped to be [...] [...] novel (fourth in my Crosspointe series) by the seat of my pants and that I had no ending in sight. Here’s that blog if you are interested. I told you then that I’d have an update for you and that I hoped to be [...]

]]> By: S.C. Butler http://www.sfnovelists.com/2009/06/17/writing-by-the-seat-of-the-pants/#comment-6644 S.C. Butler Sun, 21 Jun 2009 16:57:17 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2009/06/17/writing-by-the-seat-of-the-pants/#comment-6644 I'm a pantser, but I don't start till I know the ending. At least the narrative ending. It's the middle part where I drive blind. I’m a pantser, but I don’t start till I know the ending. At least the narrative ending. It’s the middle part where I drive blind.

]]> By: Jace http://www.sfnovelists.com/2009/06/17/writing-by-the-seat-of-the-pants/#comment-6639 Jace Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:48:56 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2009/06/17/writing-by-the-seat-of-the-pants/#comment-6639 My initial gut response: Keep Writing. Obviously your characters know where they are going, based on what you've said about your progress so far. These other responses also sound like good advice. I would definitely check your subplots and teases to make sure you have satisfied, them, but I really feel that falls more into the editing and rewriting process. I, too, mostly plan, but when it comes right down to it, all the planning in the world won't write your novel. Writing is the only thing that will make it happen, so keep writing! My initial gut response: Keep Writing.
Obviously your characters know where they are going, based on what you’ve said about your progress so far. These other responses also sound like good advice. I would definitely check your subplots and teases to make sure you have satisfied, them, but I really feel that falls more into the editing and rewriting process.

I, too, mostly plan, but when it comes right down to it, all the planning in the world won’t write your novel. Writing is the only thing that will make it happen, so keep writing!

]]> By: Chrystoph http://www.sfnovelists.com/2009/06/17/writing-by-the-seat-of-the-pants/#comment-6638 Chrystoph Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:08:33 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2009/06/17/writing-by-the-seat-of-the-pants/#comment-6638 Is it possible that the end of the Book is there, but the end of the Story is in another book? It is not as common to write this way as it used to be, but, in the middle of the 20th century, it was not uncommon for the saga to run to multiple books, while the various arcs played out in individual books. Kelly McCullough is doing that with Ravirn/Raven right now. Is it possible that the end of the Book is there, but the end of the Story is in another book?

It is not as common to write this way as it used to be, but, in the middle of the 20th century, it was not uncommon for the saga to run to multiple books, while the various arcs played out in individual books.

Kelly McCullough is doing that with Ravirn/Raven right now.

]]> By: Missy S http://www.sfnovelists.com/2009/06/17/writing-by-the-seat-of-the-pants/#comment-6633 Missy S Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:15:30 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2009/06/17/writing-by-the-seat-of-the-pants/#comment-6633 Poor Di! Though I'm sure you'll get to it. Somewhere there has to be a logical ending... you'll resolve it with a bang, I'm sure. :) Poor Di! Though I’m sure you’ll get to it. Somewhere there has to be a logical ending… you’ll resolve it with a bang, I’m sure. :)

]]> By: S. Megan Payne http://www.sfnovelists.com/2009/06/17/writing-by-the-seat-of-the-pants/#comment-6627 S. Megan Payne Wed, 17 Jun 2009 22:58:11 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2009/06/17/writing-by-the-seat-of-the-pants/#comment-6627 The fastest way I know to do it is to read it through from the beginning (but I'm a VERY fast reader). Then if I have to do ANYTHING else, I keep thinking about it, getting under the characters' skins and seeing where they're going. No other real tips. It requires some pretty proactive characters for the last part and good reading skills for the other. The fastest way I know to do it is to read it through from the beginning (but I’m a VERY fast reader). Then if I have to do ANYTHING else, I keep thinking about it, getting under the characters’ skins and seeing where they’re going. No other real tips. It requires some pretty proactive characters for the last part and good reading skills for the other.

