Ruby Wednesday

[browngirl]

First of all, if you're reading this and you commented on one of my stories recently, thank you. I'm behind on replying to comments, but I should catch up soon. When I've finished this latest drabble offer I'll likely post a new one, probably early next week.

I also have some longer stories in the works, but spring is a busy time for me (I work in a school), so I'll put them out there when I can.

And now, a writing discussion question or two:

1) How do you plan out your stories? (And do you? Some people don't.)

2) How do you differentiate in your story's text between what a characterr thinks and what you the author think?

My own answers are fortthcoming shortly. :D

Comments

partial thoughts

[strangerian.livejournal.com]

I've had good, but usually slow, results from just writing from a starting point, and sooner or later finding a plotline or expressing the theme inherent in the opening situation or combination of characters. Alternatively, I might have a definite ending in mind, but I'll have to discover a lot of how the characters get there in the course of the writing.

The story should be all about what the characters are and how they think. I don't usually comment in an authorial voice. Of course, the characters are likely to share some of my mindset, given that I'm making them up and choosing to spend a lot of time with them, but often they don't think or react as I would in a given situation.

Re: partial thoughts

[rubynye.livejournal.com]

That's interesting. Very few of my stories develop without an outline at the start (though I feel free to leave the outline whenever the story would benefit) but some of those that have have been among my best. Hmmm.

I *so* didn't phrase that question correctly. I meant something along the lines of "how do you make sure that your readers know your character's opinions are theirs as characters and not just you speaking through them?" But anyway.

Re: partial thoughts

[strangerian.livejournal.com]

how do you make sure that your readers know your character's opinions are theirs as characters and not just you speaking through them?

A fair questions, but not an answerable one for me. It's obvious that some stories, maybe most stories, can be given vastly different interpretations depending on the reader's assumptions going in. I can try to make a character consistent enough (or canonical enough, if that applies) that any behavior will be obviously in-character for that character, not pasted on -- but short of making the character obviously a bad'un within the story, I don't know how to signal to readers that I might disagree with the story character's actions.