A blog about the topics of writing, Writers helping writers

Is your timeline for your WIP working?

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My husband, without realizing it, placed my copy over the original document. With my doctor’s document having no page numbers or order, figuring out the correct sequence had me thinking.

Yes, I went to fuss out loud at home. But then I remembered that a time ago, I had dropped one of my manuscripts on the floor. One that I had not numbered. Self-pity filled me as I grumbled at myself. I had no one to blame. All I had to do was look in the mirror.

I now number everything. Which reminded me how books follow the same idea. Getting things in order hasto be accomplished. Everything that makes a book a book has to coexist: scenes, characters, dialogue, and more.

Is there a timeline a reader could follow? If not, it doesn’t matter how you think the book is. The timeline is important in any book.

As an avid reader, I pay attention to this. And keep it in mind when I am working on a WIP.

If your timeline is imprecise, you may not get your book read and/or miss a new fan.

It’s not rocket science to take some time to map it out. If you are having problems with your book, checking the timeline can be helpful if you are putting scenes too soon or too late in your WIP. That has happened to me a few times. I would reread a few pages that I was having some problems with. When I looked at the time between the pages, I realized I’d put things in the wrong part of the story.

Granted, this won’t solve everything, but it will not hurt to double-check.

The order of the pages, the order of your story, and characters all work together to make an enjoyable read for your readers and yourself.

A blog about the topics of writing, Writing the book is the easy part

Plotter Pantser and Planters: Which one are you?

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Are you a plotter or a pantser? In case these terms are new to you, let me list the definitions.

A plotter is someone who plans their novel before they write it. Outlining their novel before writing is extremely important to these writers.

The term pantser describes someone who “flies by the seat of their pants,” meaning they don’t plan out anything in their story, or plan very little.

At a conference years ago, I was sitting near one of my writer friends, Theresa. When the presenter asked if anyone in the audience would consider themselves a pantser, she immediately raised her hand and pointed to me.

I was not familiar with the term, but she was insistent that it was me.

Reading more into this new term, I agreed she was correct; that is how I wrote at the time.

At that point, I was not familiar with the term, but she was insistent that it was me.

Reading more into this new term, I agreed she was correct; that is how I wrote at the time.

According to a web search, a pantser is a writer who creates their story without a detailed plan or outline, hence the flying by the seat of their pants moniker. This approach allows for spontaneity and creativity, but can also lead to challenges like writer’s block or plot holes.

I have moved on from this terminology to the term plantsers.

This means they follow a little of both the plotter and pantser approach. In reality, most people are plantsers, but some tend to lean heavily to one side or the other.

To be honest, I was not familiar with the term “planters”. If I had come across this term a few years ago, I would still be saying I was a pantser. But as time went on and things changed, I moved toward a hybrid of both.

So there are options on how you write your manuscript. There are pros and cons to both.

Without diving into each in greater detail, where do you feel you fall?

Whatever works for you works for you—just another great topic to discuss among other writers.

A blog about the topics of writing, Writing Advice

Why Writers Need Support Groups for Success

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Group of five people discussing and reviewing documents in a library setting
Five people engage in an active study session around a wooden table filled with books and notes.

 
When was the last time you talked to a fellow writer, whether live or online?

Hanging out with like-minded people is huge, in my opinion. Discussing various topics is simply amazing.

Finding a writing group in your area is not always an option. Thankfully, the internet offers a plethora of groups. It may take time to find one that suits you, but once you do, the feeling of belonging is fantastic.

I have been a part of many groups. One in fact that I started. We did not always agree, but the core of the group was there. That was to hang out, talk, edit, read, and possibly access resources to help us out.

Doing it alone is not fun, for writing is a solitary endeavor for the most part. And if you don’t have eyes on your manuscripts to give you helpful advice, what you produce can be an ugly mess.

Recently, the writing group I was a part of died due to the host having to deal with her medical issues that needed to be attended to.

That left me once again on the lookout for a group  to join or create another one.  Remembering my first group was from the library system, I searched there. I found a new group starting that I am excited about.

It is new, so I am not walking into a group that is already familiar with each other.   I am not sure if this one will pan out, but I will find out soon, now. I am open to checking it out.

I hope you all have such a group, whether it is in person or online. Who truly gets us except other writers?

The Musings of A New Englander