Writing to keep Afloat

Plotter vs Pantser, Architect vs Gardener , Organization vs Chaos. Whatever you call it, the spectrum of planning for your novel is one of the most over-discussed topics in the writing community. Some people thrive on discovering the story, while others need a structure to follow so they can focus on the prose.

For most writers, falling in the middle of the spectrum works best, using some combination of discovery writing and outlining. If you’re drafting your first novel, you might not be sure how your creativity works and how much outlining you need to do. Unfortunately, that doesn’t change with subsequent novels. Your process will evolve with each one as surely as the plot, characters, and setting. You’ll have to unearth the right path, and every time you do, you’ll uncover more of the magic of your writing.

Based on my experience, the worst thing you can do it force it. I’ve spent hundreds of hours studying the writing of others and listening to authors talk about their process. Stephen King insists that an organic story is created by watching his characters and writing down what they do, while Brandon Sanderson focuses on structure and planning every arc. The outcome of their strategies is that King’s strength lies in character and Sanderson’s in plot and endings. I’ve listened to both of these prolific, best-selling authors and guess what. Neither of their methods have been right for my stories.

Maybe my brain thinks too much in black and white. Most of my drafts have either had zero planning or every scene planned out. If I uncover the entire plot before beginning, I quickly lose interest in finishing the story. Zero planning leaves me stuck on half my scenes and I inevitably abandon the draft. My successful drafts have been a combination: drafting when I feel inspired and planning when I feel stuck.

So my advice, from someone who has tried everything, is to open your notebook or computer to a blank page and do whatever feels right. Clear your mind of everything you’ve been told and start typing. If that means you start with a bulleted list of scenes, perfect. If it means you write the first or last scene, great. If it means you write the scene that inspires you most, beautiful. The key is to follow the path as it appears in front of you.