Comments on: A quick look at the Snowflake Method

By: Jordan

Jordan — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:20:48 +0000

That’s something I’ve been working on this time around. Instead of fretting over how I don’t describe a whole lot in first drafts, I’m allowing myself to write as I normally do and know that I can add descriptions later.

I learned about “analysis paralysis” in my job in Internet marketing. It was easy to get inundated with data and still not know what to do—or even be able to analyze all the data enough to know what to do. (It’s especially annoying on the client side !)

By: Carol/Careann

Carol/Careann — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:13:13 +0000

That “analysis paralysis” phrase cracks me up! It describes perfectly what happens when I research endlessly, read ‘how to’ books to the exclusion of actually writing, worry whether a passage is written well enough and work it to death, etc. Sometimes we have to just get on with the writing and accept that there will be significant revisions to do later.

By: Jordan

Jordan — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:35 +0000

That’s the eternal question . We have a guest post related to this for tomorrow. It’s so easy to get into “analysis paralysis.”

Other than a note in my outline/plot notes, I tend to keep all my ideas for one story in my head until I’m ready to put them in place in the story. If I’d started one of my books at the scene I first thought of (in the middle of the book), it would be a different book. I included the scene in the outline, but when it came down to it, it didn’t make sense. I had to change the location and the purpose—and even the conflict between the characters. (Ideas for future stories get dumped into a notes file.)

He actually says that the quality is better because you know if/how the story works—but any plotting method can help with that.

I think the answer to your question is “When you’re ready,” usually when you can’t hold back any longer.

By: Iapetus999

Iapetus999 — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:30:09 +0000

The question I have is: when am I done outlining and ready to start writing?
This is the problem I have with outlining in general. At least with pantsing when I’m done writing I have a whole story. This outlining phase could last indefinitely, and last time I checked, outlines don’t sell.

Here’s the thing. Ideas come when they come. If you have an idea for a scene, write it out. If you have an idea for a character, write it out. I think creating a story should be a combination of plotting and just writing.

Another point he makes is that this method cuts down on the time it takes to create a novel. That’s nice but what about the quallity/marketability? Also my WIP I sense vast areas of research in my future. When exactly does this research happen?

I’ve still in the middle of my outlining experiment, which borrows a lot from this method. I just want to know when I can write. Cause that’s the part that I truly love.