Comments on: Writing lessons — beads on a string http://www.patricesarath.com/gordath-wood/writing-lessons-beads-on-a-string/ Writing lessons and the writing life Mon, 08 Mar 2010 01:30:40 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Patrice Sarath http://www.patricesarath.com/gordath-wood/writing-lessons-beads-on-a-string/comment-page-1/#comment-9748 Patrice Sarath Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:05:26 +0000 http://www.patricesarath.com/?p=398#comment-9748 Yeah, I can't outline, or at least, I haven't yet found an outlining method that doesn't constrain me so much that my writing suffers. See -- I'm open to the experience! What I'm talking about above is when writing, don't just string the events along but try to create a narrative whole. Sometimes you have to go back and edit that in. What I often see in beginners' novels is that things just happen and it's one damn thing after another. Much better to have an editorial sensibility from the start to create or to see the patterns. The latter is where serendipity comes in. Sometimes you didn't know you were creating patterns until you step back. Yeah, I can’t outline, or at least, I haven’t yet found an outlining method that doesn’t constrain me so much that my writing suffers. See — I’m open to the experience!

What I’m talking about above is when writing, don’t just string the events along but try to create a narrative whole. Sometimes you have to go back and edit that in.

What I often see in beginners’ novels is that things just happen and it’s one damn thing after another. Much better to have an editorial sensibility from the start to create or to see the patterns. The latter is where serendipity comes in. Sometimes you didn’t know you were creating patterns until you step back.

]]> By: Marshall Ryan Maresca http://www.patricesarath.com/gordath-wood/writing-lessons-beads-on-a-string/comment-page-1/#comment-9745 Marshall Ryan Maresca Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:04:49 +0000 http://www.patricesarath.com/?p=398#comment-9745 At the Writers' Workshop at ArmadilloCon, I recall a discussion about outlining vs. just writing and seeing where it goes. My memory may be shoddy, but I have a recollection of you being in the latter group. At the Writers’ Workshop at ArmadilloCon, I recall a discussion about outlining vs. just writing and seeing where it goes. My memory may be shoddy, but I have a recollection of you being in the latter group.

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