I’m plotting something

The next story is screaming at me to write it. I always envisioned Meg and Jon’s story as the first in a trilogy about three siblings. Meg’s younger sister was always going to be next. As soon as I pressed ‘submit’ on Meg’s story, it was her turn. And I love plotting. I feel slightly odd tweeting that I #amplotting and I wonder if counter-terrorism units are going to be keeping an eye on me, now, but if it wasn’t already a usual hashtag for writers, it should be.

Plotting is awesome! This is the first time I’ve been purposeful about planning something before I’ve even written one scene. And it was all just as fun as writing!

When I read craft books and blogs on this topic, I always thought it took the magic out of writing. And I’m sure there will be changes to what I’ve planned as the keyboard guides me (it doesn’t really. I just find sitting and typing is how my ideas flow best – how lucky for me!) But the synopsis just flowed. Well, except for the line that currently reads, “Something something something blah blah rhubarb.” I’m still not quite sure what will go there. Possibly nothing.

I thought plotting would be dull and require too much organisation, but the experience has been such a high. And now even if I fluff a few scenes and have to rewrite them a time or two, I have the whole book planned out.

I still didn’t use a particularly technical method. I had a bit of purposeful ‘brain time’ (I do a lot of bike riding, which is great for crystallising ideas) at the beginning to allow the characters to settle. Then I listed information about the characters and the main sources of conflict in their romance. Luckily, the brain time had given me the first couple of scenes, so I started describing them as I do in a synopsis, in present tense. I noted bits of dialogue as they came. A couple of breaks for more thinking time (did I mention I love bike riding?) and the whole story had formed.

I could see myself doing this for years to come. It’s heady, being on the edge of a dream. But right now is the time to work, not to dream. Here’s to many future blog posts not only about Meg and Jon, but also about Tess and Diego!