How much pre-planning do you do?

[KillerMuffin]

WSO's Integrity and Pride thread got me thinking, about the whole writing process. We draft and revise. But what about the integrity and pride that goes into the creation of the first draft? Do you have the, oh how did she put it, pride in your own writing to carefully craft a story? Do you build a foundation or do you just throw up a bunch of words on a word processor page and wrestle with everything later? How much effort do you put into the vitals parts of a story or do you blow it off and just let the words flow?

I'm fairly certain that I'm in a minority of one here when I say, why yes, I do pre-plan my story. I sit down with a pencil and a piece of paper and sketch out plot, character, tone, setting, research that needs doing prior to writing, and various other odds and ends that go along with the skeleton I intend to put flesh on.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

You may be in a minority, but not alone. For me, there simply is no other way of writing. I spend obscene amounts of time carefully preparing the plot, making sure every detail is right where I want it. I write character bios, and most of time the information in there doesn't even appear. This leaves me free to concentrate on style alone, when I actually do sit down and write. The down side of this, is that if I decide to change something when I'm in the middle of the story, it often forces me to trash most of what's already done and replot it. But do I care terribly? No, not really...

 

[oggbashan]

Outline and Spontaneity

I don't outline as you do. I plan in my head with the major elements of the plot. Then I put that down in the word processor.

I write scenes in summary form, then expand each scene.

The dialogue comes from the interaction of the characters that I created at the summary stage.

Once I have a skeleton of the story and start to clothe it, everything I planned goes haywire because the characters come to life and insist on doing it their way. As the author I have no control from then on.

Then their interaction might tail off or die. Either the story is still born or I start re-planning because the characters have wrecked the original plan.

Seen from another's viewpoint my story writing is chaotic because of the furious episodes of writing punctuated by plot revisions. The end result has a beginning, a middle and an end. They probably aren't those I planned from the start. I design a horse and produce a caricature of a camel.

Og

 

[KillerMuffin]

I asked this question about a year ago or more and I was the only person around here who did it. I'm relieved to know I'm not anymore!

I don't generally have a problem with the characters taking over the story and making it unwritable. I do occasionally have problems with characters having bad chemistry together. I hate it when that happens because it means a total rewrite and I have to pick between the protagonist and antagonist.

I don't outline, but I do write synopsis. I write main plot events and what's supposed to be accomplished by these events. I'll define any subplots, but I generally don't plot them.

I do character bios, too. I also plan symbols, tone, certain images that I want to recur or to be particularly in your face. That sort of thing. I also plan what I want the reader to get out of it. What's the point.

I think that astute people can read through my Lit Library and pretty much pinpoint where I began pre-planning and where I quit just sitting down and writing. The jump in quality is amazing.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

I do character bios, too. I also plan symbols, tone, certain images that I want to recur or to be particularly in your face.

The story I'm currently working on (I may juggle with different ideas, but prefer to only write one at a time) was already down to its final quarter, and I decided to change the name of a character. That made think of an image that had the potential to transform the tone of the entire piece, in a way that I hadn't antecipated. As a result, the story that had spent the most time ever in planning was trashed and is now being completely rewritten to accomodate this recuring image. I mean, the main plot hasn't changed, but certain nuances in characters, certain scenes, subplots... And that was enough to make me want to rewrite it all.

 

[Alex De Kok]

I'm finding this thread very interesting and I'm beginning to think that I really must try a more organised approach to my writing. Until now, I've been of the 'get an idea and start writing it' school. I do have (most of) the concept in my head before I start, but the characters come to life (or not!) as I write. I really must try more pre-planning and see what come of it because, when I think back, one of my more successful stories, A Date for the Prom was planned in outline, and the major characters established, before I ever wrote a word. Mainly because I was writing the story for a specific audience within certain specified parameters. Generally I don't think I could plot in detail because my characters sometimes react differently to what I had originally planned.

Alex

 

[TrinaT]

I usually keep 2 files for a story. One file contains various character descriptions, potential conversations between characters, scene descriptions, plot changes, etc., or any other thoughts that may pop into my head that could work with the story or to be saved for others. The other file I use for the story itself. If I decide to change the original, I ended up with a third file for said story (I never trash anything that could potentially be used in the future).

My first 2 stories weren't as planned out at the third I'm currently working on, but I'm still learning the process and growing with each story. I appreciate the input of the seasoned authors here at Lit. I find some of their suggestions in various threads invaluable and I'd like to say thanks.

TrinaT

 

[Guest]

it's all there

AHHHHHH... KM, now we know why you do just one draft. You have done all the hard work before the first draft. As a professional writer I would be surprised if your first draft wasn't exceptional after all the background work.

I know the characters and the plot before I start writing for the most part. I have one story where the climactic sex scene just came to me (no pun intended) and then I had to flesh out the whole blasted story. That was very annoying. The characters had clear personalities and identites, but I had to get them to where they were. Sheesh.

