Comments on: Introducing Cindy’s Puzzle Method

By: Charlotte Babb

Charlotte Babb — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 11:30:01 +0000

I’m glad to hear that there’s another way to write effectively! Thanks for sharing it with us.

By: Christophe Desmecht

Christophe Desmecht — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 12:35:28 +0000

I’m trying the snowflake method on my current WIP, and I have to say I’m struggling to make it work. With all due respect to Randy and his Snowflake method, I’m beginning to doubt it’s the way to go for me. In the beginning, I marvelled at the complex and interesting story lines that came forth from applying his technique to my story. But now, I’m having trouble putting the actual words down on the page. The “enthusiasm” and “inspiration” is gone. I feel like I spent all that on writing my outline and now all I’m left with is a story that is done, but will remain unwritten.

Up until about a year ago, I always wrote whatever came to mind. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t. Maybe now, with this Puzzle Method, I can turn that around so that it always works.

I’ll be following this series of blogs very closely and we’ll see what works for me.

By the way, Welcome Cindy!

By: Georgiana Daniels

Georgiana Daniels — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 13:45:26 +0000

I’m interested to see how the Puzzle Method works. Though I tend to be a linear thinker, there are times when I see the other pieces more clearly and want to work on them.

By: Gerhard J van Vuuren

Gerhard J van Vuuren — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 13:45:52 +0000

I am very interested in the puzzle method because I think it might sync better with m general approach to life and writing.
Randy haven’t opened the floor for questions yet but I believe there would probably be a question time. If my question get answered by what’s coming then just go ahead.
When you write out of sequence, do you know that you are now going to write an ending? Or do you just write a number of scenes and then later decide, or find, that a certain scene ends up being THE ending?
Second question: When you write a number of scenes there are obviously gaps between them, gaps to be filled in order to get the story from A to B so it makes sense. Do you then analyse and draw up a list of missing scenes and tick them off as you write them?
How do you know how not to overdo or underdo fillin in the gaps? Too big a gap and the reader gets lost, to much filling and the reader gets bored?

The blog sequence was interesting but not where my needs are. You can probably tell I’m excited about some crafty stuff coming out again.

By: Pam Halter

Pam Halter — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 13:50:00 +0000

I’m looking forward to this, too. I think I fall inbetween the Snowflake and the Puzzle because there are times when I write everything out and times when I jump around. I always have a notes file that is in no particular order - just random thoughts about the plot or characters as they come to me.

Thanks for sharing with us, Cindy! And thanks to Randy for being flexible.

By: Debra Ratcliffe

Debra Ratcliffe — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 13:50:56 +0000

I have been writing in scenes rather than chronological chapters; and all over the place. It has been from three different view points though not as different as Cindy’s character POVs. I’m finding it easier to write now though I did write a short premise of what the story was about, a sketchy outline and some character profiles on the main characters but they are not extensive. My book is a novel very loosely based on a true story. I’ll be very interested to read about Cindy’s puzzle method and I think, just from what was written here about them, the two could be combined for those who find both of them useful. Thanks for giving such a wide choice of approaches to writing.

By: Lynda

Lynda — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 14:29:02 +0000

I use a blend too. First I do the last scene and the characters, then the first scene. Next, I “outline” the entire story. Then I outline each chapter as I come to them.

By: Gina

Gina — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 14:42:51 +0000

I’m looking forward to this. I never start off by outlining, though Randy’s snowflake method has come in real handy for figuring our major plot points and writing that pesky synopsis. I tend to get scenes out of order. I may know how a story ends before I’m deep into the story, and how I get to the end makes writing exciting. I’m anxious to learn about the puzzle method and to see if it might be helpful in my writing.

By: Sheila Deeth

Sheila Deeth — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:46:55 +0000

Really looking forward to this. I tend to write bits and pieces till I find the same characters appearing over and over; even then, I don’t know what story they want to tell. My current favorite character has variously two or three brothers who are / are not like her, but she does have red hair and dark eyes consistently. Sounds like the puzzle method might some needed order to my chaos.

By: M.L. Eqatin

M.L. Eqatin — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:50:52 +0000

This will be interesting, Cindy! I write HF, and there are always certain bits of history that I want to cover in my story, which happened in an order which is not likely to fit a snowflake. Each book also has specific themes or reasons, one of which is, ‘I am going to market this to a subset of readers comprised of X,Y, and Z, who want emphasis on these particular things.’
And then you have to weld these pieces into a story compelling enough to claim about 10 precious hours of people’s limited time.
I read your book ‘Winter Passing’, even though it’s not my usual genre, and I’m interested in hearing how you did it.

