What to do...

MoonlitSonata · May 23, 2008

Alright, I'm in serious need of advice. Earlier today, I did a complete overhaul of the plot of my main WIP. That's not the problem. The problem is that I did it all without a notebook or a computer nearby, so it's all in my mind and slowly becoming a jumbled mess. I don't want to lose what had been a very productive two hours just because I wasn't near anything with which to get my ideas down. :rant:

KTC · May 23, 2008

you're near it now. you're on your computer. get out of here and get it down.

MoonlitSonata · May 23, 2008

Ok, should've mentioned that said ideas are refusing to come out. THAT'S where my frustration's coming from.

Birol · May 23, 2008

Yes. Exactly. What are you doing here if you need to get it down before it's lost?

(Were there really no placemats, napkins, envelopes, old receipts around? Man. That's bad.)

MoonlitSonata · May 23, 2008

Birol said:
(Were there really no placemats, napkins, envelopes, old receipts around? Man. That's bad.)

No, there weren't and yes, it is bad. *sigh* The worst part is that, while I seem to be able to dictate every detail, I can't seem to type any of it out. I know that probably sounds like complete rubbish but... :Shrug:

alleycat · May 23, 2008

Maybe instead of thinking linearly, just get a notebook out and do what they used to call "free association". Write down stuff that occurs to you (no matter where it fits in your story). Don't try to force it, just relax, and "let it flow" if it will. If not, then doodle, or anything but sit there and try to make everything come back.

Bartholomew · May 23, 2008

Do you have a microphone? If you can get it all out of your mouth, just record it.

Ginosion · May 24, 2008

Draw it, or get a pen and write it on your arms. Something unique like that.

JJ Cooper · May 24, 2008

IMHO - if you're doing a complete overhaul of the plot, it's a different book.

I am also of the opinion that if you cannot recall a major plot point, then neither will the reader. It should be one of those 'holy crap' moments that you or your reader won't forget.

JJ

HeronW · May 24, 2008

Do a key word dump! Write it down with crayon on the wall if you must: 'witch--poisoned apple--Snow White' and fill in the blanks later.

tehuti88 · May 24, 2008

I'm surprised you could do it all in your head! I'd never be able to do something like that with one of my stories and hope to keep it all in place! o_o

I agree with the mention above of just doing it out of order, whatever comes first--surely there's a way, if you can "dictate" it, that you can do that? Dictate to your fingers. This is what happens when I get nearer the end of one of my own stories--I have to jot down the things that I still want to happen. Of course I can't do them in proper order. They come out mixed up. Maybe your difficulty lies in you trying too hard to keep it all sorted out at the same time that you're trying to just note it down? But once you have it down, at least then you can start untangling it.

You should start carrying a notebook around! You never know when something good might pop up, and you'd hate losing something important. *should follow this advice herself*

Phaeal · May 24, 2008

Subscribe to the theory that if the ideas were really great, they'll come back to you. Then start free-writing until they do, or until better ones appear.

Also, get a Moleskine notebook and carry it everywhere. Moleskines are magical. The perfect pen to pair with them is the Parker Jotter. Don't argue about this. I'm right. Just get 'em.

MoonlitSonata · May 24, 2008

I've finally got most (about 45%) of it all out now. Guess all I needed was to grab my Levenger Infinity Journal and Levenger fountain pen, sit outside in the nice weather and just write.

Matera the Mad · May 24, 2008

Lie down and get something circulating in your brain.

Soccer Mom · May 24, 2008

MoonlitSonata said:
I've finally got most (about 45%) of it all out now. Guess all I needed was to grab my Levenger Infinity Journal and Levenger fountain pen, sit outside in the nice weather and just write.

Good for you. I find that I do some of my best thinking and planning when I step away from the computer.

scope · May 25, 2008

What's done is done. As frustrating as the experience is, the best you can do is learn from it and move on. From here on in I'm sure you'll carry around a pad and pencil, pocket tape recorder, or whatever else works for you. Don't let the recall of your mental rewrite to become an obsession and impede your ability to move on. If it comes, great, but assume that it will not.

Susan Breen · May 25, 2008

I've had it happen that I've woken up from a dream absolutely confident that I've worked everything all out and then I can't remember a blessed thing. Hope it comes back to you!

MoonlitSonata · May 26, 2008

As of this moment, 80% of it has returned and even then, it's worked itself out BETTER than originally! I'm extremely happy about that.

VGrossack · May 26, 2008

Moonlit - that's great!

What to do...

MoonlitSonata

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live

MoonlitSonata

Birol

Around and About

MoonlitSonata

alleycat

Still around

Bartholomew

Comic guy

Ginosion

JJ Cooper

.

HeronW

Down Under Fan

tehuti88

Mackinac Island Fanatic

Phaeal

Whatever I did, I didn't do it.

MoonlitSonata

Matera the Mad

Bartender, gimme a Linux Mint

Soccer Mom

Crypto-fascist

scope

Commonsensical Maverick

Susan Breen

MoonlitSonata

VGrossack

bored fan with a tic