Monday, April 11, 2011
I is for Ideas -- Day 9 of the "A to Z Blogging Challenge"
I give up. Ideas are a writer's bread and butter and I have lots of ideas. Unfortunately I don't always follow up on them. Even when I do the core idea often changes. No matter how thoroughly I outline my thoughts in advance, the story comes out differently, and if I try to force it back to its original form, it balks and becomes awkward. Its like my writing takes on a life of its own. I start out to say something specific but end up saying something else altogether. I can start out to write about going to college and end up with a piece that obsesses about ink pens. I may start to write a funny story and end up with something heart-wrenching. I once started a story about the house I grew up in and it turned into a piece about my mother, which I consider one of my best to date. I wonder if anyone else has this problem.
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Our subconscious is our creative side, and it resents any sort of controls in the shape of outlines, plans, etc.
ReplyDeleteSo when we write with our creative side, the story comes out different than the one we originally planned, and that is ok.
Go with the flow in your first draft, and once you have finished your story, let it be for a while, a month or more, and then go back and evaluate it. The later drafts would be a good combination of creativity and logic, and will come out better and better with practice.
My two cents :)
Completely agree with damyantiwrites point.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how that can happen. When we write it can come from our subconscious, we're writing about what we know, from the heart and therefore it flows easier. I suspect that's why it ended up being a good piece that you wrote. And I wouldn't worry too much if this ends up often happening. No-one else would know it was about your mum if you don't mention it. Change the setting, change the names, just keep the essence and emotion - half of my current novel is built from memories/recollections that I've subconsciously ended up writing down.
warm wishes
x
Happens to me all the time, but I've learned to go with the flow too!
ReplyDelete<a href="http://www.pocketfulofplaydough.pageek.com/wordpress>Brianna @ Pocketful of Playdough</a>
I do. Perhaps you're more a seat of your pants writer than a follow the outline sort. Think of it this way, probably nothing you write seems contrived.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good sign. An idea is only a seed, but the tree that grows from the seed grows how it wants
ReplyDelete