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IWSG: Pain in the Pants

Posted on March 5, 2014February 24, 2014 by Loni Townsend

InsecureWritersSupportGroupInsecure Writer’s Support Group

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

I am a pantser, though I usually have some idea of where I’m headed with regards to my main character.

Book 1: Discovery
Book 2: Consequences
Book 3: Retaliation
Book 4: Recovery

But when it comes down to the details, I usually discover them in the heat of the scene. Not to say I haven’t tried to plan, but all attempts have ended miserably. I don’t enjoy it, and if I don’t enjoy it, why do it?

Well, I’ve run into a bit of a pickle. There are these little things called antagonists that any good fantasy needs in order to do well. Hmmm. I guess I should’ve gotten a better grasp on them, because frankly, they’re running rampant without any direction and keep compounding the freaking story line. Sheesh! I thought I was the one in control here. This isn’t going according to… oh… I guess I didn’t have a plan, did I? Drats.

Have you ever over-complicated things and then had to find a way out of what seems to be an ever-growing pit?

30 thoughts on “IWSG: Pain in the Pants”

  1. Julie Flanders says:
    March 5, 2014 at 5:56 AM

    I’m a pantser too most of the time so I can relate! Hope you get those antagonists under control. πŸ˜€

    Reply
    1. Loni Townsend says:
      March 5, 2014 at 4:23 PM

      Me too!

      Reply
  2. Huntress aka CD Coffelt says:
    March 5, 2014 at 8:21 AM

    Your characters are running away with the story? Taking over? It’s almost like you were never in charge to begin with, huh.

    *still laughing*
    Author of Wilder Mage at Spirit Called
    Facebook Wilder Mage

    Reply
    1. Loni Townsend says:
      March 5, 2014 at 4:24 PM

      Yes. And it seems like there is never a normal character either. They all have to be twisted in some fashion. πŸ™‚

      Reply
  3. Liz Blocker (@lizblocker) says:
    March 5, 2014 at 8:35 AM

    LOL, yes, of course! And that’s why I’m a plotter. I decided that while I don’t exactly enjoy plotting, I REALLY dislike writing myself out of the Infinite Pit of Plot Problems πŸ˜‰ Good luck, though – grab yourself a lasso, and rope those antagonists in!!

    Reply
    1. Loni Townsend says:
      March 5, 2014 at 4:26 PM

      Ah the Infinite Pit of Plot Problems… it has a sign hanging on the wall that reads “Home Sweet Home”. πŸ™‚

      Reply
  4. Melissa Maygrove says:
    March 5, 2014 at 9:25 AM

    LOL – I do that all the time.
    Good luck with whipping your characters into line.

    Thanks for your kind (and funny!) comments on my blog. I’m trying to get back to Thanmir War so I can write a review for you, but, well, other things have obliterated all my reading time. πŸ˜›

    IWSG #268 (until Alex culls the list again or I goof and get myself deleted. :P)

    Reply
    1. Loni Townsend says:
      March 5, 2014 at 4:27 PM

      Obliterated? I could imagine so. But that heart-pumping panic can be exhilarating at times… right? Or am I just telling myself that?

      Reply
  5. Crystal Collier says:
    March 5, 2014 at 12:03 PM

    LOL. I totally started as a pantster too, but I found that to keep myself sane, my fingers moving, and not having to edit A BAZILLION TIMES, I really did have a plot, even if it was loose. It’s been years of forcing myself into the mold, but it definitely makes the whole process easier. My characters still grab the reins and run while on occasion, and sometimes I even let them. =)

    Reply
    1. Loni Townsend says:
      March 5, 2014 at 4:29 PM

      I suppose plotting would make things simpler. But dang, it isn’t easy! And the characters, they make such convincing arguments on why they should be in control.

      Reply
  6. Carrie Butler says:
    March 5, 2014 at 4:12 PM

    Oh, totally! I have a knack for over-complicating things. πŸ˜‰

    Reply
    1. Loni Townsend says:
      March 5, 2014 at 4:30 PM

      But, of course, where’s the fun if it isn’t a bit complicated?

      Reply
  7. Cathrina Constantine says:
    March 5, 2014 at 4:21 PM

    My recent ms I had a similar problem. It is a ya contemporary/mystery, and tying up all the unraveling loose ends was mindboggling. Rewriting the ending so many times, because I couldn’t decide who was the killer. So many of the antagonists wanted to claim the job. Good Luck corralling your characters to do your bidding.

