Dave Amaditz
I think it's important as a writer to be able to classify your
writing technique. By that, I mean do you outline? Storyboard? Do you have the
entire novel, characters, setting, plot worked out in so much detail that you
don't need to outline or storyboard?
I've tried outlining and never made it much further than the first
few chapters. On the surface, storyboarding looks great, having ideas and/or images for chapters and
characters set up on a board in front of you so you can tell what scene a particular character has
been in, what chapter and so on and so on. That didn't work for me either. It
seems I spent more time on the storyboard than writing the novel. Plus, more
importantly, when I began to write, my characters didn't always allow me to go
in the direction outlined on the storyboard. Hence, all that work for nothing.
Perhaps none of those strategies work for you, either. Perhaps,
you're like me and you know where the story begins and where it ends. The
details, like chapter endings, character flaws, settings and personality traits
are worked out while writing.
I let my characters guide me. It may sound crazy, but I can't do
it any other way.
A story that follows a straight line from point A to point B is
the ultimate goal when I write my novel. When reached, my plot and characters
are consistent. They do not waiver from chapter to chapter, from beginning to
end. However, my first drafts often resemble the image you may have seen in
one of your elementary science classes about AM (amplitude modulation).
Sometimes my main character takes me on surprising journeys. He
(no female protagonists as of yet) leads, and I follow, and because of that we
end up a little off course, a little above, or maybe even way above the line.
It is through those journeys that I learn so much more about him, the little
nuances and idiosyncrasies that make the character more real, more believable.
There are times he introduces me to another character and we dip below the
line. That character may become part of the novel. They may even get
temporarily left aside... for use in another novel, maybe?
My job is to make my story tighter, as close to the line as
possible, like the image of the flatline below.
That only comes after many revisions, after learning more about how a
character thinks and acts and relates to the others within the story.
The current novel I recently finished has been through many drafts,
six or seven or... more. Who's counting? (Not me anymore.) The first few
drafts strayed far above and below the line. I've taken it as close to straight
as possible, but welcome the chance to get it straighter with another round of
revisions with an agent or an editor.
While waiting for that opportunity, I've begun a new novel. I know
where I want the story to begin. I know where I want it to end. Although I'm
trying to stay straight and true, I know I'll eventually deviate from the line.
I know too, that this will help me to learn more about my characters. My only
hope is that I can one day narrow down the amount of revisions it takes to
write a straight line from point A to point B.
What kind of writer are you? I'd love to hear about your process.
