Lessons

I have learned a few things over the last couple months.

First I am definitely not and outliner. No I am what some call a pantster. I get my idea for a story or a character pops in to visit and I start writing. I may have a vague idea of where the story will go but most of the time I don't. I've discovered the characters always know, even if they won't share it with me until the last minute.

Second I am an outliner. Yes, schizo, I know. But what I've found is the perfect way to outline without outlining. And all it took was deciding to turn my fantasy romance book Puca into a movie. I found a group of great film and screenwriting people on Twitter which in turn led me to beat sheets and the three act structure. I had a vague idea that just possibly I could use this in my fiction writing but I had no clue how. Then I got some great advice from Jacqueline Lichtenberg and now the story is flying again.

Helpful Links:
http://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2009_12_01_archive.html
http://scriptchat.blogspot.com/
http://www.blakesnyder.com/tools/
http://www.rareform.com/screenplay-editor/beats.php