]]> By: Diana Pharaoh Francis http://www.sfnovelists.com/2009/06/17/writing-by-the-seat-of-the-pants/#comment-6626 Diana Pharaoh Francis Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:50:25 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2009/06/17/writing-by-the-seat-of-the-pants/#comment-6626 Adam: I aim to plan the next one too. Sigh. S Megan. I need to percolate FAST at this point. But I'm hopeful. green_knight: you may be right. Macdibble: planning the critique run. Kim: planning to dig in the garden today and hoping. If not then, then cleaning the bathrooms are up next . . . Raethe: I may try that method and see what I can come up with. This is my *only* pantsing effort. Hence my freaking out. Adam: I aim to plan the next one too. Sigh.

S Megan. I need to percolate FAST at this point. But I’m hopeful.

green_knight: you may be right.

Macdibble: planning the critique run.

Kim: planning to dig in the garden today and hoping. If not then, then cleaning the bathrooms are up next . . .

Raethe: I may try that method and see what I can come up with. This is my *only* pantsing effort. Hence my freaking out.

]]> By: Raethe http://www.sfnovelists.com/2009/06/17/writing-by-the-seat-of-the-pants/#comment-6625 Raethe Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:36:40 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2009/06/17/writing-by-the-seat-of-the-pants/#comment-6625 Towards the end of mine I started a list of all the conflicts I had that needed to be resolved, and the promises I'd made that I felt needed to be kept, so I could keep all that in the back of my mind as I wrote. I find it does inform my writing when I know what I need to do, even if I don't explicitly know how to do it. Sometimes I list thematic concerns that I want to emphasize, which helps me get the "feel" right as well as the events. But yeah, other than that, it's mostly writing up until you hit something that feels like a stopping point, and smoothing things over if you have to. That's what I find, anyway. 'Course, I pantsed the first 100k of my novel, and planned the last 60k, so maybe I don't qualify as a pantser. Not full time anyway. ;) Towards the end of mine I started a list of all the conflicts I had that needed to be resolved, and the promises I’d made that I felt needed to be kept, so I could keep all that in the back of my mind as I wrote. I find it does inform my writing when I know what I need to do, even if I don’t explicitly know how to do it. Sometimes I list thematic concerns that I want to emphasize, which helps me get the “feel” right as well as the events.

But yeah, other than that, it’s mostly writing up until you hit something that feels like a stopping point, and smoothing things over if you have to. That’s what I find, anyway.

‘Course, I pantsed the first 100k of my novel, and planned the last 60k, so maybe I don’t qualify as a pantser. Not full time anyway. ;)

]]> By: Kim Sheard http://www.sfnovelists.com/2009/06/17/writing-by-the-seat-of-the-pants/#comment-6623 Kim Sheard Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:53:29 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2009/06/17/writing-by-the-seat-of-the-pants/#comment-6623 I fret, I worry, I work on something else, then *always* the spark of inspiration comes. Usually while I'm shopping or taking a walk or something totally unrelated, THE ANSWER drops from heaven, or the muses, or my subconcious or whatever. Really. Trust your subconscious. I fret, I worry, I work on something else, then *always* the spark of inspiration comes. Usually while I’m shopping or taking a walk or something totally unrelated, THE ANSWER drops from heaven, or the muses, or my subconcious or whatever.

Really.

Trust your subconscious.

]]> By: MacDibble http://www.sfnovelists.com/2009/06/17/writing-by-the-seat-of-the-pants/#comment-6622 MacDibble Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:26:41 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2009/06/17/writing-by-the-seat-of-the-pants/#comment-6622 Somewhere in your story will be a clue about the ending. If you can't see it when you fizzle out of story, take a break, run the first chapter by your critique friends ask them where they think it is going. Wonder why their answers are so odd. Then read it again looking for the clue. I'm sure you'll see it. Somewhere in your story will be a clue about the ending. If you can’t see it when you fizzle out of story, take a break, run the first chapter by your critique friends ask them where they think it is going. Wonder why their answers are so odd. Then read it again looking for the clue. I’m sure you’ll see it.

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