The newer you are to novel-writing, the more likely you’re going to need some kind of plan or road map. The more experienced you become as a writer, the more likely pantsing (which means writing without plotting and having no idea where you’re going) will work for you.
Don’t allow yourself to be put off by terms which have unpleasant school associations, such as “outline.” Most novelists who outline are not using the form of outlining they were taught in school. If you’re put off by the word outline, come up with your own term.
Through the course of your journey to develop as a writer, it’s good to experiment to find the processes that work for you. Most writers create their own system by adapting and combining elements from other writers’ processes. Plotting (outlining) and pantsing aren’t mutually exclusive and most writers use both at various stages of writing. Most writers continually search for their own personal balance between pantsing and plotting. There’s an infinite variety of combinations and you can find sometimes pretty idiosyncratic methods described on author websites and blogs.
Below are some of the most common approaches to planning:
Outlines
- Choosing the Best Outline Method (Writer’s Digest)
- 25 Ways to Plot, Plan, and Prep your Story (Terribleminds.com)
Storyboarding/Index Cards/Post-it Notes
- How to Storyboard Your Novel: Really Useful Links (Writing.ie)
- How to Outline a Novel Using the 60 Index Card Method (Margaret Dilloway)
Story/Series Bible
- How to Create a Story/Series Bible (Sarra Cannon)
Long Summary/Extended Outline
- Writing the Long Summary (Longridge Writers Group)
- Snowflake Method (Advanced Fiction Writing)
Fast Draft/Zero Draft/Discovery Draft
- Writing the Zero Draft of your Novel (Writing as a Second Career)
- Three Alternative Drafting Techniques for Fiction Writers (Well Storied)
- How to Write a First Draft in 30 days (The Guardian) (part of a longer, very detailed series based on First Draft in 30 Days (Writer’s Digest Books) by Karen Wiesner)
- Nanowrimo is predicated on the fast/sketchy/zero draft
Search the web with the terms above and you’ll find lots more on these techniques and processes, and you may discover sites that particularly resonate.
Updated January 10, 2022
Header Photo: Ithaca, NY, courtesy of Paul Joran
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