For every other story, the story existed fully in my brain before I ever started to write. I love working out all the details. It is the actual writing that gets tedious sometimes.

b

 

[jfinn]

Usually I have all the characters and plot points already worked out long before I ever think of writing them down (I'm talking years in some cases). I juggle these ideas in my head and figure that if they're good I'll remember them and if not then it's better they died in my memory instead of coming back later to embarass me in my files.

But once I decide to pursue an idea, it all changes. I have a character sheet I got somewhere off the net that I use to flesh out descriptions, backgrounds, personal quirks, all of it. The thing is like six pages long so I don't use the whole form for everyone, just the main characters. The others I'll fill in what I feel like and leave the hard questions, ie. What was the person's earliest memory?

For short stories I'll usually write a "tell" story. A simple narrative of what's going to happen. For series, I do index cards for each chapter with a separate card for important scenes. This keeps me focused and on track. I also keep a "spares" file for series where I dump scenes that didn't fit, extra conversations and anything else I think of doing to put off actually writing the story.

I differ from a lot of you because basically by the time I'm ready to write I don't have a lot trouble with my characters arguing with me about what they want to do. I think this is because I take care of this first when I'm setting up the nature of their characters, so before I write I already know what they will or won't agree to.

Sometimes if I'm just fooling around, I'll start writing something out without first plotting. However I never write more than a page or two before deciding it's either trash, in which case I'll either save it if I think there's something there I might later use or delete if I don't. If though I decide the idea is worth pursuing then I'll stop writing and start to plot.

Periodically I'll go through my unfinished stories file and look at these one page wonders. It can be a lot of fun and once in a while a real surprise. A week or so ago I pulled up a story and even after reading it I have absolutely no memory of ever writing it even though it was only about four months ago. I even wondered if it was mine or someone had sent it to me, but there are elements in it that draw from my personal experience so it's mine alright. I guess I've finally gotten to the point where this obsession has started me writing in my sleep.

Jayne

 

[MathGirl]

Confession

I'm afraid I take a less organized approach than the good writers here. Writing erotica (really smut in my case) is a way for me to get away from the stilted, precise, totally factual scientific stuff that I read and write on a daily basis.

I don't have any desire to be a professional writer, so I approach it purely as a hobby. No outlines, plots, etc. If I took it more seriously, it would cease to be fun and I wouldn't do it.

The result of my casual approach shows up in the final product. My stuff really isn't very good. I write it, proof it, and submit it, and that's it. When I feel like it, I write something else. Most of my stories take about an hour to write.

As DurtGurl, of course, I take a ballistic approach to everything, and that's fun. I get in a crazy mood, and dash one of those stupid things off in about half an hour.

I seldom read things posted here, but I have read a few of KM's stories. She's talented, works at it, and her stories are very, very good. Probably the best on here.

My interests and talents are in an entirely different field, and this is a hobby for me, like golf and flying. That accounts for my usually flippant approach to something that others take very seriously. I don't want to be a pro golfer, and airline pilot, or a writer. I dabble in those things for enjoyment.

I really like this site, I never go anywhere else on the Net except technical sites, and I appreciate your all putting up with me.

Hug, Diane

 

[Pookie]

I do a very detailed outline of the plot and the characters. Sometimes I go as far as giving birthdates and other demographics to characters, even though I know I won't use them specifically. It helps me to get a good mental picture of the characters and the story I'm trying to tell. I had an outline for a story that was over 20 MS Word pages one time. It allowed me to write the first draft very easily though. The effort involved in the outline made for a higher quality first draft, and much easier to write.

My first drafts usually have major edits that need to be done, but the content is usually right on target for what I wanted. I rarely outline the sex scenes, except make notes about some plot twist that needs to occur with the characters as a result of the sex scene.

Pookie

 

[christo]

Just about everything I write comes to me in a rush. I get an idea, a sentence, an image, and I let me imagination go with it. I don't really pre-plan things like tone, symbols, things like that. It's all an organic whole, if I may use such a pretentious phrase.

After I'm just about done with the whole thing, or at least after I've put it all together in my head, then I might try to smooth out the overall tone, or make sure that the language is consistent. I'm weird in that I love rewriting and editing, but when I do that I'm usually trying to tighten things up, not add to it.

 

[Sabledrake]

Writing outlines and synopses ... ugh, that's my least favorite part of the entire writing process (not counting the agony of defeat with the rejection letters and all).

I generally begin with either a situation or a character, then find a character or a situation to fit. I don't often sit down and try to plan out a story in great detail beforehand. Broad strokes of the idea, and then I dive in and see where it goes.

It all depends on the project, too. I finished one recently in which I knew the basic premise (this was a horror novel) but only had the most fluid of notions which characters would even live until the end (this was a high body count horror novel <g>).

