POLL 'How do you write Your Stories'

[nostalgicroxas]

For you writing is more as a hobby then.

Ah, so, you have a very strict idea of what a profession is. Got it. If you want to talk about technical papers like what lawyers and law makers write, that is a different type of beast. You want to talk about stories here, then you will get hobbyists and professionals and it is not your place to determine which they are based on one sentence they say in an opinion poll.

Curious to know about how the story of the story is not meaningful in a planned execution.

Because as I stated

I just race there

Knowing how you yourself writes is not a bad thing, a flaw, or for others to look down upon.
Your responses come off haughty and rude. You wanted answers, and we gave them. If you want clarity, say so.

[CarltonIsaac]

At no point of this poll or any post thereafter have I suggested that everyone has to religiously follow a set pattern to succeed. So I don’t really get what’s making some of you fine folks get all riled up. Are you reading too much into it, if so why?

I apologize if it feels that way. I suppose it might be the confident way in which you seem to have been stating that such a method is what professionals come to use. I simply wanted to say that it's not always the case. I didn't mean to read too much or say it as an argument. It was simply my attempt at discussing that point by stating my own opinion, that's all

[quote="CarltonIsaac, post:45, topic:37350"]
When the overall outcome of the poll suggests over 90% of the votes favour a thought out planned approach, however basic or complex, before beginning to write the story, what’s the need for crying foul?
[/quote]

But...I didn't? I only said that it doesn't define all writers, that's all. And the poll proves that too. So I don't see why it's an issue? I'm sorry if I seemed to say something else.

[quote="CarltonIsaac, post:45, topic:37350"]
So the overall consensus of this poll determines most writers on here prefer to know where they are going and have a fundamental route of how to get there. On the way they can have as much fun as they like, as long as they reach their set destination and get the desired results.

I concluded with this paragraph in my ‘analysis’ post

CarltonIsaac:
In conclusion, this isn’t a contest or grading system. There’s room for all of us types here on this cool site and in the big bad world. And we are all free to choose as we deem fit.

Yet it’s ignored and just some phrases are being cherry picked and taken out of context. Sad.
[/quote]

Er...yes, you did say that. You said a lot of things to lot of people, but I can't possibly reply to all of those things or keep it all in my mind, which was why I 'cherry picked' which ones I wanted to discuss. I didn't mean to offend or sound confrontational. I merely wanted to discuss certain points you brought up that interested me while leaving out the rest since it didn't seem relevant.

My opinion, confident as it may seem to some, is based on years of experience and personal success. As a writer, I opine on what has worked best for me and my circle of colleagues. And most publishers prefer that writers working with them are organised enough to produce work that is profitable.

Yes, not every single writer uses the ‘Have a plan before executing’ approach, but a good majority do – as it is quite evident in the Poll result so far.

And again, at no point have I stated that such is always the case, so for you to come back and say that ‘it’s not always’ the case makes no sense. You just assumed it, as much as the other person you quoted has.

All of this is just going round and round in a meaningless ellipse, so let’s agree to disagree and get back to writing stories.

Cheers!

[CarltonIsaac]

For you writing is more as a hobby then.

Ah, so, you have a very strict idea of what a profession is. Got it. If you want to talk about technical papers like what lawyers and law makers write, that is a different type of beast. You want to talk about stories here, then you will get hobbyists and professionals and it is not your place to determine which they are based on one sentence they say in an opinion poll.

[quote="CarltonIsaac, post:28, topic:37350"]
Curious to know about how the story of the story is not meaningful in a planned execution.
[/quote]

Because as I stated[quote="nostalgicroxas, post:16, topic:37350"]
I just race there
[/quote]

Knowing how you yourself writes is not a bad thing, a flaw, or for others to look down upon.
Your responses come off haughty and rude. You wanted answers, and we gave them. If you want clarity, say so.

Thank you for clarifying. Cheers!

[crimson_carnation]

I'd like to say organizing might not always beget profit, but...let me just leave it at that. And I did apologize in case I was mistaken, which you have clearly said is so That is how it came across to me as--and a few other people as well, I'm taking--that's all.

And yes, we don't seem to be going anywhere, so let's stop here then

[Kura]

If this is your hobby, great. However to make a successful comic book, the story and script best serves when it’s laid out and plotted in full, preferably with thumbs and/or storyboards before the hard work of illustration and painting can even begin. It’s absolutely horrible to get halfway through production and realise there’s something missing. Ouch!

