Today I want to write about two very different elements of discovery.
First, I want to mention that I’ve started watching Star Trek Discovery, and it is quite delightful. I’m only on the first season (no spoilers, ^_^), and only 7 episodes in, but it is a very different take on Star Trek and I have to say I am really enjoying it. The aesthetic is heavily influenced by the most recent wave of Star Trek movies, but honestly I am 100% okay with that. I know they’re not to everyone’s taste, but I really enjoyed them. And, perhaps not coincidentally, I’m really enjoying Discovery as well! If what everyone says about the series only getting better as time goes on is true, then I’m very happy!
But the other more important discovery is related to how I write. While it is well-known that I am far more of a ‘pantser’ than a ‘planner’ (referring to the two main ways that most writers identify their book-writing-style, ‘planners’ being those who make elaborate plans and notes before starting a novel, and ‘pantsers’ being fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants writers who tend to forgo pre-writing notes to instead discover the story and characters as they proceed). I am primarily a pantser, myself, although like all writers the truth is somewhere in the middle: I usually take about a day to put down major plot points and character notes, and then fill those in further as I go along.
But this is great for me, because it means I am excited and engaged by the surprise of what is going to happen the whole time! Not to say that the way planners write is incorrect, of course, and anything that gets you in front of the keyboard or with pen in hand is good, but for me the joy of writing is learning about these characters locked in my head.
And Monday when I was writing, I was struggling with a pretty significant plot point (one that is several chapters down the line from where I am currently writing), and then yesterday a solution occurred to me that I am excited to put into the story! It’s going to be great!
So! Onward towards discovery!
Hope everyone out there is safe and healthy!