But that's not what I want to write!

absentnormality · Oct 17, 2009

I have so far been enjoying writing my little fantasy adventure with slaves currently preparing to be sold and a promise of storms at sea and pirattes in it's future.

Then my MC fell in love. Not to big a problem, they'll be sold soon and I can stop worry about it, I don't like soppy romance anyway.

Then it got worse. There has been girlish giggling, and blissful sighing and looks of jealousy and general soppy romance going on all over the place.

So now I'm stuck, if I take it out (and upset the characters) I loose half of what I've written. It's not what I wanted to write at all as I do not like soppy romance. It would appear I am stuck with it though as despite my prodding it's not budged off my pages.

Darn it.

Anyone else ever start something only to discover that the story you thought you were writing is different to the one you are writing? What do you do when your story grows legs and wanders of on it own?

Did I mention I don't like soppy romance?

tengraceapples · Oct 17, 2009

This is not about you.

(I mean that in a nice way but if you love your characters, tell them talk: )

absentnormality · Oct 17, 2009

I know it's not about me. It's just mildly annoying to find that the story I was so excited about has been almost completely derailed into something else. Darn characters, you know,there are writers to don't subscribe to the theory of character led writing.

Gabion · Oct 17, 2009

AN, that happens to me a lot. I started a NaNo with the idea I would do a quick fantasy with a bit of magic, some tongue-in-cheek stuff, and what happened?? This year I am writing the final volume of the NaNo trilogy!

Must go and sign in and make sure I have my list of characters from past books so I don't put a name in twice. I hate that. I have to have names almost from the beginning, they shape the character I'm writing about.

Mad Hatter · Oct 17, 2009

I know what you mean. When my characters pull that type of stuff, i usually just continue to follow the story the way they want me too. After all, you are telling the character's story, not yours, lol. Just continue and trust me, there'll be a bright road ahead.

tengraceapples · Oct 17, 2009

That has happened to me but I went with the story I was told by my MC. But I could see how that could kind of suck. But maybe more romance means you can put them in a lot more danger. That way they have something to lose. Anyway, good luck: )

BriMaresh · Oct 17, 2009

I just tripped into a romance, m'self. It came out of nowhere, mid-horror-novel. It didn't jump the plot tracks as much,but it certainly pushed the boundaries. It sucks, but keep with it. The characters know what they're doing.

Cassiopeia · Oct 17, 2009

Write it, get it out of your system, then rip it out and write your intended plot. It's called a first draft.

Danthia · Oct 18, 2009

It happens. I've had stories waylaid by the characters. Either find a way to turn what they want to do into your story, or cut it all and rewrite it

Or, give it time to gel and see if maybe this is really what's working for that story only you didn't realize it yet. The subconscious is a funny thing.

absentnormality · Oct 18, 2009

Thanks everyone, nice to know I'm not the only one who gets hijacked by their characters. I think I would be a whole lot less annoyed if it had gone any way other than romance, I really don't like soppy romance and even reading some of this back makes me cringe. The only reason there is no actual girlish giggling (though itis hinted at) is because I couldn't bring myself to write it.

Talk about going out your comfort zone. That said, it might push me to write faster and get it out the way.

In the mean time I can dream of it being published and people asking about it and having to say that I actually can't read it because I don't like the romance bit...

Z0Marley · Oct 19, 2009

hahahha.

I love it when I see this happen to other people. Do you know I take months, I'm talking about 1-2 months, to write an outline. I sit there, work out EVERY little detail. I have it planned out, perfectly. Because I'm anal like that. Usually, once I'm 30k or so into my novel, my MC pisses all over my outline and decides to do things his own way. It really, really gets irritating. Then I re-read what he made me do, and holy sh!t it's even more brillant then I had already planned. I will say, the first couple times it happened, I was like NO. NO. NO. NONONONONO. Then I went to redo it, and I couldn't see anything coming out a different way.

So my advice -- keep it in there. Write to your heart's desire. When you're completely done with the novel, you'll re-read it and take it out if that's "not what you wanted to write."

But that's not what I want to write!

absentnormality

Queen of sensible stupidity

tengraceapples

absentnormality

Queen of sensible stupidity

Gabion

Mad Hatter

tengraceapples

BriMaresh

New kid, be gentle!

Cassiopeia

Otherwise Occupied

Danthia

absentnormality

Queen of sensible stupidity

Z0Marley