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Nothing like kicking off a new podcast with a good ol’ fashioned argument. On this episode of Fiction School, Jody and Baker discussed ways that using story structure and outlining help them write better and faster, and Tommy said thinking about writing this way depressed him.
Then Baker called Tommy a “pantser” and it all basically devolved into a hockey fight and we had to quit the podcast after only one episode. (Not really.)
This was an awesome show that really dug deep into story structure and the writing process, and how every writer is different and what counts is whatever’s best for the story.
SHOW NOTES FOR FS1: HOW TO USE STORY STRUCTURE (OR NOT)
I really liked this first episode. I found great value in all the guests’ points of view on the craft of writing. I think I’m more in line with Tommy’s method: discovering the story as it goes along. I wish I could be more of an outliner and plotter, but I find it really hard. The story only comes to me once I’ve dived into uncharted waters and I start finding the pearls.
But I think I will take a look at what Jody was talking about–the way to break down a story into several points.
Anyway, I really enjoyed the podcast.
I think the character is the plot, when your thinking of the plot your thinking of the character, when your thinking of the character your thinking of the plot.
The most pure story structure is simply a character with a goal that has obstacles to achieve that goal (every story is this).
So if your write about the character your write plot and if your write plot you write a character, i don’t think they are separate things.
I think you should use Pantsing and Structure as both tools in your belt, structure should never be set in stone if a better idea shows up then you should use it but also with pantsing there is a chance that you can steer out to nowhere or into a box or into the rocks.