I’m having an interesting time writing my new as-yet-untitled novel. I must decide on a title soon I guess, but at the moment I’m stumped on what to call it.
Anyway, I digress. Ideas for a title is not what I wanted to talk about in this (short) post. Rather I wanted to talk about something that I guess happens a lot for authors – the plot veering away somewhat from the plan. OK, so I know some many of you are pantsers.
Well I’m not – I’m definitely a plotter. BUT my plot does tend to veer away quite a bit from the original plan. It’s something that happened in Reunion of the Heart and it’s happening with this story too. This new story I’m writing is a romance too and I’m wondering exactly how my MC is going to get with the person I intended her to get with when it seems as though she’s deliberately disobeying me and leading me to write her falling for someone else completely.
So I think what I’m going to have to do is somehow drag her back at least towards the original plan, rather than completely away from it, and create a diversion so to speak so that she gets with the right guy.
Does this sounds familiar to anyone? I mean it doesn’t necessarily have to happen when you’re writing a romance, right? From what I’ve read on other writers’ blogs, this sort of thing happens a great deal to authors writing in all kinds of different genres.
And I just wanted to ask: when you find your characters pulling you away from your original plot or idea, what do you do? Do you pull them back onto the straight and narrow? Or do you go with the flow and let them take you somewhere new?
As always your thoughts are welcome.
Elaine Jeremiah 
I am touched by this blog, unique and I enjoyed your being polite. That is the highest compliment.
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Oh thank you very much, so glad you appreciate it!! 🙂
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Very nice blog! I plan to get better acquainted with your work am now following you! 🙂
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Thank you so much, that’s such a compliment. I am following your blog too. I’ve read one of your poems and thought it was lovely. 🙂
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You’re very welcome and thank you again for such kind words of encouragement. 🙂
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I wouldn’t say I let them ‘pull’ me into another plot idea. Usually, they’re where they should be in a scene and may start talking or doing things when I’m trying to sleep or when I’m driving to/from work. The plot is still going where I intended. I can’t recall a time when the plot has gone in another direction. If it did, I’d have to think about WHY.
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That’s interesting, that they distract you when you’re driving or trying to sleep. 😉 I think ultimately the plot will go where I want it to go, it’s just a case of how it gets there. 🙂
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I plot a fair amount before I start writing, but it’s pretty bare bones, giving my characters a lot of freedom to develop in different ways. Since they tend to stay within the parameters I gave them, I actually really enjoy it when they pipe up and do something I didn’t expect them to do. So I fear I don’t have any experience with reining them in. 🙂
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That’s interesting, it sounds like you’re a bit similar to me in your writing process. Thanks for sharing that, it’s helpful. 🙂
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I wrote a blog post about my process a while back that might interest you: http://ruthnestvold.wordpress.com/2012/09/16/by-popular-demand-pantsers-plotters-and-puzzlers/ — hope it helps!
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Thanks for that Ruth. I had a look and it’s helpful. I don’t think I approach my writing exactly the same way as you do, but I have a similar process that I go through. I guess that each writer has a slightly different way of approaching their work from the next. 🙂
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