Internal and External Approaches to Creative Writing
Two approaches to creative writing.
When I’m working on a story, I try not to think about technique too much. I focus on forging ahead without overanalyzing every step in my creative writing process.
My top priority is to get the ideas out of my head and onto the page.
However, in retrospect (often during revisions) and between stories, I often evaluate how I approached a project so that I can better understand my own creative process.
Hindsight is 20/20. I might decide that I didn’t do enough character sketches and therefore have to do more extensive rewriting. On the other hand, I might determine that I spent too much time writing down every idea and detail when I could have focused on the narrative and gotten it done more quickly.
Every creative writing project is different. Some writers might use the exact same process over and over; I don’t seem to work that way. However, I do take what I have learned to make the next project smoother. Recently, I’ve been thinking about two basic approaches that I have used when developing a concept. The first is an internal approach, which starts with character (or in nonfiction, with a human subject). The other approach is external, which starts with a situation or an event in the greater world.
The Human Condition
A few years ago, after struggling to get past the idea phase with several novels, I signed up for NaNoWriMo and successfully completed an entire first draft in just 30 days. I played by the rules and took the competition’s advice to heart by starting with just a couple of characters and not much else.
The result was that my entire approach was character based. I situated myself inside my main character’s head, placed the camera on her shoulder and just started writing. Miraculously, a plot emerged.
I ended up with a story that explored the human condition with themes of loneliness and companionship complemented by themes of loss and gain. None of it was planned, and I was truly astounded that anything beyond a lengthy character study came out of it all. What I learned was that by going inside the human mind and heart, and using that as a starting place, we can create touching, meaningful stories that help us better understand what it means to be human.
- How does someone’s internal landscape, made up of personal experiences, attitudes, and beliefs, affect interaction with the outside world?
- How does a character react in his or her special way to various situations?
- Most importantly, how does a character handle conflict?
These kinds of stories are most often found in literary fiction, but they are sprinkled across all forms and genres of creative writing, including poetry and nonfiction.
The Social Condition
Lately, I’m working on a different type of story. I started with a situation rather than a character, although I did have a vague impression of a group of characters. My concept was borne from two things: a world (this in the science fiction genre) and a situation at the social (or historical) level. I was looking at society and history for ideas (or rather, by looking at those things, I became inspired). I started far away from the characters, seeing them only from a great distance.
This approach has been a lot more fun for me but it’s also a lot more work. World building and creating histories is no small task. Every day, as I write more and more about the world, I find myself looping around a creative cycle that is bringing me closer and closer to my characters with every go-round as I discover how their actions affected the greater society.
Starting Places in Creative Writing
Story is conflict. In a story about the human condition, it’s a personal or intimate conflict. In a story about society’s condition, we’re dealing with bigger conflicts that affect the masses: stories of war, for example. However, in the latter case, stories about big events can also incorporate character stories via subplots and therefore give you the best of both worlds.
Whether we start with an event and find the characters who were involved or start with characters and find our way through a story, we have to start somewhere.
Where do you start? Do you like to approach story from far away so you can tell a big, sweeping tale or do you prefer to start with a character and tell a more intimate tale? Or do you approach from somewhere else altogether?
Melissa Donovan is a website designer and copywriter. She writes fiction and poetry and is the founder and editor of Writing Forward, a blog packed with creative writing tips and ideas.
Excellent post.
I think the importance of getting your first draft down on paper as quickly as possible cannot be over-emphasized in the creative writing process. Since taking that approach myself a few months ago I’ve never suffered from ‘writer’s block’.
That’s how I work too, but I have heard some successful authors say that they edit each sentence as they go. Most writers say that we must write every day, but I’ve heard a few authors say they write heavily for a few months, crank out a book, and then take a few months off. We each have to find what works best us.
The way that one can think of the writing of poetry, however, is that the writing act attempts to achieve the best words, in their best order. The reality is that a best version of a creative, written work can be determined not ever to be finished. Perfection is unattainable and the notion of perfection in writing fictional writing, whether it is prosaic or poetric, etc., is quasi-nonsensical or utterly nonsensical.
