Comments on: Travelling Hopefully (30/12/09) http://www.stephendeas.com/travelling-hopefully-301209/ The Dragons Are Coming Thu, 23 Apr 2026 12:01:46 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Stephen http://www.stephendeas.com/travelling-hopefully-301209/comment-page-1/#comment-2666 Stephen Tue, 05 Jan 2010 21:46:06 +0000 http://www.stephendeas.com/?p=809#comment-2666 Worldbuilder? Me? Ha! You might be right, but you won't see much evidence of it. I find though, that the characters defined themsleves very quickly. It's rare to have to go back and rewrite them. They seem to more bloom than evolve. I like re-writes when I've finished them. I don't like doing them. They're treading familiar paths and rarely taking me anywhere new. Worldbuilder? Me? Ha! You might be right, but you won’t see much evidence of it. I find though, that the characters defined themsleves very quickly. It’s rare to have to go back and rewrite them. They seem to more bloom than evolve.

I like re-writes when I’ve finished them. I don’t like doing them. They’re treading familiar paths and rarely taking me anywhere new.

]]> By: mmSeason http://www.stephendeas.com/travelling-hopefully-301209/comment-page-1/#comment-2642 mmSeason Mon, 04 Jan 2010 15:32:37 +0000 http://www.stephendeas.com/?p=809#comment-2642 Hi Stephen! I didn't expect to inspire a blogpost! Nor did i intend to make you feel all 'unnaturally important'... ;0) (Only the least seasoned, surely, would try to use your description of your own way as a <i>how-to</i>?) I've recently come to the conclusion that 'pure' travel-hopefully writing produces a very long outline, rather than a true first draft. I keep reading interviews with authors that work from a plan but take diversions as the story or characters dictate, once under steam, and i haven't worked out how that can happen without losing hold of the structure altogether. That's why i asked – interested in your method and whether/how well it works <i>for you</i>. It's like the question of whether someone starts from a concept, a dilemma, a character or character conflict, or a setting etc. Some seem to be world-builders, some storytellers, and so on. You list 'a world' first so i imagine you're at heart a world-builder? The thing about characters who 'acquire their own personalities and colour themselves in as the story goes on' must be that you end up rewriting at least the early chapters, to make them consistent with the characters you come to know by the end. I suppose. I'm guessing. Are you a rewrite-hater or a rewrite-lover? ~ mand Hi Stephen! I didn’t expect to inspire a blogpost! Nor did i intend to make you feel all ‘unnaturally important’… ;0)
(Only the least seasoned, surely, would try to use your description of your own way as a how-to?)

I’ve recently come to the conclusion that ‘pure’ travel-hopefully writing produces a very long outline, rather than a true first draft. I keep reading interviews with authors that work from a plan but take diversions as the story or characters dictate, once under steam, and i haven’t worked out how that can happen without losing hold of the structure altogether. That’s why i asked – interested in your method and whether/how well it works for you. It’s like the question of whether someone starts from a concept, a dilemma, a character or character conflict, or a setting etc. Some seem to be world-builders, some storytellers, and so on. You list ‘a world’ first so i imagine you’re at heart a world-builder?

The thing about characters who ‘acquire their own personalities and colour themselves in as the story goes on’ must be that you end up rewriting at least the early chapters, to make them consistent with the characters you come to know by the end. I suppose. I’m guessing.

Are you a rewrite-hater or a rewrite-lover?

~ mand

]]> By: Stephen http://www.stephendeas.com/travelling-hopefully-301209/comment-page-1/#comment-2606 Stephen Fri, 01 Jan 2010 16:49:23 +0000 http://www.stephendeas.com/?p=809#comment-2606 There's also a whole other story about re-writes and how many and for how long and how much they can change events... There’s also a whole other story about re-writes and how many and for how long and how much they can change events…

]]> By: neil... http://www.stephendeas.com/travelling-hopefully-301209/comment-page-1/#comment-2578 neil... Wed, 30 Dec 2009 08:58:41 +0000 http://www.stephendeas.com/?p=809#comment-2578 Great post, always interesting to learn how others work. Like you, I feel some framework is vital. In particular, the ultimate destination. This at least helps to prevent the tedious meandering that can easily befall a story in the second half of the second act. If you don't know where you are going, you cannot possibly know how to get there. Great post, always interesting to learn how others work.
Like you, I feel some framework is vital. In particular, the ultimate destination. This at least helps to prevent the tedious meandering that can easily befall a story in the second half of the second act. If you don’t know where you are going, you cannot possibly know how to get there.

]]>