Recently a maxim I like to adhere to when writing was brought home to me in a most dramatic fashion. When writing, I have found it helps immeasurably to have a clear idea how the story is going to end. In this way I am able to guide both character and plot development in a manner that leads to the preconceived end game. It also allows me to drop breadcrumbs, little hints along the way, that causes the reader to become a participant in the story, asking themselves “Where is this all leading to?” or “What has that got to do with the story?” By doing so the reader can enjoy that precious “AHA!” moment, when all becomes crystal clear.
I do allow myself the liberty of changing the ending, as sometimes the characters get out of hand and highjack the plotline. In a few cases, such as in ‘No Greater Love,’ I even had two different endings in mind. I finished the story before I finally settled on one.
Not having a clear idea of where the story is going can lead to works that do not get much further than the scathingly brilliant idea stage, as is the case in ‘The General and the Butterfly,’ a story I enjoyed writing very much but, because I do not know where it is going, I cannot finish, (Yet).
At present my Anglo-Irish co-conspirator and I are working on another joint venture, ‘The English Courtesan.’ As we were cautiously moving ahead, setting the stage, introducing the characters, and roughing out the plot, we had our own AHA moment, one that was so definitive that we had to stop what we were doing and write the final chapter. Now that we pretty much know where our two protagonists will be when we’re ready to tap out the final period, we can craft the story in such a manner that characters and plot can flow smoothly and coherently toward it. Of course, before we get there we must first find our way out of the Harem of the Topkapi Palace, journey to Krakow, follow the Amber Road, spend some time in Venice, and make our way to Elizabethan London. A piece of cake, as the pilots in Hornet Squadron in the novel of the same name tended to say as they were preparing to venture forth to confront the Luftwaffe in the late summer of 1940.
Any who, that’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it. So until next time, stay safe and sane.
HW Coyle
a.k.a. Nancy Cole
Comments
When BC commenters help
A plot possibility you didn't mention is that when posting a story part by part to BC you may check your messages one day to find a helpful "Excuse me but…" note mentioning a hole in the plot you could drive a juggernaut through.
Rhona McCloud
I don't do plots
I just list random words and the cats tell me which one to use next - yeah, I know some of you had spotted that already.
Angharad
Arnold
Your approach is a good one, though I question your choice of critters. I find my cat can be rather stand-offish and temperamental, which is why I rely on Arnold the dog. He comes up with some really great plot lines and conversations for the characters during our walks.
H.W. Coyle
"You may be what you resolve to be."
T.J. Jackson
My problem is not the beginning or the end...
...because in the story that I've been working on intermittently, "Family Values", I have a very clear idea how the story will end, and I've settled on a beginning. What's stalling me is the middle.
The story, which I've discussed before here, is about a child star who suddenly and unexpectedly comes out as trans, to the horror of the kid's agent, the producers of the show the kid stars in, and the kid's mother.
As I see it, my main character has the following goals: to live as--and continue acting as--a girl, to have a stable home life with a real family, and to have a real childhood. The producers are afraid of accommodating the child and making history, for fear of offending the demographic the show caters to. That is, the same sort of folks who like the comic strip "The Family Circus," basically (no offense intended to any Family Circus fans who might be here).
The mother is heavily invested in her son remaining her son, because the kid is practically a merchandising machine and she fears going back to the crushing poverty she came from. The agent, of course, just wants to keep getting that ten percent.
As yet, I'm unclear on just how my character will be able to accomplish the above goals and satisfy everybody.
Livin' A Ragtime Life,
Rachel
I absolutly agree
I have probably a dozen stories on my hard drive that started with a "great" idea and never progressed past ten or so pages because I had no idea where it was going. I guess I hoped that as I wrote I'd get an "aha" moment and the ending would become clear... it didn't. I often end up writing myself into a corner when I do that and find the story can't progress because it never really had any place to go.
Hugs
Patricia
Happiness is being all dressed up and HAVING some place to go.
Semper in femineo gerunt
Ich bin eine Mann