    Reply
    1. Loni Townsend says:
      March 6, 2014 at 8:28 AM

      I sometimes love that guessing game. If you don’t know who the killer is, then maybe the readers won’t either. Take them by surprise! πŸ˜€

      Reply
  8. Christine Rains says:
    March 5, 2014 at 4:59 PM

    I know exactly what you mean. I’m a pantser and I love how the story just takes me away. I’ve had a few times where the villains have done some things or have been so good at being bad that I have no idea how the hero is going to get out of trouble. It helps me to step away, do something else for a bit, and then come back to it.

    Reply
    1. Loni Townsend says:
      March 6, 2014 at 8:52 AM

      It gets exciting when you’re discovering the adventure as you go along.

      Reply
  9. Aldrea Alien says:
    March 5, 2014 at 5:13 PM

    I started off a total pantser. Now I believe I’m a hybrid of plotting and pantsing only due to necessity. I needed a way to keep track of everything everyone was doing owing to the fact I kept, as my family put it, “writing myself into a corner”.
    I don’t get as many instances of cornering myself now, but my characters still run away on me. Especially the older ones who aren’t as used to someone else being in control (seriously, who am I to argue with a nine-foot-tall lizardman?)

    Reply
    1. Loni Townsend says:
      March 6, 2014 at 8:52 AM

      Veng doesn’t seem like the type to take orders from anyone. πŸ™‚

      Reply
  10. Alex J. Cavanaugh says:
    March 5, 2014 at 5:53 PM

    I spend more time on my outlines than I do writing. I’m an over-planner.
    You can compromise and plan a little, but not so much it derails the rhythm of your writing style.

    Reply
    1. Loni Townsend says:
      March 6, 2014 at 8:57 AM

      I’ve actually tried planning, but then I get to writing and, like Shiny-Object-Syndrome, I’m off on a different road.

      Reply
  11. Joylene Nowell Butler says:
    March 5, 2014 at 7:11 PM

    I’m stuck in between. I have a protagonist with a problem and I have an faint idea what happens. It’s the middle that I generally have no idea about. It’s a painstakingly slow process following her or him around until I figure out their story. They’re not always helpful either. Would be so much easier if they’d just tell me what it is they want me to write. LOL. Nothing good is ever simple, I suppose.

    Reply
    1. Loni Townsend says:
      March 6, 2014 at 9:42 AM

      Precisely! Why must characters sometimes act like drama queens?

      Reply
  12. Pat Hatt says:
    March 5, 2014 at 7:23 PM

    When they take on a life of their own, I just go with the flow

    Reply
    1. Loni Townsend says:
      March 6, 2014 at 10:12 AM

      Because you’ll never know which way they’ll go.

      Reply
  13. Elsie says:
    March 6, 2014 at 5:37 AM

    I’m a pantser too. Like you, I enjoy seeing where my characters will take me. It’s always a fun, although sometimes frustrating, ride. Good luck!!

    Reply
    1. Loni Townsend says:
      March 6, 2014 at 10:38 AM

      Thanks!

      Reply
  14. Jeri says:
    March 6, 2014 at 10:07 PM

    I know I’m going to do a lot more plotting when I finally make it to book number two, but gotta finish book number one first. I’m pretty excited about using Scrivener to brainstorm and outline my next project.

    Reply
    1. Loni Townsend says:
      March 7, 2014 at 9:24 AM

      I’ve played with Scrivner before, but yWriter5 seems to be more my style. But then again, I don’t use many of the planning features. πŸ™‚

      Reply
  15. Michelle Ziegler says:
    March 9, 2014 at 1:36 PM

    Oh dear! Granted my stories are usually really ugly the first round. I let the characters do as they wish and then snuff out the crazy on the edits. Yeah – okay. Round too is sort of a re-write at times. I still couldn’t be a plotter if I made millions. (Well okay. If someone paid me millions, I’d think about it.)

    Reply
    1. Loni Townsend says:
      March 10, 2014 at 9:35 AM

      Heh, yeah, I’d probably plot too if someone paid me millions. πŸ™‚

      Reply

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Welcome to my blog. I post here on Wednesdays most of the time, but you can find me on social media any day of the week. My topics include my stories and writing, life at the Town's End, creating and tinkering with graphics, things I learn and think might be helpful to others, and the occasional amateur photo. Thanks for stopping by! I hope to see you around.

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