Ever feel like you've gotten off on a wrong track and a train is bearing down on you? Good, I haven't either. But I have felt the need to ground myself, to come back from whatever crazy world I've been inhabiting.That does not apply to my writing, however. The worlds my characters move through could all be termed a bit crazy, or at least imaginative. The more I write the more I can delve into this separate and fascinating parallel universe where my mind takes me--or is it the goddess who takes me? If you are like me and let your fingers do the writing with very little thought to where you're going, you probably feel the same way I do--surprised, and sometimes amazed at what happens. Does it sometimes feel as though you're reading rather than writing? I never have much of an idea where I'm going, and if I try and interfere, the characters turn up their noses and take the story somewhere else. They play games with me, laughing when I spend time trying to sort out plot.
This is one approach to writing, one of many, and I have talked to authors who have their entire plot and story outlined before they begin. Even John Irving knows the ending before he starts his first chapter. If I had to write like that I would be miserable! I never know the ending, although I have a vague idea what I want it to be--but whether or not it turns out that way is entirely up to the whim of my characters.
So, whether you're a pantser or a plotter, keep on writing! Thanks for reading.
