Advice from writers who don't plan needed

Jen

I'm not a planner, I start with ideas and work from there. Recently I thought I should plan but as I write more ideas do pop up and help me to write more and know where my narrative is going. I like the surprise of not knowing where it's going. But I'm concerned it's all drivel until something happens.

I'm also concerned that because I have ideas suddenly popping up it won't be consistent. I also get concerned I'll lose ideas. I write them down but haven't yet found a system that isn't a mess. I have a note book devoted to my novel with notes etc

I'm learning what works best for me but I'm also concerned that when I re-write it will be a mess. Should I just write and not worry about all this? Work it out on the re-write?

Any tips or advice from others who don't plan?

Lizy

Baggy posted something the other day on Facebook - at least I think it was Baggy - that said A rubbish first draft is better than no draft at all.

I work on that principle, which entailsseveral rewrites and edits but at least it's writing.

Carol

Generally I plan, but my current work in progress isn't that planned and I only have an idea about one chapter ahead. I'm finding it hard work.

Have you considered trying for a mid point between the two?

You have lots of ideas and you can probably tell whether they are likely to fit. But I've found that sometimes I'll write something in that I think has no relevance, but discover two or three chapters later fits with something that then happens, so that earlier bit needs to be there.

You have a starting point and an end point, so just write the bit between those two. By the end of the first draft you'll see what works, what doesn't and what is needed in the next draft. Then you start working on it in the next draft.

Phots Moll

I plan but if I get more ideas I add them in as I go.

You don't need to write a tidy, consistent first draft - you just need to produce something to work on.

Tiny Nell

I often have complete brainstorms before tackling a new book. I write down a web of ideas with strands and links... and isolated thoughts in their own bubbles. It's a visual page of notes, diagrams, arrows, question marks, underlinings, etc. The ideas keep coming after I've started so I jot them down for later use, or not. Nothing's wasted.

Think of this as a creative store cupboard. Writing a story's like following a basic recipe and embellishing it as you go along, adding a host of unique and exciting ingredients to make it the tastiest it can be!

Claudia

Think of this as a creative store cupboard. Writing a story's like following a basic recipe and embellishing it as you go along, adding a host of unique and exciting ingredients to make it the tastiest it can be!

Love that analogy, TN.

ana s

I don't plan. I write the scenes that interest me and that I can picture strongly. The links appear later. It's inefficient and wasteful and a lot gets cut. All the cuts go into a file called spare bits just in case I need them again. On the hoof ideas are in a notebook or on random scraps of paper. I used to worry that it wouldn't work but so far it always has, and planning kills my motivation. Like you I like the surprise of the unfolding and there's a lovely mysterious moment when everything starts to gel.

As long as you have ideas that excite you I'd trust to your own creativity to bring it all together.

Jen

I often have complete brainstorms before tackling a new book. I write down a web of ideas with strands and links... and isolated thoughts in their own bubbles. It's a visual page of notes, diagrams, arrows, question marks, underlinings, etc. The ideas keep coming after I've started so I jot them down for later use, or not. Nothing's wasted.

Think of this as a creative store cupboard. Writing a story's like following a basic recipe and embellishing it as you go along, adding a host of unique and exciting ingredients to make it the tastiest it can be!

I like the brainstorm idea I've done this to think of ideas for stories but never for a plan. This sounds very creative. I'll have to try it one day, makes putting down a lot of ideas in one place more organised

the.writer

I think there are plus and minus for each approaches and that it is probably best to try whichever you are most productive and enthused by and see how that goes when you come to editing the first draft.

Such great advice from a procrastinator like me. Personally I love planning and brainstorming so much that by the time I get to filling out the story, I've become bored with it and look for the next idea to plan etc.

So sorry for not being much help.
Kevin

datco2014

Each to their own. The only right answer is what works for you - so many different websites and so much twaddle - you'll find your own way and once you do don't let anyone change it.

stuartlennon

Hi Jen. Sum of zero experience, but I am writing and I don't plan. With words on a page, you may have a big editing job, but rather that than a blank page.

