The more experience I gain with my writing, the more I plan and outline! It boggles my mind how little planning I used to do when I first started spending more time on writing. Some people do a great job pantsing their stories, but I’m a planner at heart.
I was the same actually when I first started - I would just get an idea in my head and start writing. Sometimes I did have a 'twist' lined up for the end but there was never any middle. Sometimes it worked, but it's one reason why my early stuff (juvenilia, I call it) is all mostly really short (what they now call flash fiction). I did have some longer stuff but this was just a mish-mash of individual scenes that I'd done and then put together in some vague order (so it came across as a bit postmodern). This is one reason why my characters were never real characters, and I was utterly useless at dialogue. This was another thing that impressed me with your novella by the way - I could tell (as a writer) that you could completely see what you were writing in all those scenes - so it comes across as really vivid and with the kind of real dialogue that people have when they speak.
Nowadays, though, I have reams and reams of notes! To an absurd level at times, even. Katrina's background is over 300k words, which is ridiculous (!), although it does mean she could probably answer any question anyone has about her parallel world, which makes the whole thing seriously uncanny in terms of the detail. (a bit like your Judith she just appeared fully formed and refused to change - this was about 12 years ago now, although she was probably there all the time).
Having said that, I am still an organic writer at heart - it's just that when you have so much information about the story and the characters and the plot in your head, you no longer need to really think about it so you can just sit down and write and it usually comes out perfect (typos notwithstanding). So I think it's about finding the balance, and realising that doing all that planning is what allows you to write freely. And I do think it's important to be able to write freely...
Like you said, one of the most fun parts of writing for me is seeing what kinds of new ideas or angles of the story that I didn’t put into my outline spring up during the writing process. I always find some lovely surprises!
Oh, I love this end cap! So interesting to get a sneak peek into the origins of this story. I have to say, the mansion you happened across is so gothic and delicious. You really must put it into the next season of Down in the Holler! Looking forward to reading more.
Thank you! The mansion doesn’t seem quite as spooky and mysterious now that I know the owner is a sweet man who loves riding his mower and lets kids fish in his pond, but I still love to remember the first time I saw it!
This was so much fun to read, Bridget! I always find it fascinating to learn how several different influences come together in an author's imagination to create something new. (And Jimmy Akin and Jen Fulwiler are both *excellent* influences!)
Love this behind the scenes peek! You did such a phenomenal job with Down in the Holler. I have tried to write mysteries, and haven’t had success yet. They are so much harder than they read! You nailed it! Also, I am a die-hard Agatha Christie fan (as a teen, I called my little paperback collection my “Aggies”). It became a weird sort of ritual to read one while eating candy canes, lol.
Thank you so much, Liz! I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your comment.
I love that ritual! I might have to steal that idea come Christmastime. In college I had a whole shelf in my dorm room devoted to Agatha Christie books, and my resident advisor called it my “shrine.” 😂
Great background information on your story Bridget, love knowing what inspires, the imaginative thoughts and the interests that drive a story before it is even written...I'm waiting, somewhat impatiently, for the next story. Somebody needs to give ol' Tim a little nudge forward too, haha. - Jim
I love behind the scenes stuff. Just goes to show the more prep work one does before starting to write the more it pays off in the end.
And I am so glad you have another story lined up for us. I don't think you would've been allowed to get away without it.
The more experience I gain with my writing, the more I plan and outline! It boggles my mind how little planning I used to do when I first started spending more time on writing. Some people do a great job pantsing their stories, but I’m a planner at heart.
I was the same actually when I first started - I would just get an idea in my head and start writing. Sometimes I did have a 'twist' lined up for the end but there was never any middle. Sometimes it worked, but it's one reason why my early stuff (juvenilia, I call it) is all mostly really short (what they now call flash fiction). I did have some longer stuff but this was just a mish-mash of individual scenes that I'd done and then put together in some vague order (so it came across as a bit postmodern). This is one reason why my characters were never real characters, and I was utterly useless at dialogue. This was another thing that impressed me with your novella by the way - I could tell (as a writer) that you could completely see what you were writing in all those scenes - so it comes across as really vivid and with the kind of real dialogue that people have when they speak.
Nowadays, though, I have reams and reams of notes! To an absurd level at times, even. Katrina's background is over 300k words, which is ridiculous (!), although it does mean she could probably answer any question anyone has about her parallel world, which makes the whole thing seriously uncanny in terms of the detail. (a bit like your Judith she just appeared fully formed and refused to change - this was about 12 years ago now, although she was probably there all the time).
Having said that, I am still an organic writer at heart - it's just that when you have so much information about the story and the characters and the plot in your head, you no longer need to really think about it so you can just sit down and write and it usually comes out perfect (typos notwithstanding). So I think it's about finding the balance, and realising that doing all that planning is what allows you to write freely. And I do think it's important to be able to write freely...
Like you said, one of the most fun parts of writing for me is seeing what kinds of new ideas or angles of the story that I didn’t put into my outline spring up during the writing process. I always find some lovely surprises!
Oh, I love this end cap! So interesting to get a sneak peek into the origins of this story. I have to say, the mansion you happened across is so gothic and delicious. You really must put it into the next season of Down in the Holler! Looking forward to reading more.
Thank you! The mansion doesn’t seem quite as spooky and mysterious now that I know the owner is a sweet man who loves riding his mower and lets kids fish in his pond, but I still love to remember the first time I saw it!
This was so much fun to read, Bridget! I always find it fascinating to learn how several different influences come together in an author's imagination to create something new. (And Jimmy Akin and Jen Fulwiler are both *excellent* influences!)
I hope that, if Jen sees my comment, she’ll take it in the complimentary nature it was intended! 😂
Yay - looking forward to more Judith and Tim.
Love this behind the scenes peek! You did such a phenomenal job with Down in the Holler. I have tried to write mysteries, and haven’t had success yet. They are so much harder than they read! You nailed it! Also, I am a die-hard Agatha Christie fan (as a teen, I called my little paperback collection my “Aggies”). It became a weird sort of ritual to read one while eating candy canes, lol.
Thank you so much, Liz! I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your comment.
I love that ritual! I might have to steal that idea come Christmastime. In college I had a whole shelf in my dorm room devoted to Agatha Christie books, and my resident advisor called it my “shrine.” 😂
Nerds of the world unite!
Great background information on your story Bridget, love knowing what inspires, the imaginative thoughts and the interests that drive a story before it is even written...I'm waiting, somewhat impatiently, for the next story. Somebody needs to give ol' Tim a little nudge forward too, haha. - Jim
Thank you, Jim! I wouldn’t be surprised if Judith and Tim both start to get nudges from different people…
This is fascinating, thank you for sharing, Bridget!