I mean, it IS my job.

The comics where I have everything planed out start to finish never get finished and always end up permanently on hiatus.

The comics where I do the "write as I go along" do even worse and never get far and are dead.

The comics where everything is planned out but the dialog and events leading to each other isn't completely finished yet and allows me to work on writing work alongside drawing have been thriving when it comes to creation and both readership. It's just what works best for me. Though do note that my writing is still several chapters ahead (over a years worth of drawing) and all the story-boarding and writing gets done long before I get around to drawing it. Think of it more as writing in arcs or clusters of chapters that could be a book. Those will be completely finished and mapped out before I draw it, just not all the way to the far off last chapter that I don't get to draw for 15+ years.

Everyone works differently, you just have to find out what works best for you, and this can often be more flexible when you're a one man team.

[Sophtopus]

Haha yeah they're extreme.

To be honest, i do a bit of everything. The outline of the story would be anchored in three parts, the beginning middle and end. For The Golden Quiche I would let events have more wiggle room since it's a shounen gambit adventure. The only set piece are the definite ending and the middle twist. The journey to get there is drafted, but with some monkey wrenches thrown in to hinder the cast.

For my next professional story though... That involved quite a bit of spreadsheets of detailing a draft of every event to steer to a set ending.

[KitD]

I've written two novels from an outline of the entire story, and though it's nice to know I can do it, I prefer doing a rough outline of part of the story (several chapters), writing it, tweaking it, then moving onto the next section. I find when I work this way, my first drafts have only small problems that need dealing with. I find with full outlines, because I know what's going to happen, I end up rushing and being a little bored.

[CarltonIsaac]

96 voters. Going for 100. Rah rah! Going for 100

[Solias]

im a pantser that only really works out characterizations conflict, and story arcs before hand other wise i work it out as a solo ttrpg with the rule of cool as my top priority. i mean i just had my MC gauss accelerate an old nokia phone through a person mutated by the influence of the old ones

[RiidDisBuk1]

I'm gonna have to say number 1 (can't vote for some reason). If not number 1, then number 2 with characters set from the get go. It's important to have interesting characters from the start so that you know what kind of story you are writing.

[CarltonIsaac]

Let's get more votes on this, luverly people.

[lintvar85]

I love to have everything logical, deterministic and in a "cause-effect"-pattern. So I did it! Before I put down a word I plan everything thoroughly so I can focus on one thing at a time. When planning I use notebook and the Top-Down-Strategy which means I take the whole and constantly chunk it down until I don't need to go into further detail anymore. Whenever I want to include something but can't justify it yet, I ask a chain of why-questions until it makes sense.. I really love order so I nurture a style that emphasizes it. Once I have everything planned out I can focus on writing and polishing lyrical beauty and expressing emotions. I have everything set up so I don't have to come up with band-aids on the fly

[CarltonIsaac]

Do you write fiction to sell your work, or do you write fiction for pleasure? Or can one do both?

[Inspector_Spinda]

I'm not a planner at all. I have no ending, but a lot of stories and a main plot planned I want to explore. Don't know what the resolution of the main plot will be. That's why for the time being im doing mini stories in the universe

[burginlewis]

My plans have plans. Their plans have plans.

[Okaishy]

I have a beginning and an end, and I struggle for months until I find a way through writing how I'm even going to get to that end!

I swear, sometimes characters have a mind of their own though...

[LunarSushiCat]

I prefer to plan it out,the last time i didn't it took years to see the convoluted mess it became without it .
I learned my lesson of newer ignoring the world building ,that affects the story greatly.

[droidmonkey1]

You should had another option like other. I myself do a combination or sometimes change the way according to the type of the story.

[CarltonIsaac]

My plans have plans. Their plans have plans.

The best bet is to bend their plans to your plans.

I swear, sometimes characters have a mind of their own though...

You are their god, tame them, bend them to your will.

I learned my lesson of never ignoring the world building ,that affects the story greatly.

I concur. Every story needs a solidly grounded setting.

[hannahlaine]

So I start with an idea and then come up with how I want it to end.
I come up with scenes that I want to happen and write them down on note cards so I can rearrange them as needed.
My characters evolve as I write, so I have to go back and fix the beginning several times.

Lady Death | Tapas