I do, however, generally spend a lot of time thinking. I can always tell when a story's not "ready." It has to simmer/gestate/pick-your-metaphor, and if I try to begin before that magical moment, I'm never pleased with the process or the results.

Sabledrake

 

[PenanceS]

I don't know. For me It all depend on what i'm writing. If there is material that needs to be looked at, say for when I was in College then take my time and revise.
But as for my stories, I tend to have most of it plotted out in my head with a "screenplay" going in in my head and i write what I "see."
Once the first draft is down, I go through and hone it so that everything looks right, and then submit

 

[deliciously_naughty]

For my short stories, I tend to just write when inspiration hits me.

However, for my novel, I have character bios, a synopsis and constantly evolving thoughts on how I can make the story more true to the era/culture in which it's written

 

[dr_mabeuse]

I don't understand your relief at finding that more people plan their stories, Muffin. What the hell differernce does it make as long as the results are good?


---dr.M.

 

[pop_54]

Nope no plans

No plans or drafts whatever, just an idea and a story unfolds as I go.

Like MG I write as a hobby for fun, I will never take it all too seriously, nor will I ever spend weeks over a story, I just don't have the time.

Grammar/spelling/layout, if Word spell check is happy with it that does for me.

I never studied English I never went to university so I'm affraid people have to take me and my stories as they come.

pops.............

 

[violent intimacy]

I write what I see in my head. It's almost like watching a movie and then trying to put it into words for someone who will never see that movie.

For me, I've found that trying to outline plots and characters often stifles the creative impulse that made me want to write the piece in the first place.

My friends keep wondering when I'll start hearing voices in my head to go with these movies.

 

[DurtGurl]

My moose

I find that getting good and drunk is the best way to summon my moose. An old family punch recipe which calls for one quart of cheap vodka and two quarts of Night Train fortified wine-like product works best.

DurtGurl (Muffie to you)

 

[Svenskaflicka]

I write down the idea, sort of like the kind of text you find on the backside of a book. That's usually it. I sit down at the computer, or lie down on my bed with a pad and an ink pencil, and let the words flow.

There are exceptions, ofcourse. Sometimes, when there's a story I really burn for, I write biographies of the characters, and I draw them, to get a better idea of what they're like. I can understand a character much better if I see him/her. All the effort I put down in creating The Squibs..!
(Not available on Literotica. Accessible only to Harry Potter-ophiles like myself, and only upon grovel.)

I'm currently working on the sequel to The Squibs. I'm up to my ears in illustrations..!


That reminds me - last year, for the Illustrated Stories category, I drew a couple having sex, and posted that with my story, as I don't want to show any pics of me and hubby on the internet. How would people feel about me posting pics drawn in Paint Shop Pro? Would that be acceptable? Or would you all send me hateful, anonymous mails telling me to stick to the Manga Playground?

 

[TheEarl]

I usually just try and let the words flow. When they stop it's usually the death of the story. Planning ahead seems to kill the flow for me.

But that's probably why I'm not very good at this.

The Earl

 

[KillerMuffin]

I don't understand your relief at finding that more people plan their stories, Muffin. What the hell differernce does it make as long as the results are good?


---dr.M.

Sometimes you feel like a freak, sometimes you don't.

In my case--though this sort of bragging is generally against my nature--the difference is that before, the results were good. After, the results were great. I cite the locally found Absolution for Gretta MacClain, a rape story that both arouses people and moves them to tears on a regular basis; though, no one has ever reported an orgasm from it.

Hey, MG, for my part, I don't think it matters if you pre-plot or not. Just as long as you and your readers are happy with the writing you're doing here, what does it matter?

 

[wildsweetone]

I don't pre plan. I am a heuristic writer.

I have played around with writing character descriptions, but they mostly turned out like 'shopping lists'. I much prefer writing small pieces of my character's life. They also are not planned and it's a far more interesting way of letting my characters tell me about themselves.

And I agree... we all may do the background stuff differently, but it's the end result that shows whether our writing works or not.

 

[MathGirl]

Let 'er rip

Hey, MG, for my part, I don't think it matters if you pre-plot or not. Just as long as you and your readers are happy with the writing you're doing here, what does it matter?

Dear Muffie,
Thank you for that. At first, I was hesitant because I knew what someone who is a real critic would do to my stories. Then I realized that that wasn't that kind of place. You can get criticism if you ask for it (I don't) but the critics mainly ignore you.

If I'm satisfied with something I've written, it makes me happy to see it in print. Along the way I've gathered quite a following of perv.... readers who seem to like my stuff. That makes it even better, but it's mainly for myself.
English Muffin

 

[Jonathon_Swiftly]

Sometimes it helps, but...

It seems like half the time I end up deviating from my plotted course anyway.

hmm, I need to get a picture over there on the left....