Patricia Lesley

I agree with Datco. Do your own thing. If nothing comes to mind, immediately, a list of questions about the theme gets results.
i.e. 'Spring'
a) Where?
b) When?
c) Why? etc.

Jen

Thanks. I thought I'd start planning but I'm finishing a novel for the first time outisde Nanowrimo and I was stuck and today I have ideas for scenes and how I'm going to get to the end. (Writing a novel until the end finally sticking to one and I'm learning how my process works not trying to make something work). So not planning is fine, but I love the brainstorm idea as I can get all my ideas on one page and not fill a notebook and loose them.
So thanks again for that tip, I'll be using that and I don't understand how I didn't think of it.

Dwight

Yes, I like Nell's brainstorming idea too.
I used to think I didn't suffer from writer's block, then I discovered I did. My way round it is to do short-term planning: to get through the coming scene, I write down what will happen next, then what follows, step by step, even with bits of dialogue the characters will use to show me the flavour. To truly avoid WB, though, I have to persevere to the end of the scene or chapter, to reach the cliff-hanger. With such simple steps it's easy to carry on writing. You would think this would produce a stultified story, but it turns out to be nicely visual and dramatic.
Datco would be proud of me about this because I'm doing what works for me.

Johnnywriter

I like writing without a plan.

If I get an idea I just crash in and start writing. This usually ends up with one of three outcomes:

1. I get about 2,000 words in and I have to admit to myself that it's utter drivel and I stop. I actually have a folder on my computer named 'drivel' where I keep such stuff - just in case.

2. I end up liking the idea, start researching things and end up on a wild internet journey of wonder and procrastination until it's completely unlike the idea I started. These usually end up in the folder titled 'drivel' but sometimes turn into a finished article.

3. I love the idea, continue to write, then mould my story from the chaos in a rewrite.

I'm happy with any of the three outcomes, I just enjoy writing.

Jen

I have to start with an idea

Nena

Jen, I'm coming to this late, but I'm not a planner either and I've found that the Scrivener programme is a godsend. You can write your novel, chop it up, rearrange it however you like and more without any cutting and pasting. It has a 'noticeboard' where you can make notes for what you think you might do in chapters ahead or brainstorm ideas. You can also bring in your research and have it there with the chapters instead of having to open other files. It's just wonderful...and I'm sure there's a lot more to it that I haven't learned yet. It will cost you, but it's not hugely expensive and there is a free version to download as a trial if you want to try it first.

Seaview

I've come to this late also, Jen.

I have spent years researching how to write a novel, but have never managed to get anything down on paper - not a word - so I supect I might be more of a control freak than I thought and will have to have a plan, or at the very least some sort of map. Or else I'll stick to short stories or flash, although I sometimes write a few lines as markers when embarking on one of those.

A novelist friend in the US did NaNoWriMo a couple of times: once without a plan and the second time with one. He said the difference was in the amount of drivel he had to cut afterwards to get any semblance of a WIP, just because of the ludicrous storylines he came up with on the hop.

To be honest, most of my planning is done in my head around 3am when I can't sleep.

Noodlehendon

Just to add a few thoughts. Am just finishing first novel. I planned the first
30 chapters and that was fine but then I got to 30 and hit a brick wall....for four months! Really struggled then got moving til Chapter 40 ... blocked again. Decided to write last chapter and work backwards to where I was blocked. That worked, amazingly, and am now editing. But lessons have been learned. I will plan the whole thing next time... but it won't be sacrosanct, it can evolve.

goldstick

For my first five books I had no plan, just a vague idea of what I wanted to include. Then I invented the characters and let them direct the story.
Then I saw an advert for a competition but they wanted a synopsis. I wrote one and sent it off and then started to write the book. As I wrote the characters changed the story. I'm not sure where my copy of the synopsis is but, who cares, the characters know much more that I do about where we are going!

Jen

Thanks for the info: I have Scrivener and have won nanowrino twice and this year campnaowrimo
I'm learning more about my writing process as i write