Fiction Scribe

Last week I challenged you to sit down and write every day. I did for an hour every day, but that wasn’t the minimum time because I know not everyone can afford to write an hour every day.

I have to say, doing this has helped in so many ways. Because I gave myself such a big challenge (an hour or more), I not only had to write, but I also had to work on my time management skills elsewhere. I have now found a comfortable schedule I am quite fond of and works for me. I’ll continue to write every day as for as long as I can squeeze in the time.

It has also been great, of course, for my novel. I now have quite a few pages written and what I feel is a clearer path for the plot. My main character, who I spent many a time complaining about, is now a person a I feel I can work with. I also like my other characters more, which I attribute to…this must be the fourth or fifth rewrite, I think.

Overall, I consider this week’s challenge a success for me.

This week I challenge you to do something different, which is why it comes in two parts. It has to do with how much you plan out your writing before you actually write. Take either the current scene you are working on (if there is a while to go in it) or the scene after and…

…if you’re the type who maps out a scene before you write:

My challenge to you is to put all your diagrams, thought webs, charts, references, etc away. Now write the rest of the current scene or the next scene with no planning whatsoever. Just write, write, write, and let it take you wherever it goes.

…if you’re the type who never maps out a scene before you write:

My challenge to you is to take the rest of the current scene or the next scene to go and plan it out. If you aren’t familiar with doing that, you can use the basic chapter guide:

Chapter name and number:
Previous characters used:
New characters introduced:
Setting:
Important notes:
What happens:

It may not look like a lot of fun to you (either way), but this is an experiment in change. Your voice will never stay fresh if you don’t try new things with what you write, how you write, where you write… Understand what I’m saying?

Don’t keep jostling yourself so you never figure out what you really like, but try new things, including this week’s challenge. You might find you like the different way of doing it, or you may just renew your passion for your current style. Either is a very good thing.