Hello, I don't know what to make of this really. I have been away from my laptop for the past two weeks because I had to take care of other things that mattered in my life. Last night, I decided to go back to writing and I found myself continuing excatly where my thoughts stopped the last time I wrote. I don't have an outline written out for my book because I alwys play out my story like a movie in my mind. It is just funny that I have been blessed with this ability. Can you (other writers) go back to exactly where you were before you took a break without doubting your story?
It's probably more to do with your memory than anything else. I have a crap memory. I forget things quickly. The further I get into a story, the harder I find it to keep track of where I left off because a) there's more to remember, and b) as I get further into writing, I get further into developing what WILL happen. So yeah... I might write something one day, and I'll be able to remember where to start from the next day, but as I go on, I develop future events for the story more and more, and then the next day, I won't know how far in I am and I have to read the last chapter or at least the last few paragraphs. It's just a memory thing. EDIT: That said, the storyline itself is pre much always there.
I try to write everything down, from plot, to themes, to ideas, so I can refer to it. Although I barely write a thing about my characters, I tend to keep them locked away in my head.
Writing is a creative activity and we never can say how we write. Everyone has a different way of thinking and putting forth the thinking into different words and sentences. Do as you feel comfortable. Some people have storylines, plots or characterizations in mind prior to sitting up for writing. In my case I always write spontaneously and I never preplan my ideas. It goes of my own accord
if you meant me, all I can say is to each his or her own. we all have different ways of gathering our ideas and thoughts. What works for A may not work for B.
As long as I leave off at a good spot, I tend to remember where I was going with the part I was working on the next time I open up the document. I only have a very loose plot outline in my mind.
I have done this after months of abandoning a story idea and I have been unable to do it after a few days. It depends on where you are in the story to me.
I always think of this as a test of your story line. If you have a good one then you can do this. If you don't then you come back to a huge wall. Sounds like you are on the track of being a good writer.
I think if you prepared enough and put the effort into making your story as real as possible, then yes you can continue from where you last left of. I'm also very forgettful, but once I get a good story in my head it sticks there
The basic storyline is never the problem for me. I take notes about themes, echoes, reprises, narrative devices I can use to emphasize things or to focus the reader's attention where I want it. To use a musical analogy, I find the melody easy, but the harmony and orchestration is where I need to take notes.
it could be hard sometimes to find the right words to describe what you are trying to get to. Even I, after a published novel, I still have trouble sometimes to convey the message even though the idea is right there in front of me.
I meant the thread starter. I know that, but in the long run, you might find you end up with plots holes the size of jupiter.
For me, I always end up rereading the last paragraph or two to remind myself, "Oh yeah, that's what was happening," and then the rest of the plot line unfolds. Unfortunately, me being the perfectionist, this results in me "touching up," i.e. redoing, the entire section. But when I DO get on with writing, it works well.
It depends on the amount of time spent away from a project. I once went a whole year (more or less) without working on a project and seemed to pick up right where I left off. The story's just set in my mind. But there are those like my current project's incarnation that I've developed over years and years. Every time I sit down to work again I have new ideas for the story and it evolves usually requiring an entire rewrite though I never finished it.
Unfortunately I don't have much time to write, and even when I have sometimes I'm not in the mood, but I think about my storylines almost everyday.
I'm pretty good at picking up where I left off. Most likely because my story is in my head all the time. Every time I have nothing to do, my mind wanders to a different world with all the characters I have created, and they play out different things for me.
I have a pretty bad memory when it comes to writing stories, once I've read the previous chapter and looked at my outline, I usually know exactly what I wanted to write.
Yesterday, I would have said "I never forget my plot." Bear in mind that I am on my second draft, and I have an outline. However I often go off outline, and prune and add to my first draft so much that it's barely recognisable. So today I spent the whole day poring over a plot hole, only to have my darling boyfriend remind me that just two weeks ago, I'd gotten really excited about a chapter that I'd gone "off-plan" to do. With a bit of imagination, I realised that this chapter laid the foundation to fill in my plot hole. So, apparently I do forget my storyline. Who knew?
