Every writer's dream or nightmare, those two words. The end. It's such an accomplishment when you're finally able to write them. But at the same time, it's usually a moment of melancholy, when you have to say good-bye to those characters. Like sending a child off to college.
Nope. I haven't reached that point with my current WIP. But yesterday I figured out my ending.
"Hi. My name is Margie and I'm a pantser."
Okay, back to my post. The thing about being a pantser is that you don't always know where you're going or if you do know, you don't know how you're going to get there. At least, that's been my experience. Most of the time I have an idea what my end is going to be, but this time I got sidelined because I don't have enough time to set up where I thought it was going to go (say hello to Bix, books two and three). No wonder it took JK Rowling seven books (or double that if you check out her word count) to tell Harry's complicated story.
Like I said I've had a vague idea where I wanted Bix to be at the end of this book and this past week I've been working on getting a good synopsis together for a contest entry (it's worth 50 out of 250 points!).
And you know what it's really hard to write a synopsis if you don't know how your book is going to end. And yesterday, I got it! I even wrote some of it down--even though I'm a good 75 pages shy of being there. I know it might change-I'm a woman and a writer, it's my prerogative to change my mind- but at least now I know where my ship's headed. And believe me, I'm pretty pumped for the journey.
I'm still working on that infernal synopsis, so if anyone has any great tips, I'd love to hear them.
Nope. I haven't reached that point with my current WIP. But yesterday I figured out my ending.
"Hi. My name is Margie and I'm a pantser."
Okay, back to my post. The thing about being a pantser is that you don't always know where you're going or if you do know, you don't know how you're going to get there. At least, that's been my experience. Most of the time I have an idea what my end is going to be, but this time I got sidelined because I don't have enough time to set up where I thought it was going to go (say hello to Bix, books two and three). No wonder it took JK Rowling seven books (or double that if you check out her word count) to tell Harry's complicated story.
Like I said I've had a vague idea where I wanted Bix to be at the end of this book and this past week I've been working on getting a good synopsis together for a contest entry (it's worth 50 out of 250 points!).
And you know what it's really hard to write a synopsis if you don't know how your book is going to end. And yesterday, I got it! I even wrote some of it down--even though I'm a good 75 pages shy of being there. I know it might change-I'm a woman and a writer, it's my prerogative to change my mind- but at least now I know where my ship's headed. And believe me, I'm pretty pumped for the journey.
I'm still working on that infernal synopsis, so if anyone has any great tips, I'd love to hear them.
Hey margie!! congrats on almost being there...I'm synopsising (?) at the moment myself, and tearing my hair out.....i'm a pantser too, but trying a wee bit of plotting this time to give me a direction to pants into.....I think that makes me either a pantter or a plottser....=) mixed breed for sure!
ReplyDeleteNo good advice, Margie...because synopsi hate me. It's really not my problem, it's totally the problem of the synopsi...they just don't like my brain. Go figure. :)
ReplyDeleteVery excited that you've figured out the ending, though, because it means I get more Bix soon!
I'm a pantser all the way. Never have plotted once. And, a synopsis? Couldn't be worse at them.
ReplyDeleteWay to go on finishing this book, girl. I was watching GMA this morning, and there was some woman on there showing summer reading for YA, and all I could think was Bix should be there! And he will!
Synopses are the work of the devil. Whoa, I feel so strong for having said that!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with yours, Margie!
A good rule of thumb is to try to encapsulate each chapter into a single paragraph. Then suck it up - we all hate it, and there is no such thing as a painless synopsis.
ReplyDelete