NaNoWriMo and Me 3: Plots and Plans

When it comes to NaNoWriMo, and really when it comes to writing novels in general, there are varying philosophies on how and how much to plan out. Typically, NaNoWriMo has had two categories or classifications for writers based on planning.


Planners are the people who go into November with a detailed outline and a good idea of how they're getting from point A to point B. they have the shape of the story and just need to write it down.


Pantsers are the people who go into November blind, with no plans or idea what they are going to write at the beginning of the month. They are flying by the seat of their pants, as it were.


This year, NaNoWriMo has acknowledged a third category, the in between that it calls Plansters. This is, I think, where I fall.


I've tried a lot of different strategies over the years, to finally settle upon the method that works best for me. I don't claim that this is the best method for everyone, but it's best for me.


My Problem with Pantsing
I've tried to fly by the seat of my pants, with little to no planning at the beginning of the month. With this, I've had a few issues. First off, I don't know if my idea will actually go anywhere. Without a plan, I have a bad habit of going and then realizing that I've hit a dead end with nowhere to go. The other main issue I've had is just that without a plan a lot of what I write just isn't very good. Events don't flow together will. Things aren't connected in logical ways. It just doesn't work as well as I'd like.


My Problem with Planning
For me, a lot of the fun of writing comes with the discovery and invention of new plotlines/characters/settings. To some degree, I like thinking through ideas more than I like actually writing them. If I have a vast, complex, detailed outline, then I've discovered most, if not all there is to discover. Sometimes, when I've done this, I end up taking the story off the outline partway through, thereby discovering new things. But, if I find that here is nothing for me to discover or invent, I tend to lose a lot of steam and get bored fast.


The following are the steps that I generally go through when planning a novel. They aren't hard and fast rules, and oftentimes I'll be adjusting previous steps during later ones.


Step 1: Have an Idea
This can be both the easiest and most difficult step of the whole process. On the one hand, an idea is simple. It's little more than a concept. It doesn't need to have fully fleshed out characters or plotlines. Just a "wouldn't it be cool if there were a story about X?" Seems easy enough, but I've found that the times I try to brainstorm for an idea, I come up blank. It's when I have an idea and am trying to write that I end up getting a million ideas and being tempted to jump ship.


Step 2: Come Up with Your Main Character
You don't need to have a name at this point, but you should have some thoughts on the character's defining traits. What do they do for a living? What are some aspects of their personality? What is something they want?


Compelling characters are characters who want something. If your main character doesn't want anything, then there's nothing for the audience to root for. Their wants might change throughout the story, but they should always want something.


Step 3: Decide on a Beginning
Where does your story start? What is your main character up to? Whatever the central plot of your story is, what's it's condition at the beginning of the story?


Step 4: Decide on an Ending
Where do you want your story to end? Does your protagonist get what they want? How is the main plot of the story resolved?


Step 5: Make Supporting Characters
At this point, it's good to come up with some of the other people who will show up in the story. Who are the main character's closest friends and/or allies? Who are the antagonists? Is there anyone else who plays a major role in the story?


Step 6: Major Plot Points
After this, it's usually good to plan a few of the major events to take the story from the beginning to the end. I don't like to plan all the events of the story, and even those I do plan I try to only have a brief description of for planning purposes. Too much planning here can lead to future boredom.


Sometimes, in planning the major plot points, new characters might come into the picture. It is fine to go back and add, delete, or change the characters from Step 5.


After the six steps, you should have a decent outline and a good foundation to start from for writing.


If you've missed the previous two parts of my NaNoWriMo series, you can check them out here:


Pros and Cons


My History