Let me start this post by saying that I am no expert.
I have done no creative writing courses, attended no seminars, had no articles published on the subject, and have appeared at no writers' festivals. On top of all that, I have only just started this writing gig - although I have been scribbling since I was nine years old. I am, however, a voracious reader and I have what a Jungian psych might call an "active imagination". Both of those things help immeasurably when creating a whole new world you expect others to engage with and enjoy.
The purpose of this post is to give any aspiring writers - or existing writers perhaps looking to check or confirm their own methods - some tips based on what works for me. And that is a key point: what works for one author need not necessarily work for another. There is no 'one best way', in my opinion, but there are a lot of proven tips and tricks.
The most important tip I can give, right up front is buy a copy of On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King (available on Amazon here). It is an immensely helpful - and wonderfully written - guide for any aspiring writer. Read it, then read it again... and again. Use a pencil to make you own marginal notes in the book. Keep it with you always!
So, now that's out of the way, let's get into it. Today's post is about planning your novel. There are, to my mind, two main types of authors. First, there are those who plan every plot point (an event or scene) in detail, the narrative arc (the sequence in which the plot points occur) and every chapter. They spend more time planning than they do writing. Then there are those who fly almost entirely by the seat of their pants. I'm definitely a pants flyer.
As mentioned in a previous post, I spend time in working out the big 'what if' - King discusses this. It's the entire theme of the novel; what it's all about. I mean, if that isn’t a grabber to begin with, you might as well give the game away! I’ll then make initial notes on plot points, but in outline only, just to get me going. At this point I mostly end up with a list of questions that I will either resolve and use later or reject. I will discuss characterisation in a later post but, for now, I spend little time on this in planning - other than on my leading character (the protagonist) and, even then, it's a sketch only.
As I said, all this ‘gets me going'. It gives me the start point to open the laptop and start writing. That's my second big tip: Just write! If it's in you, and you have spent time thinking about it, and have made some key introductory notes, you’re ready to go. Start tapping the keys and let it come out. Don’t be scared to do that – as King says, “fear is at the root of most bad writing.”
Once I’m underway I make use of my notebook to jot ideas for further characterisation and plot points then I stick Post-it notes of plot points on the wall of my study. Those Post-its are my plan and it’s a living thing that changes as the story (and the characters) evolve. I do a notes and Post-its review every couple of days to make sure I’m on track and happy with the narrative direction.
See below (also a sneak peak at some Book 2 plot points!)
The last point I would make about planning is no plan is set in concrete. Whether you plan extensively, or plan-lite as I do, be prepared to test and adjust. You will know your plot points are missing something, or you have taken a wrong turn in the sequence, so when you get that sense don't be tempted to just push through. Review it, think about it and change it - no matter how big that change might need to be.
I hope this has been of some use. As always, feel free to comment below, and happy writing!
A.C.
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