What? You are one of those authors? You mean you never plan your stories out? How do you do it? You should read this great book on outlining your story. Don’t you have to outline and plan before you write?
Yes, I am a “pantser.” I don’t plan my stories or books. I don’t outline and I don’t create pages of backstory about my characters. In fact, most of the time I start a story with no idea of where it’s going, what is going to happen, who the characters are or even what the plot is.
Yes, I am aware that this could lead to trouble. There have been a few times when I’ve had to back up in my story and toss out the last several thousand words so I could go in a different direction. Occasionally I’ve had to figured out what the plot of the story is after I’m over half way done writing. And once or twice I’ve had to rearrange some of my scenes.
With all this trouble, you might think that I should try planning. The truth of the matter is, if I think of a plot, story idea, scene or whatever, for very long without writing it, I can’t write it. It’s flat and dull. There is no life left in it. I much prefer the occasional times of having to back up and go a different direction than trying to breath live into an already “used up” idea.
The closest I have come to “planning” is jotting down ideas like: Barn burns, school, snake in church, etc. These are short, give me the thought without giving too much information and allow me the freedom to explore the idea when I’m ready for it.
You mean you don’t plan at all?
Sometimes I will spend 5 minutes before I write, jotting ideas down for what I’m going to be writing next. I can’t get too far ahead of myself, but just getting my big thoughts broken into smaller steps can help. But I don’t do that very often.
My only other planning was when I was writing my first book. Since it was all about WWI, I had to get my battles and events in the right place so I didn’t forget about them. For this I printed a calendar and wrote those things down. (I also added birthdays of my characters since I was covering 5 years and everyone had to grow up.:) )
But what about characters? Don’t you write detailed descriptions about them? Don’t you need to know their quirks, their personality and what their favorite color is? What about there reason for acting the way they are?
Believe me, the quirks, personality and such come out when I write. If I need to know something, chances are, my characters will inform me. But because I don’t start off knowing everything about my characters, I find it easier to let them grow in a way that the readers can see too. I don’t feel the need to force information about Joe Blow and Jane Green on my readers right away, so the development comes about in a more natural way.
As for the reason a character acts a certain way, tell me, do you always know why someone in real life acts a certain way? You may have an idea, and now and then you might know, but it isn’t a foolproof thing.
And so, I don’t plan. I’ve read a book about outlining my novel, but it doesn’t work for me. But I’ve had students who need to plan, they need the structure an outline has, and that’s okay. Writing is not about strict rules of doing this and not doing that. It’s about telling the story God has given you to tell. It’s about letting it live for your readers. If that takes outlining every single scene and conversation, writing five page descriptions and backstory of each character, so be it. If it means starting with a thought and just writing and watching the story unfold as you write, do it.
Are you a planner? An outliner? Or do you write by the seat of your pants? I’d love to know your thoughts. Leave a comment and tell me how you write.
I’ve always wondered what it would be to write without planning. I’ve tried, and my story died. Literally. xD
Sooo . . . I’m one of the writers who has to have a notebook filled with information and backstory and all that fun stuff. 😉
I think it’s so interesting, though, how everyone has a different approach to writing! It makes all the different books out there so unique.
The difference in the way people write is quite interesting. I’ve seen other people who plan, write their books in a matter of weeks and I’m always half jealous. But I tried planning just a little and my planned scenes fell flat. So I guess we should both stick with the way we write best. 🙂 Our stories will be better and our readers will thank us. 😉
I think I’m half way between the two extremes.. somehow. 🙂 I like to plan, but a lot of my outlines get changed once I really get started, (and yes.. that meant a lot of word deleting…) and the story plot is never quite exactly the same compared to my initial layout after I’ve written about three pages:) I’ve tried both ways… both has it’s pros and con’s, and to me it usually depends on the story and/or complexity of the plot. so yeah…
The novel I’m working on has been outlined, but I’ve lost my loose papers by now, I think… I only got the first draft to go from now and my imagination, and whatever is left of my sanity …. 🙂
I’m not really biased as to which is better or worse.
Just my thoughts and opinions.. 🙂
By the way, I absolutely understand and agree with the author story you’ve written on your Friday’s blog. He he he. I just love my NEO.. my best (inanimate) buddy on earth!! Since i don’t own my own computer yet:) Hopefully soon.Sorry for rambling so much here!! God bless you!!
Oh, you are one of the “mixed variety,” huh? 🙂 Some plan, some just write and some do a mixture of both. Aren’t you glad there is no “right or wrong” way to write? Thanks for sharing. I enjoy hearing how others write.
You have a NEO?! How fun! I probably would have given up writing years ago if I didn’t have mine.
I’m definitely a planner, but really admire those writers who are ‘pantsers’. I can’t even write a scene out of order. Now, I’m not super strict on my planning. If I see I don’t need a certain scene, or I have a new idea, I rearrange different things, but I’m afraid I write best when I have a plan. I think it’s really neat that you can write without having a plan. There are some days I wish I could! In fact, I have a story in the “thinking about” stage that I’m leaning towards just letting it be written without much of a plan. We’ll see how it goes. 🙂 😉
-Bekah
I don’t like writing scenes out of order either. Sometimes I’ll jot down my ideas for later, but I have to be careful not to let them play out in my mind or they lose all their life. Sometimes when I’m posting a story I’m writing on my blog, my readers ask what happens next, and I have to tell them I have no idea because it’s not written yet. 🙂
Let me know how that story goes if you don’t plan it. 🙂
Hi! My alpha reader just sent me this, because she knew I’d love it. I am a panster and proud of it! I don’t keep notes, I have a vague idea of how I want things to end up, but three books in the series I’m writing, and I literally never know what’s happening until it does.
I love writing this way, it’s fun and spontaneous. My characters grow as I write them, for my first book I started writing with two names, a first scene and a theme. That was it.
Somehow, everything seems to come together by the end, yes my second book was awful and I had to rewrite half, but it was a learning experience, one that made me more cautious with the third, (and now fourth)
So happy there are others out there. I am not alone. 🙂
Glad you came over, Sarah! I’m delighted to “meet” another panster. 🙂 I agree. It is so much fun watching the characters grow, the story come together and unexpected events taking place. I think I get as much “what’s going to happen next” feel as my readers do because I don’t know.
Thanks for coming and sharing!