Quote from: planingkoala on September 10, 2025, 03:41:36 PM

@Fretum: I get what you mean about structure sneaking in even when you don’t want it. It’s like muscle memory – your brain defaults to what it knows. But maybe that’s not always a bad thing? Like, could those structures act as scaffolding you later break apart once the draft’s alive? And that bit about style being such a personal thing – yes. I’ve dropped books mid-way just because the rhythm didn’t click with me, even if the plot was solid. Do you ever catch yourself resisting certain writing styles just because they feel “wrong” to your trained eye, even if they’re effective for other readers?

Structure helps me. But when I write academic essays, I'm not trying to entertain. It's all about the facts. That can be very dry at times, but it's better to be brief and concise than too long and ultimately meaningless.
That's basically the opposite of creative writing.
So structure may help with research and planning, but I don't find it helpful when it comes to the actual writing. There is no right way to do it. Everyone is different. I always thought that longer stories in particular needed a plan. But then I read in a blog article by novum publishing that there are also authors who just start writing. In the end, it works that way too, you just have to be the type of person who can do it. I couldn't do that, I like to have a plan. You don't have to stick to it 100%, but it's good to have something that gives you structure. But not too much

When I write, I always slip into a rigid structure. You have to keep reminding yourself that this is creative writing and not a scientific text.
Yes, of course, that's exactly what I'm talking about. I have to make a clear distinction because you can't apply the structure of an academic text to a novel. You'd fall asleep. It's a text that wants to bring you closer to another world in a playful way. Academic texts are meant to explain and present results.