Stuck on a plot point... Argh

[dreamsofnever]

Mostly just me venting. But I'm obsessive-compulsive even in first drafts. If I'm referring to an object and I don't know what the object will be yet, I can't just say 'thingy' and move on. I have to know what said object is before I can move on, or it holds up the reading.

Basically, I have an idea of what my villain's plan is and I know what the heroes are going to do in the next scene, but have no idea what they're discussing re: the villain's plan should be in THIS scene, so I can't write on.

Anyone else have this problem? If so, how do you do it? This is seriously affecting my daily word count goal today... blah.

[Shweta]

Why do you need this scene?

Often when I'm really struggling with a scene, I need to just ditch it. Readers fill in in gaps pretty well.

[dreamsofnever]

Why do you need this scene?

Often when I'm really struggling with a scene, I need to just ditch it. Readers fill in in gaps pretty well.

Ooh, I like this idea. I might just do that. Well, the first part of the scene is fine, but then the next part is just... blah.

I think it's more that I need to know in my head what's being planned by the villain. But I'll figure that out in time :)

For now, maybe I'll just skip that part entirely ;)

[Shweta]

One of my Wise Clarion Instructors said... (I should have an acronym for that, I use it so much. WCIS? Wise Clarion Instructor Say)

The last line of any scene should be its strongest line. The last line of any conversation should be its strongest line. The last line of the story should be its strongest line.

(Karen Joy Fowler sez.)

[Dale Emery]

Basically, I have an idea of what my villain's plan is and I know what the heroes are going to do in the next scene, but have no idea what they're discussing re: the villain's plan should be in THIS scene, so I can't write on.

I'm not clear about where the sticking point is. You know the villain's plan... okay. You know what the heroes are going to do next... okay.

Who is in the scene you're writing now? The heroes? The villain? What brought these people together at this time? What happened just before this scene?

When you say that "the villain's plan should be in THIS scene," do you mean that the villain should be in the scene carrying out the plan?

Dale

[dreamsofnever]

The last line of any scene should be its strongest line. The last line of any conversation should be its strongest line. The last line of the story should be its strongest line.

That is a REALLY good quote! Thanks for sharing :)

And yeah, I'm scrapping the whole long description portion for now. Postponing it until I can figure out what ultimately the villain is doing. *cough* I mean, until it is absolutely necessary.

Anyways, thanks for the advice. It helped me to break out of that scene rut. And now back to the writing (and then sleep, for it is far too late.)

[Shweta]

Bah.
Sleep is for mere mortals. We are writers!

[dreamsofnever]

What happened just before this scene?

When you say that "the villain's plan should be in THIS scene," do you mean that the villain should be in the scene carrying out the plan?

Dale

It's the heroes in the scene. It's more a scene that lays the groundwork. But I wasn't sure of the object I was going to use to lay the groundwork for the plan.

So instead I opted for skipping it in this scene. Maybe on editing, I'll go back and fill it into that scene or maybe it's working out this way because it really doesn't belong in the story at this point, if that makes sense. First drafts are fun, but not so much when you get hung up on plot holes.


And Shweta, you are so right! Now if only I could convince my body of that fact...

[Shweta]

And Shweta, you are so right! Now if only I could convince my body of that fact...

http://uglyhill.com/comics/20080311_see.jpg (http://uglyhill.com/d/20080311.html)


(click on the comic to get to the comic, if you want to decrease productivity tenfold!)

[Willowmound]

I'm scrapping the whole long description portion for now. Postponing it until I can figure out what ultimately the villain is doing.

Another way, of course, is to sit down (or go for a walk) and figure out the bits you're not sure of yet. That's what I usually do.

(And Shweta: Are you all right? You went from being the Nice One to the Crazy One, and now you're Terrorizing the posters. Do you need a hug?)

[Shweta]

(And Shweta: Are you all right? You went from being the Nice One to the Crazy One, and now you're Terrorizing the posters. Do you need a hug?)

Wow, you pay attention to that? I didn't think anybody did! :D

I was terrorizing the posters a year or so ago, when someonea chat room troll accused me of it. My web browser remembered it and popped up the possibility when I typed "T" today (I was going to be The Crazy One" again) and I thought it fit the picture nicely.

But hugs are always nice! :Hug2:

[Willowmound]

I have a sticky-brain. Things...stick. :)

[Namatu]

I've ignored "things" while writing, only to run into a brick wall several scenes later. After much hitting of my head against said wall, I realize it's because of the "thing" I ignored earlier. Then I have to go back and fix the thing.

If you can avoid it or work around it somehow: fabulous! If not, be advised to bring a sledgehammer or similar object to help you knock down the wall. :Headbang:

Good luck!

[Shweta]

My brain's been doing that to me today. Flat-out refused to come up with more words until I had done a bunch of apparently-random internet research.

I finally realized it was because the fantasy-brain keeps reverting to Medieval-Europe assumptions, and that's not my tech level, and my MC has a greenhouse. And can therefore sell black pepper and bitter oranges at exorbitant rates. And the previous scene is therefore slightly wrong.

This matters. I'm not entirely sure how, yet, but she's an herbalist, and I'm exploring an interconnected urban society so it matters. Fortunately herbalism is fun.

[Phaeal]

Yep, skip that scene. When you do the next draft, my bet is you'll see you don't need it.

Man, I wish I never had to sleep, but the only way to do it that I know is Fatal Familial Insomnia, and that's, well, fatal.

[Wolvel]

Another way is to write THINGY in place of the item in either different colored lettering of style, then come back later when you know what it is and swap it out.

[Willowmound]

I love sleep. It energizes the mind and fuels the imagination.

[Shweta]

Sleep?
Oh yeah, I remember that stuff. It's what I was supposed to be doing when I was reading up on the history of greenhouses.

:wanders off to bed:

[dreamsofnever]

LOVE the comic, Shweta! My bet is that if we figured out a way not to sleep, they'd introduce the 20 hour work day and we'd still have just as much time to pursue writing or spend with our loved ones.

And I figured out the plot issue. I just had to take a day away from writing to figure out the plot in my mind. Lucky for me, something the hubby suggested combined with some things that were already brewing made it fit together in my mind. Then I had a nice trip to the hospital yesterday, so I am way behind on writing now. (nothing serious apparently. after 8 hours, I was released with a diagnosis of 'abdominal pain.' Which I knew because that's what I went in for. Stupid ERs)

[Layla Nahar]

... If I'm referring to an object and I don't know what the object will be yet, I can't just say 'thingy' and move on. I have to know what said object is before I can move on, or it holds up the reading.

Basically, I have an idea of what my villain's plan is and I know what the heroes are going to do in the next scene, but have no idea what they're discussing re: the villain's plan should be in THIS scene, so I can't write on.

Anyone else have this problem? If so, how do you do it? This is seriously affecting my daily word count goal today... blah.

you might not know what the object actually, but do you have an idea of the *role* of the object? use a phrase that describes the role, *even if the phrase is clumsy* - this is a *draft*. Another example, instead of trying to write the dialogue, just have a sentence saying "Tom & mary talked about Marv. They knew he couldn't be trusted, they just couldnm't pin it on anything"

By the time you *finish* this draft and are working on the re-write, you'll have a much better idea of the nature of that conversation, and you can fill it out.

sorry for so many *stars* - I find them *useful* sometimes a little *too* useful :P

[Shweta]

Only please don't call characters Marv and Mary unless you want to confuse your poor readers :)