By: Karla

Karla — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:58:30 +0000

I am so looking forward to this. Randy, you are an excellent teacher to share another point of view with us. Thank-you! I wonder if the puzzle method is like my method — I write scenes out of order as I think them up. I am so curious to see. . .!!

By: Parker Haynes

Parker Haynes — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 17:53:56 +0000

Many thanks to both Randy and Cindy for what I expect to be an enlightening few days. Like others, I have tried to work with the Snowflake Method, but find that it is just NOT me. God bless all the great souls who can plan everything in advance. My writing, like my life, has always been totally spontaneous. I grab a thought, a character, a scene… start writing and watch it develop. Sure, the results often end up in the recycle bin, but I do enjoy the process. Just like reading, I find excitement in wondering how the characters and story will reveal themselves. I hope Cindy’s Puzzle Method will help me do a better job, perhaps even create a publishable novel.

By: Karen D'Amato

Karen D'Amato — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 18:07:16 +0000

Curiouser and curiouser…I do believe I’ve been doing the blend of R & C all along. HF speaking, R’s SF method works to give structure and focus to my WIP. C’s PM is the spark of scene, dialogue, description that comes so easily in the shower, drive to work, cleaning out the catbox. It’s all in the same story, but just fractioned out in pieces waiting to fit into a whole. Which, then brings me back to R’s SF to flush the whole thing out.
Make sense? I think it’s time to feed the cat.

By: Tami Meyers

Tami Meyers — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 19:36:49 +0000

Randy, you are amazing. Not many creative type people are secure enough to share the spotlight with another artist, let alone one who teaches a different method of creativity.

I know your snowflake is wonderful, but it’s frustrating to find something that helps so many people plot a novel, and then discover that my scattered, sanguine mind refuses to understand anything that analytical.

I met Cindy a few years ago when she spoke at a meeting of Sacramento Christian Writers. We were all very impressed and inspired by her presentation, and I’m looking forward to learning about her “puzzle method”.

By: D.E. Hale

D.E. Hale — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 20:55:06 +0000

Well, I always look forward to learning something new. Personally, I LOVE the Snowflake method, but that doesn’t mean we can’t all learn something from another method.

Can’t wait to hear more about this “Puzzle method.”

By: Donna

Donna — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 22:02:34 +0000

I, like so many others here, am looking forward to hearing about this method.

When I write short stories and novellas, I write from beginning to end, but my novel isn’t presenting itself to me in that way and I’ve struggled trying to Snowflake it. As I go along with it I find that I can plug some things into the Snowflake but all the structuring, especially before I began writing, was very frustrating. I think the puzzle method will help my style a lot.

By: Heather Wardell

Heather Wardell — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 22:56:56 +0000

I used the Snowflake on my second novel (which is finished and resting before a final polish before going out to my critique group) and loved it. I am now trying to use it on my newest one and it’s just not gelling for me. This novel has multiple subplots and I think that’s why… for some reason I cannot seem to get the subplots integrated into the one paragraph summary, and without them the ‘main plot’ feels too thin to carry a novel.

I do think the Snowflake is right for me, but maybe not for this book? I have all the sample Snowflake materials but none seem to handle subplots like mine. Randy, any suggestions? In the meantime, I await the puzzle method’s explanation.

Heather

By: Kristi Holl

Kristi Holl — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 01:45:03 +0000

I’m keeping an open mind! I love the Snowflake method, and it’s worked for me over and over. Sure goes to show that we are all different! Writing things out of order sounds awfully confusing, so I’ll be eager to see how the Puzzle works out.

By: Donald L. Moir

Donald L. Moir — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 03:35:03 +0000

The Puzzle method (from the brief description given) sounds quite close to the archeology metaphor Stephen King uses in his book on writing fiction. The paradigm being that the writer is merely exposing something that already exists. King’s book was very encouraging when I read it; an experience that gets the juices going.

By: Louis Wilberger

Louis Wilberger — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 01:45:50 +0000

Sounds like my kind of method. I make a few notes and let the fingers fly. I’m getting better at controling them. It’s like watching a movie. Can’t wait.