Should I plan a novel or should I just start writing?

How and When to Outline Your Novel - Blue Pencil Agency

The rough frame is only a guide. But if you just go ahead and write without any outline, it's easy to get lost in story dead ends or find ...

When should I start plotting my novel? - Scene One

If you're a pantser (i.e., you write by the seat of your pants and don't plan), you might not start plotting your novel until you're already ...

How to Start Writing a Novel: Get Inspired and Get Going | Aliventures

Three months should be enough to get your characters and plot pinned down (see above) and to arrange life so you've got some regular writing ...

Should new writers start with short stories before writing a novel?

If you're ready for that novel, by all means get started. You will learn a lot about fiction, much of which can only come from writing a novel.

Should You Start With Plot or Character(s)? - Writer's Digest

After several books I've found that, although there are guidelines to writing, there are no hard and fast rules. That's why the best authors ...

I'm Writing a Novel. Why Should I Bother with an Outline?

But what happens from there? This is where pantsers (people who write without planning) will argue for letting scenes unfold, enjoying the magic as it flows ...

How to Start Writing a Novel, Once You Have an Idea for the Story

Sometimes I pick it up and just start writing a scene, even if that scene will end up somewhere toward the middle or end of the novel. The idea is to capture it ...

The Snowflake Method For Designing A Novel

Good fiction doesn't just happen, it is designed. You can do the design work before or after you write your novel. I've done it both ways and I strongly believe ...

How to Start Your Novel | The Center for Fiction

Some writers can do this from word one, simply find their way sentence by sentence. I find it best to have a kind of support system that I kick away. It hardly ...

Writing a crime novel – should you plan or go with the flow?

Being either a planner or a pantser won't determine whether you sell lots of books. A story that makes sense – one that reads as if you had ...

Writing a Novel Without an Outline with Tess Gerritsen | The Blog

You're not alone. While outlining can be a good exercise, and a rough outline can make the blank page a little less daunting, many writers dive ...

I Have An Idea for a Novel! Now What? - Fiction University

If you can't do it in two, that's a red flag you're not yet sure about the story, or the idea might be too complicated. Take some time to figure out what the ...

Why Is It Important To Outline Your Novel? | Rosie O'Neill

Depending on how you plan, you can factor in plenty of flexibility and freedom along the way. Having a certain scene listed in your plan as your ...

Should you write a scene outline for your novel? - Protagonist Crafts

What you can also do it proceed writing your story one scene at a time, as in, only plan what's right in front of you and decide on what follows ...

Writing a Novel: Should You Outline First? - Accomplish Press

I think it helps to plan for what your characters will be doing, and where your story will be going once you begin. Think of outlining like ...

How to write a novel - Nathan Bransford

Don't write about what you think you should write about, and don't chase trends. Instead, pick that idea that you just can't shake, even if it seems a little ...

Start It Already: How to Start Your Novel | NY Book Editors

Just start writing. You may even start with the boring days if that helps you learn more about your character(s) and the world of your story. However, you ...

How to plot a novel | Your first draft checklist

All writers need to find their own way (we all think differently, so it stands to reason that we write differently too), but most writers ...

How To Write The First Draft Of Your Novel | The Creative Penn

(1) Schedule time blocks for writing – and ONLY write in that time · (2) Find a location that will help you create · (3) Use timed writing sessions · (4) Write in ...

What every writer should know before writing a first novel - Lisa Poisso

So start treating your time that way. Don't get around to writing when the inspiration strikes; show up for yourself regularly and give yourself ...