Where in the novel I am?

I am a complete pantser but I guess I do have a good sense for my stories because the editors of the publishing houses I worked told me I showed complete control in what my characters said and did and how the story arch was developed. Which is nice to hear although I really don’t know what will happen when I start writing. I got one idea and that is all. :smiley: But therefore I do feel the need to control what I do - just to be safe in what I do.

That’s what I mean. You don’t plan the events, but you certainly have a structure in mind. Which you don’t want to call that way. Or associate numbers to it. :smiley_cat:

:smiley: Again: Yes and no. I have always been an avid reader and (in my own language - feeling extremely stupid and awkward in English) a story teller from an early age on. The kind that even liked doing schoolwork as long as it involved writing a story no matter what it was about. Terrible in sports, great in German, French and history (see where it got me :D) and reading up to six novels per week. So yes I guess I learned something of it and follow some rules quite naturally. But going ahead, planning the murder and the murderer, drawing mindmaps and filling in character sheets - nope. I like to let the story involve and use whatever comes my way so when my heroine needs to solve the case we both have to work hard to find the solution and an explanation for everything that happened. And to be completely honest: sometimes I could cry for the burden I gave me. But a few walks with the dogs, a bit of screaming towards my sons (they deserve it for sure being such lazy teenagers :D) and good long soak in the bath tube and heureka it works out. So well sometimes that people are convinced it must have been meticulously planned. Which I am simply not capable of.

I’d say you are very capable of hiding this ability from yourself.

Otherwise… Why would you need a compass, without a map?

There may be no city names and rivers and roads on your map, but you have a feeling for what you want to visit, be it a park, or a beach, or a mountain, certain people, etc. in which order and for how long. Without a sense of space and time – “position” is meaningless.

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Wow, you are a poet :slight_smile: That sounds good actually and it might be that I could live with this idea.

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And I’d say your written English is superior to that of many native speakers. :grinning:

Thanks for posting your question. I’m always interested in how others navigate the creative process.

And I’d say your written English is superior to that of many native speakers. :grinning:

You are all politeness, Mr Darcy. Although you do not know if I am in the possession of a pair of fine eyes :smiley:
Writing in English is a slow process and it feels really bad because I just cannot express what I want to say. But as long as I can make myself understand it should be ok somehow. I would prefer to master the language better but … fill in whatever suits you. Lazyness, lack of talent, or something else :smiley:

So how do you craft your stories? What is your creative process?