Wednesday, October 1, 2014

IWSG Post – Deviating from the original outline

Its time for another IWSG (Insecure Writers Support Group) post. IWSG founder Ninja Captain: Alex Cavanaugh started IWSG with the aim of creating a support group for writers at different stages of their publishing journeys. IWSG members post on the first Wednesday of every month. We share our anxieties, doubts, fears and worries, and help, encourage and support other writers. IWSG has a website which is full of helpful information for writers. And now IWSG will be bringing out a book ‘The Insecure Writer’s Support Group to Publishing and Beyond.’

My Insecurity for this month is Deviating from the original Outline. Though I always have a rough outline on paper, but, when I start writing, I tend to deviate from that outline. Then I keep tweaking the outline to incorporate the new scenes. Sometimes, the outline has changed quite a bit when I add a new character, scenes or take unexpected twists and turns in the story which were not in the original outline.

That makes me half-plotter, half-panster. I am seldom able to stick to my initial outline. Because the moment I start writing, fresh ideas, characters, scenes and twists and turns start dancing in my mind. These were not a part of the original outline.

Now that is making me a bit anxious. Because my final outline is quite different from the initial outline. Even when I plot in detail, while writing my characters start whispering in my ears quite a bit. And I do tend to listen to them.

Do you all have this problem of deviating from your original outlines? How do you tackle that?



19 comments:

  1. Agree sometimes distractions too lead to deviating from the outline and other times some new ideas result in this:)

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  2. Yep, I can be a little of both plotter and pantser. I don't mind as long as I get a good story out of it in the end ;)

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  3. Its called "flexibility" Rachna.

    I never plot out a story until I've written enough to get interested in it. Then, its just a way of keeping certain ideas from escaping my subconscious while doing the actual writing.

    Isn't it fun to let your characters grow and change?

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  4. I have a broad outline, not a detailed outline. So everything is fluid and story evolves as I write. But this Nov, I am planning to write a novella with a detailed outline for a change. Let me see how far I stick to the script!

    Destination Infinity

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  5. I think that's a good problem because it lets you add fresh ideas and new characters. I can't totally plot out a story either.

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  6. I don't do outlines in the strict sense. I find them too restrictive. I do a timeline and fill in ideas as they come to me of where/when I want something to happen. AND/OR I write a few sentences, or am as detailed as I want, for each chapter. I can add chapters at will if I need/want to. I usually do both. These two methods give me a loose road map to follow... a beginning, middle, and end but it doesn't tell me how I'm going to get to those points which leaves my imagination free to roam and find its own way.

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  7. Go where the story takes you! You might have to rein it in now and then but that's what revisions are for. :)

    Madeline @ The Shellshank Redemption

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  8. That's totally normal! I think it would be odd not to deviate from our outlines. The characters have a tendency to pull you in the right direction--their direction, the direction the story must go. If it feels right, keep it! I do an outline first, but then I write down "scenes." These can be changed around easier:)

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  9. It's okay to let your story stray from your original plan. I look at it as this: it's deviating into the story it's meant to be. :)

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  10. From articles I've read by well-published authors, they often deviate from their original outline. The ouline gets you started, then the life of the story develops, and you don't want to hold it back. I agree with Natalie that this is a good problem.

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  11. It's all right to deviate. Your brain is just giving you better ideas. I always write a detailed outline, but my third book deviated when a secondary character with no name took over the last third of the story. He turned out to be one of the best parts, so I'm glad I let it happen.

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  12. Deviate.... That is good. Let your creativity flow! Some of our best writing is done when we go off on a tangent.

    I think balancing plotting and panstering is a really GOOD thing!

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  13. I think we're twin writers. That's exactly how I do it. I usually end up throwing away the outline when I'm half way through.

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  14. Yes! I deviate all the time! I think the story will go one way (because I plotted it out) but then it takes an unexpected twist or turn. And you know what? I think that's totally ok! Embrace your half-plotter and half-pantser. I think it works! :)

    So nice to meet you through the IWSG!

    ~Kristin
    IWSG co-host
    http://swordsandstilettos.blogspot.com

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  15. Your deviations are probably a good thing. It's leading you into another path to make the story better. I'm a pantser and I let my characters speak to me and I deviate all over the place until I have to rein them in. I believe deviations are normal, go with it for a while.

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  16. I only have a few notes when I start writing something new, I'm definitely more of a pantster! I like to think of characters and stories evolving and talking to me and that is what drives the plot forward. I think it is the final outcome that is important really.

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  17. I deviate a lot too. I start completely pantsing, after I have the first draft or so I think I'll do good to make a rough outline with what I already have and tweak that way. Not sure how it will work, but otherwise I find I'm deleting and changing too much. Ugh. Anyway, my pantsing needs a bit of structure lol

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  18. Deviating can be really fun:) I went from heavy outliner to mostly a panster now and have found it really liberating. So long as you have something that works for you, you're golden:)

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  19. I accept that it will happen because it always does. It happens for me because I'm not able to know my characters well enough before I start writing them. I don't outline, but I do know the characters, the beginning and ending, and a few steps along the way. I say I'm a plotser.

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