How do you plan?

[Ann Adams]

Hello, I've got a question about how you plan the stories you're writing. I've learned a few ways over the years that seem to work for me when I'm in different moods, but not all the time. What I mean is that sometimes I plan by creating an outline, and at other times I take note cards and jot down scenes that come to mind.

How do you plan?

[Ash Yuhas]

I like writing fantasy, so a lot of my planning goes into world creation. I'll sketch out a basic plotline, then elaborate on different points as I write the characters doing their thing. That leaves enough room for me to stay true to my basic concept while letting the story unfold naturally. The more I write though, the more I notice myself taking a really basic thought and just running with it until I find a good conclusion.

Note-taking is really helpful! I like to save everything. Even if I don't use the tidbits immediately, I still put them to use at some point down the line. Most of my stories come from random ideas and images. :)

[wayunlucky13]

The book I'm currently writing had no plan... it started out with a concept... and just one day I began writing it... I made up the characters as I went along.... most of time the characters come first.... story later...

I've recently started outlining... realizing how far off the ending becomes than what I've anticipated... a big thing is to know your character's backgrounds, how they'll meet (if prior than how did they) and how/what will ultimately cause them to grow as a person....

I've decided that a story isn't really a story unless the person in it is affected by it... unfortunately this obvious little bit escaped me for a bit...lol

[Kristan Hoffman]

How funny, I just blogged about this! "Accidental drive to Mexico"

Basically I am anti-the idea of outlines, but I'm giving it a shot because I think I need that structure to guide me, even if I don't follow it 100%. :P

That's for novels, btw. For stories I think their shortness often allows a writer more leeway to "wing it" and still do fine. That said, if outlining becomes useful & successful to me, I don't see why I wouldn't try it for shorter works too!

[Ann Adams]

I've been working on an Adventure Fantasy. I found that the outline kept me incheck while still allowing for the creativity. I'm not writing the first draft of it. Turns out you have to do quiet a bit of world planning for a fantasy. So I agree with Ashlynn on that one. I still have the first few notes I jotted down for it.

[Katiebabs]

I set up the scenes in my head and take it from there. I treat my writing as those choose your own adventure books. When I finish with a certain scene, I need to decide the next step for my character or characters to take, knowing it may change the original purpose of my story.

But, I do jot down notes, very messy ones, in a journal I have also.

[Ann Adams]

Whoops! I mean I am now writing the first draft of my fantasy story. Slip of the fingers there.

[Kristan Hoffman]

What's funny is, that sort of made sense even with the typo! I just took it to mean that you realized you have to do a lot of worldbuilding first, so you were tackling that and then going to do the first draft. :P

Ann Adams said:

Whoops! I mean I am now writing the first draft of my fantasy story. Slip of the fingers there.