tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post8769094945542735345..comments2024-03-26T23:41:10.319+00:00Comments on Authors Electric: Unexpected Guest - Jan EdwardsKatherine Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196712319655603442noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-56039181177477998412016-12-20T08:56:32.501+00:002016-12-20T08:56:32.501+00:00I'm with you, driving up that same road, detou...I'm with you, driving up that same road, detours and all. I like to say that I'm seat-of-the-pants, but secretly, I envy those who can plot with precious, because frankly, I'm terrible at it. Good luck with your opus. It already sounds fascinating.Umberto Tosihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04939504157464234443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-53806889639739037052016-12-19T16:02:15.120+00:002016-12-19T16:02:15.120+00:00I'm with the others. I've had too many (we...I'm with the others. I've had too many (welcome) experiences of the intruder who changes everything so I just write away and, when she or he appears, or the unplanned event occurs, I let them take me wherever they or it want to go. I don't think I've ever started a book (except the non-fiction stuff) with anything other than the vaguest idea of how I'll get where I want to go. It's reassuring to know I'm in such good company.Bill Kirtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16345949773423764808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-56135273771737320672016-12-19T11:53:51.518+00:002016-12-19T11:53:51.518+00:00Yes, I sort of admire them too. I was always told...Yes, I sort of admire them too. I was always told in my youth that that was the only way you could write stories. Anything else was the dreaded crime of 'making it up as you go along'. My start as a writer of fiction wad delayed for many years and the fact that I was disqualified from the thing I wanted to do most of all because of this deficiency was the cause, until I suddenly said, 'What the hell', started 'making it up as I went along' and have never looked back. The rigid planner I admired most was my great friend Bob Leeson. His unerring judgement before he even put pen to paper unnerved me. Horses for courses, as they say. Dennis Hamleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15781139870037634374noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-81351545125823820132016-12-19T11:28:05.807+00:002016-12-19T11:28:05.807+00:00Same here. I sort of admire the writers I know who...Same here. I sort of admire the writers I know who spend a year carefully plotting every detail of every chapter and then write the book in a fortnight. Iy must be an easier way, with less wasted time and energy, but I just can't do it. As Jan says, I get bored.<br />I'm untidy in everything, including writing. Can't be restful in a tidy room - though I know others who say they can't be restful in an untidy room. I've given up fighting it.<br />Though I will tidy up a bit for Christmas, happy in the knowledge that it won't last very long.Susan Pricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07738737493756183909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-7920975367626328132016-12-19T09:18:15.339+00:002016-12-19T09:18:15.339+00:00Agreed! I can't plot too closely - I get bored...Agreed! I can't plot too closely - I get bored :-)Jan Edwardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13885726599827639111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2429560125838989988.post-28463149151155489732016-12-19T08:50:17.098+00:002016-12-19T08:50:17.098+00:00I'm a crime writer, Jan, and I never plan or p...I'm a crime writer, Jan, and I never plan or plot meticulously. I start with a scene and fly by the seat of my pants, I don't even know who the murderer is, and in one of my books an intended body refused to die and lived on. I rationalise this by thinking/saying that if I don't know who the murderer is, then my reader won't know either. The only problem with this approach is that I have to keep a timeline to let me know where each character is at any specific time just so they can be available to commit the said murder.Chris Longmuirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02488093821886798927noreply@blogger.com