I don’t have the energy or the brain fuel to write an interesting post today, so I won’t even try. I’m mentally fried (and staying up till 3 am last night to read the first half of MOCKINGJAY certainly did not help). So consider this post a status update.
The new WIP is moving along. I’m just about to cross the 24k mark, and usually at 30k I hit the point of no return. Problem is, I’ve been writing so fast that I haven’t stopped to figure out if I’m going where I want to be going. I’ve already spotted a couple of plot holes. A subplot is beginning to bloom, and I’m not sure I want it to. A character I didn’t think would have much face time is turning into a main character.
THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON’T OUTLINE.
I don’t want to turn this into an outliners vs. pantsters debate. Everybody has their own process, and getting confused and panicky during a first draft is part of mine. I’d like to be an outliner – in theory – because I know it would prevent me from taking a wrong turn. But outlining isn’t fun for me. I’ve tried it, and whenever I write according to an outline, the story loses its spark. There’s something about uncovering the story as I go, surprising myself, and getting excited when the characters get excited that I believe lends a certain authenticity to the work.
But it fucks me up, too. Can’t lie.