Rules, or not?
I was reading Mad Genius Club this morning: (https://madgeniusclub.com/2024/11/20/where-does-it-all-come-from/ )
And I started thinking more about my own processes (not that I’ve ever thought about those before….) and decided to just write it down. So, this is what I answered over there to the question, “Where does it come from?” in regards to story telling.
A thought, a twist, a phrase, a title, that is usually how it starts. Sort of like a mouse peeping out of a hole to see if the coast is clear. Then it washes out in ripples and then in waves if nothing is blocking it.
I don’t get the whole story, I get a part of the story, maybe a character or two, and then like exploring one of the old dungeon maps where everything is dark except for the parts that you’ve already explored (Doom), the rest gets lit, a bit by bit.
The closest thing I’ve found is currently named “Writing Into The Dark” (WITD). Kinda Discovery writing, Sorta Pantsing, but both of those have a different feel than WITD as I have come to understand it relating to me and my storytelling.
I’ve tried the whole plotting thing…and that makes it more like writing an essay…boring. In fact, once I plot the end/outline it…my brain says, “Okay, story done, Nothing more to see here. Move along.” And it is pretty much impossible for me to finish the story. I have many such skeletons in my (hard drive) closet. So, I learned not to do that…but then was left with…now what?
And after switching to doing art for a while and letting words languish, I finally came across someone who explained what they did, and the lightbulb came on that, it was what I USED to do before all the rules were laid on my shoulders like an oxen yolk. So, I have tentatively started doing that again (WITD), and like the mouse peeking out of the hole…the story bits have started peeking back out, and some are even getting written, bit, by bit.
So, I tip my hat to
, who I guess got it from DWS, but put his own spin on it, that resonated with me. Now, I just need a bigger flashlight, so that I can illuminate more of the dungeon, faster. (And to quit falling down and having to be on meds that totally dull the brain!)
What is your process? What rules have you yoked yourself too? Do they help you plow the field? or do they weigh you down in one spot?
Too many rules to keep track of, so I just write what sounds good to me (which sometimes takes a while and multiple edits). Then I make revisions when someone (I have several critique partners) shows me something I can like more. I do try to show more and tell less and also make my writing more active voice - but only when I can do it is a way that sounds as good or better.