Discovery writing and predictability

For your discovery stories, did you have a clearly defined story problem? (ex - LOTR story problem: MC, Frodo, has to destroy the Ring in the cracks of Mt. Doom.

I can go with inexperience, but not in writing. I'd say that you let yourself get stuck in your comfort zone and haven't looked at the situation your characters are in from other angles.

What I do when I hit one of those painted corners when writing, I do some "chaotic thinking" I learned from one of my betas. I pull out pen and paper (you can open a new document, but handwriting shows editing and editing is cheating) and write the problem at the top.

"How can Hero get out of the vat before he drowns?" (example off the top of my head)

And then I start writing any word that comes to mind. And the next. And the next. And the next. Repeat until I've gotten at least 100 (sometimes as much as 500) words/phrases on the list.

Then I black out the first 50 or so right off. Those will be the most comfortable and the most predictable answers to the problem.

Then I look at the remainder of the list and see which one ignites my imagination (Sometimes it's two or more things), that creates anything of a scene or inspiration and run with it. Whatever gets me thinking, "Oh, that would be cool." Not "fun"--"fun" can be a pathway back to Default Ave, but "cool" usually is interesting that will lead to other cool and interesting things.

Usually, that gets me out of the rut and keeps me going. If it doesn't, I go back to the list, black out the one that didn't work, and see if anything else inspires.

It's easy and natural for the mind to get stuck in its own comfort zone. "Experience" comes in learning the tricks and games that keeps the mind from falling into the same old rut.

Good luck.

Lemontree said:

I had a whole post typed out and the browser crashed.

So here's the highlights.

I've had a few of my outlined stories rejected now because the end was too obvious from the beginning. I also have a number of discovery written stories waiting to be finished because I've painted the characters into a corner and can't figure out how to get them out - or indeed to end the book.

Is this just a product of inexperience? I'd like to focus on just developing one style but I don't seem to have much luck with either.

Click to expand...

When you paint your characters into a corner you can 1) find a way for them to tunnel out or blast through the wall, metaphorically speaking; or 2) back up to the last place where you felt the story was going well and try a different direction.

I know that many discovery writers power through the first draft without stopping, but if I tried that, my characters would end up wandering in too many corners to count, not to mention falling off cliffs and driving into the lake to sink without a trace.

For me, discovery writing (aka pantsing)(how I hate that term) means feeling my way along and being ready at any time to rein back and go another direction. By doing that, I don't get more than a page or two before I know something's wrong.

You also have to write with your chin on your shoulder, which means making sure that what you're writing now grew out of what you wrote on the last page, scene, and chapter. You may not see the path ahead clearly (yet), but you should certainly be able to see the path you've already taken, lit up with neon glow paint.

I'm not sure outlining vs not outlining is really considered style. You can have a blend of the two approaches, by the way. If strictly one way or the other isn't working for you, consider trying a more middle ground approach.

Also, for me, how I approach writing changes with every project. Some require more heavy outlining, some require more freeform discovering. Just depends.

It doesn't sound like you necessarily have a problem with discovery writing or outlining. It sounds like you just need more practice in brainstorming. Try to think of an original twist to the bits that are predictable/cliché. Think outside the box.

Sometimes, if I'm stuck for ideas as to what happens next, I jot down a few situations/solutions, number them 1-6 and then roll a die. Whatever I get, I write that event into the story. It either convinces me that I don't want this, but leads to a better idea, or actually ends up being a solution I like and keep. You just have to think of six situations, even if they're ludicrous/unrealistic/sound boring.

What BethS said.

i dont paint into corners.. i place a bomb in the corner, and break down the wall! LOL for example... i created a love interest during the revolutionary war, they got married... her dad was off fighting.. so the night after their wedding they were making love and all passionate and happy.. and i thought, "What could i do that would shock people?" So i had her dad show up, thinking she was being attacked and have him shove a bayonet thru the husband's back.. spurting blood all over the bride! its a really sad scene... readers have actually cried! who knew i could do that??? lol

I'm doing something that's kind of discovery-writing light for my current epic fantasy project. I'm not sure if it's had any effect on the predictability of the plot. It feels about like any other plot I've ever written. But perhaps it is less predictable, as I do occasionally surprise myself with revelations.

I haven't managed to write myself into any corners yet because I'm good at looking ahead and seeing where those corners might show up. It might also help that I'm writing fantasy. I can always invent new rules if I get stuck. I'll just have to make sure everything still fits together logically when I finish.