In the world of romance jargon, I can get into the foreplay of plotting, but I can’t seem to go all the way. I’ve read about GMC and The Journey and have created various forms for plotting, the latest of which is the plotting board.
I get what I’m supposed to do. I really do. But putting that into practice is like trying to imagine myself with another lover after 25 years of marriage. The idea is fun to flirt with occasionally (especially at times when you’re REALLY pissed at your DH), but putting it into practice would require a change of personality. I’m feeling panicky, just having made the correlation in writing.
I’m afraid really plotting out an entire book might cause me irreparable harm, mentally.
Steph had a blog on the plotting board, and I’ve seen others as well. I made one up, tried it. Can’t get more than 3-4 scenes on there before I have to go write them. My characters simply won’t let me see the whole picture. I don’t know what they need to do next until I write the present scene. Oh, sometimes they let me see a chapter or two ahead. And they do give me an idea of the high points, but the individual scenes? Nah.
Guess I’m a foreplay writer in the plotting game. Still, I have dreams of actually plotting out an entire book before I write it. With every WIP, I keep trying to get a little farther into the book with scenes before I allow myself to start writing. Hey, extending the play on words, maybe I’ll get past foreplay and to 2nd base one of these days. LOL
How about you? Foreplay or all-the-way?
CAROL BURNSIDE / ANNIE RAYBURN 