Thursday, September 24, 2009

Star Trek & Agatha Christie?

"The best time to plan a book is while you’re doing the dishes." - Agatha Christie

Don't you just love Agatha Christie? She's one of my all-time favourite authors. I also love this quote of hers. I have such a hard time imagining dear Dame Agatha doing dishes!

It got me to thinking about where I plot my books. I've never had an easy time falling asleep. Even as a kid, there were too many things running through my head for sleep to come easily.

And then I encountered Star Trek (the original series) in one of its rerun seasons. I started plotting out new stories as I waited for sleep to arrive. The series struck a deep chord within me - all of those thinly-veiled morality tales filled with excitement, new species and adventure. For years I plotted out new stories before bed. Never wrote one of them down, but lived through them night after night instead.

Now, I plot out my novels before I sleep. I watch the characters play out a variety of scenes, test out the emotional impact of their words and actions, watch them to see which scenes need to get written down and which need to stay in almost-dreamland.

Where do you plot out your writing? Do you have a set time or place that sends you directly into that creative mode?

19 comments:

Jessica Deal said...

Actually, now that you bring it up, I think I might start using the new Star Trek movie way of writing. I thought that movie was amazing, and I'm not even a Star Trek fan (Star Wars for me!)

Jemi Fraser said...

Hi Jessica. I'm a fan of both :) The new ST movie was fun - would be fun to write some episodes for where the characters are heading in their "new" lives. Thanks for stopping by!

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

I don't outline, so the plotting is a continual process for me. I like your method, though!

Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder

Elspeth Futcher said...

I plot, then I sleep. Makes for interesting dreams sometimes!

Elspeth

Jemi Fraser said...

Elizabeth - I don't write out outlines, but I do like to see the action in my head :)

Elspeth - Yes! The dreams can be so much fun. Or terror, depending on the scene I've worked on :)

jmartinlibrary said...

Writing ideas are totally random for me. I can't tell you have many times I jot concepts down on the back of receipts and into my notes on iPhone. I'm so scatterbrained...

Jemi Fraser said...

Jenny - that's why I only write when I'm on the computer. Anything I put down on paper hasn't got a hope of making it! I'm much better off to play out the scene a few times in my head if I think I want it to stick. I've got too many ideas chasing around right now - I need to settle on one :)

Elizabeth Bradley said...

All the time! It could be while doing the dishes. Riding alone in the car is a favorite. At night before I go to bed and sometimes in my dreams.

My mother adored Agatha Christie, didn't she write in the bathtub? I'm sure I heard that.

Jemi Fraser said...

Elizabeth - I believe I've heard that too. :)

I generally walk home from work, so that's another fave time for me to plot. It's funny, isn't it, how our stories stay with us, even when we are doing other things!

Donna Carrick said...

Great blog, Jemi! And yes, plotting while doing dishes is common for me. And while driving, and while standing in line, and while ... well, you get the picture.
Best in writing!
Donna
www.donnacarrick.com

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks, Donna! I think we all do entirely too many dishes! But you're right, our stories are always with us, aren't they :) Thanks for stopping by.

Cat Woods said...

Thanks for the fun post. With me it is definitely during showers. I've actually written things on the fogged up shower doors and had to steam the room later to copy my scribbles down.

Jemi Fraser said...

jwacker - That's awesome! Reminds me of a few scenes from scary movies that kept me up at night :)

DL Hammons said...

In the hot tub at my health club. Thats where I do a lot of my plotting. Don't ask me why...or how it gets my creative juices flowing...but it does. :)

Jemi Fraser said...

DL - several people mention thinking and plotting best in water (shower, bath, hot tub...) I wonder why... ?? :)

Margo Berendsen said...

I love that Agatha Christie quote! I keep telling myself I can still "work" on my stories during menial chores, but I never get focused enough. I get my best ideas usually while walking, or sometimes, if I'm lucky, during lucid dreams.

Jemi Fraser said...

Margo - Agatha Christie amazes me - so many stories with such convoluted plots!

Walking works for me a lot of the time too. I dream a lot, but no lucid dreams, so that's no help.

Heidi-"Heidi in Real Life" said...

Loved Star Trek too. I have a notebook on my passenger seat, because driving in my car gives me my best material (it's also where I cry). I'm a new fan of yours.

Jemi Fraser said...

Heidi - so nice to meet you!

Star Trek is amazing - Roddenberry (sp?) launched so many imaginations with that series!

The car is a wonderful place for thinking - and for crying - good thoughts! :)