That’s true. We can edit and revise infinitely. At some point, you have to let it go out into the world
I tend to concentrate on one character when I write a short story too. After I establish a few details about their life and personality then the other people around them and the situations they get into start to develop more naturally.
I’ve had the same experience. Sometimes, by developing one character thoroughly before plunging into the story, the other characters develop almost in response to that character. It’s pretty cool.
I think it’s because whatever personal lessons the central character has to learn, everyone they come into contact has to reflect on them either by clashing or resonating with their journey. The whole Ying and Yang thing, they piece eachother together.
As different characters can be from eachother, there’s still a range of which types of characters can go in the same story.
That’s an interesting observation. I definitely think there’s a lot of truth to what you’re saying as well as a few exceptions. In most stories, all the supporting characters do need to be presented in the context of how they affect the main character (either helping or hindering).
I am used to writing for stage so I often have logistics in mind. This means I won’t be putting characters in settings that can’t be effectively communicated through the medium with a low budget, and I always have the length of the piece, the number of cast members, and number of scene changes in mind. Also, the audience isn’t in the character’s head. Instead they are on the outside looking in. So this usually leads to the external approach.
When I am not writing for stage, I still tend to use the external approach more. It’s partly out of habit, and it’s also because I am just not the most introspective person out there. I really admire people that can just start by building good characters, though!
I’m curious about writing for stage or film, precisely because of those limitations with settings and logistics. I find limitations can sometimes broaden creativity. You’re right – watching a stage performance definitely feels like you’re on the outside looking in. Yet in film and books, I think the storytellers can bring the audience into the story. Hm. Interesting stuff to think about.
I have written two novels, both historical fictions. My modus operandi seems to be: an opening paragraph and the denouement. From there I began to create. Although of I love historical fiction; it can be a joy and a curse. What I want to learn in orchestrating the first draft is to get the story from my head on to the screen immediately. But still I find myself editing as I go. I can spend half a day on one scene.
I’m impressed by anyone who writes historical fiction. Years ago, I had an idea for a story that was set in the roaring 20s, and frankly, I was put off because of all the research that would have been involved. I didn’t even know what they called ordinary items back then. I estimated that I’d have to submerge myself in all things 20s for about two years to get a really good feel for the era, and then I decided I wasn’t passionate enough about my concept for that. I understand a lot of writers compose the ending before they write their manuscript. What I wonder is whether the ending changes as they work through the draft. I tend to keep a vague ending in mind without being too sure how it will actually pan out.
Great post! My current WIP started as something that I tried to write as quickly as possible with very little planning. As a result the original draft was pretty woeful, but it gave me a subplot that became the foundation for the second draft. So I lost a lot of words in the second draft, but I wouldn’t have the story i have now without going all the way.
I think writing as much as you can is a great way to practice writing when you first start working on long pieces, but maybe you get more structured with experience?
Yes, experience definitely helps, but heavy revisions are normal for most writers. Another option would be to develop a detailed outline and establish the story before you write the manuscript. When you write as quickly as possible, that’s called discovery writing. I believe that discovery writing allows for greater creativity in the drafting process but requires more revision work. You might experiment with outlining and find some balance of discovery writing and outlining that works best for you. Good luck!
I have just written my first fiction novel. Out creative writing teacher who is an author, gave us a writing prompt for our homework and from that sentence I wrote my book. I had my character picked out then formed the story around him. Out of all my interests I am drawn to my writing class each week. We all get a lot from each other. We start with our journal as an ice breaker and then read them out. I had no idea where the story was going but it happened as I typed. I am one to type anything that comes to mind, then tidy it all up later. I deleted text and added new text and the storyline changed directions a few times.. I write almost every day. With the help and inspiration given to me from the group I guess I would not have attempted to write my fiction novel.
It’s wonderful to hear that you’re getting so much help and inspiration from your creative writing class and that it’s your favorite course! It sounds like you’re well on your way to finishing your book. I wish you the best of luck!