From Natalie Andersons Plot and Structure workshop:
Which comes first – the plot or the draft?
The answer is neither – it is the CHARACTERS who must come first. If we’re writing a romance, then
it’s all about the characters and their EMOTIONAL (inner) journeys. Yes, you can put your characters into a highly complicated plot position, but how they will ACT and REACT depends on WHO they are. And how they act and react is going to influence the rest of the plot!
So before you can do anything in terms of crafting plot, you must know and understand your characters.
So true! My biggest problem is that I can't get to know my characters that well until I've written the book; hence the multiple drafts. Fortunately I'm in good company with Natalie, who plots to a point, creates basic characters and then writes what she calls a discovery draft.
I like it, think I'll call it that from now on.
Sami
PS. Our guest blogger at Down Under Divas today is the fabulous Denise Rossetti. If you'd like to win a copy of her latest Ellora's Cave release, pop on over and leave a comment.
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