I can safely say that my most extensive post had to be the one about premise and plot. I worked hard on that sucker!
Well, someone noticed, I think. Thank you, Ravyn, a.k.a. Erika Hoagland! Your comment was a fabulous concoction of intellect and raw power, coupled with a beauty that defines you as a role-player and writer. I salute you.
This post is an answer to your question, and what a question:
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“Do you have any suggestions
for process on getting
from premise to plot
without an outline?”
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Again, what a question–because, indeed, that is a challenge, getting from premise to plot. It’s akin to writing out blueprints and then actually building the Sears Tower. Even more challenging, you’re asking if it’s possible to build that Sears Tower WITHOUT the blueprints.
No worries, Rayvn, no worries. Don’t give me the puppy dog eyes. Now, now!
Thankfully, writing isn’t necessarily the same as architecture. Thank God. Or else I’d have numerous head injuries and hernias.
The beautiful thing about writing is there are no boundaries. There are many routines and mannerisms. Not every writer is the same. But for your certain kind of work, you’re forced to work in a certain way; and it simply would take some adjusting.
Personally, me, I’d have a hard time working from premise to plot without an outline. Usually, though, my outlines are very rough and sketchy. I don’t need to be TOTALLY planned out. In fact, by the time I finish a book, the plot doesn’t look anything like my outline at all.
And this is the point I need to make: you don’t really need an outline.
An outline helps, though. But it’s not necessary.
I can understand, though, how hard it can be. Blueprints help. You’re asking yourself questions about where to start, where to go, how will it end, will it end. It’s intimidating. It’s worrisome. You feel your head explode, all your brains poop out and your eyes roll into the back of your blasted head. Eww.
Without an outline, I can tell you–probably the most important factors in a plot would be, one, the opening–two, the climax–and three, the ending. That should give you an idea here–
Think of how your work begins. Then think of the defining moment, the thing that makes you go, “AHA!” (with an index finger pointed up toward God, by the way). And then think of how it ends. Really think about it. Write it down. It should be maybe a paragraph. That’s not even an outline. It’s a summary. The fact is–you need to know at least these three things. That’s it. They need to be in your head. Hell, if you’ve got it down in your head, clear as crystal beads strung around your neck, never leaving you (unless you take a shower)–then you don’t even NEED to write it down. Just remember it.
The hard part then would be for you to just….
WRITE.
In many ways, writing without the outline presents these wonderful surprises–
Your characters might end up doing things that shock you. They’ll take you in directions you don’t expect. It becomes an Indiana Jones serpentine adventure (I hear John Williams in the background, yay!). Act on instinct as you write. Remember, you don’t have an outline. So really get into the heads of your characters and just…react. Whatever you do–
Do. Not. Stop. Writing.
My friend and colleague Sarah Jensen writes in this certain way very well. It fits her personality. She can be kind of crazy, actually–I’ve seen pictures. No, Sarah, I won’t show them. I promise.
But basically, without an outline, she blazes through her novel, rough draft and all; but because she has no structured framework, the work is raw–real–edgy. MAYBE a little flawed in ways she doesn’t want. She then goes back and tweaks bits here and bits there. Sometimes she’ll revamp a character, because it doesn’t match her story. I’ve done that before, too. It happens. But without an outline, the possibility of it happening increases a ton.
Like tons of steel girders piling up on the Sears Tower. Sometimes the architect has to go up there and remove them. Unneccessary girders, you know?
After the work is complete, you might have something that needs some building here or there. That’s okay. That’s writing. Editing is a big part of it. Some of it might be really weak. That’s okay, too. Again, editing is a big part of it. As long as your foundation is solid (opening, climax, ending), the Sears Tower will stay up. That’s the important thing. Then you can have your construction workers tweak here and there.
For example: you might’ve thought your British linguist gets stuck in a Brazilian jungle with a few pieces of paper, scribbles of an ancient dialect from Egypt all over it; and then finds himself chased by a bunch of beautiful amazon women wearing loincloths and seashell bras. But then after reading it over, based on the main idea of your novel, it doesn’t seem to fit. Maybe you want to change the linguist from British to Korean or something. Or maybe you want the women to be flesh-eating gorillas.
The parts make sense (at least in my deranged head); but put together, the whole just needs more work. Again, that’s normal. Again, editing is a big part of the process.
I guess I can only say that your biggest goal is to simply BURN through the work until it’s done. Don’t worry about the flaws. React the way you think your characters would react. But make sure you have an understanding of how the work will start, where your big moment begins (in other words, what the point of your work will be, what your character is going to discover), and how it all ends. That’ll guide you. You need to know what the point is regarding your characters. You need to know what they’re striving toward.
Once you have that, I think you’ll be fine. You’ll then have to spur yourself to write. Write, write, write.
Here, this clip of “Finding Forrester” from another post of mine, “Finding Discovery”, should help, too. James Bond (deepens his voice), er…. Sean Connery, says it pretty well.
I quoth to you, dear Ravyn. Nevermore. Nevermore will you have problems with getting from premise to plot. I quoth. Happy writing and let me know how it goes! Thanks for the question. I hope this helps.
