Do You Plan? - Comments

This reminds me of that quote by by George R.R. Martin:

“I think there are two types of writers, the architects and the gardeners. The architects plan everything ahead of time, like an architect building a house. They know how many rooms are going to be in the house, what kind of roof they're going to have, where the wires are going to run, what kind of plumbing there's going to be. They have the whole thing designed and blueprinted out before they even nail the first board up. The gardeners dig a hole, drop in a seed and water it. They kind of know what seed it is, they know if planted a fantasy seed or mystery seed or whatever. But as the plant comes up and they water it, they don't know how many branches it's going to have, they find out as it grows. And I'm much more a gardener than an architect.”

Like him I'm definitely a gardener and you sound like the architect type :)

It really depends for me, to be all honest. In December, I've started something and then ended it with 50k in 20 days - admittedly, some days I was sick and didn't go anywhere. Then at other times, I can't seem to get out 100 without planning every little detail.

Personally, I like planning better because it gives me overview of things and if I write important points down, there is no way I could forget them or misplace them. I can always flesh some details out later~! c:

When I write, I always tend to just have a 'vague idea' of what's going to happen. Like, I know the ending of this story that I'm writing and I know roughly how the main character is going to get there, but I have no idea of the specifics.

I've tried meticulously planning my stories in the past, and I've always found that planning stifles my creativity. I find it incredibly hard for my paragraphs to flow if they are planned right down to the last detail. I usually write my best material when I haven't planned what's going to happen - it just happens.

I plan occasionally, as well, but never too much. I am one of the "vague idea" writers. I plan basic outlines so I don't fall off the rails and go somewhere weird with the story, but I've found that putting too much thought into it stresses me out and makes me not want to write so I'm the "vague idea" writer and sometimes a total pantser. Though, when I start out as a pantser, it only lasts for a couple of chapters, then I get a good grasp on things and once again, get a vague idea and just try to link things as I go. I usually always know how I want my stories to end, though?

I plan occasionally. Sometimes I just wing it or have a very vague of idea of what I want to do. Sometimes I have to act out/speak the dialogue aloud to make sure it flows and sounds like something my character would say. For little things such as food, I'll name something I'm craving at the moment while I'm writing haha.

Yes, I actually do plan, and it helps A lot because if you made a detail, you can always change it before posting it. I do this a little too much though.

Usually and for the most part, my stories have been based off nightmares or dream I've had either its been months or weeks even years. I can remember them for the most part, but writing down the little scenes does help.

I plan kind of half ass plan, like I get the cast/characters going and give them things I can easily flow with and then half a plot. I like writing freely till it gets to a middle ground. Then that's when I list chapters and ideas for what I want to happen with them, sometimes that works or sometimes it makes me doubt my works.

So it's I either know what I'm doing or I kind of know what I'm doing, push it back till I actually need out everything.

I plan sometimes. Usually I know the ending of a story before I even begin, I just have to figure out how to get there. I just write down what I see and go from there. Usually when I plan, I make a sentence or so about each chapter; just the general overview of what will happen. Then I go back and add new chapters to the outline whenever I think up something new. I've been planning a lot for my Breakfast Club story, it seems. Like what's gonna happen in each chapter and who will be featured. Like I did an outline of six future chapters tonight, and I wrote almost 2 1/2 pages in my notebook. And I have chapters before those chapters planned out on a page in my notebook. Other than that, I usually wing it.

I'm personally not very keen about detailed planning. I usually have a jist of what I want to happen in the first few chapters and overall plot (maybe other random scenes here and there too), and then I take it from there. I feel like I might surprise myself with where the flow will take me as I write, so there's no need to plan detail by detail.

I don't. Usually when I decide to start a story, I only have a basic idea for the main characters and a basic plot. Usually I only have the beginning and possibly the end in mind. Everything in between I just wing. For me personally, I feel like a plan keeps me too contained. I feel like I have to stay in the box I've set with the plan and it makes me feel like I don't have creative freedom. So I just write without.

I've never planned. Even in school with essays, I would write the essay first and then throw up some quick "plan" later just to make my teachers happy. OwO Writing just comes naturally to me I suppose so I usually don't have a problem with writing without a plan. It works better for me than planning ever does.

I do the same as you I literally have to plan every single thing in my chapters and stories.

Most of the time I do because good ideas pop into my head randomly and I don't want to forget them. Also it's good to keep all your ideas organized because if you don't have the entire story planned out, I find it's easier to get writer's block. I always try to at least jot down the big events I have planned and general details and whatnot and then I flesh it out from there. I usually try to plan out the entire story and put a couple bullet points for each chapter in stickynotes on my desktop and I constantly refer to them whenever I write, haha. When I'm actually writing, though, I may stray a little from what I intended if it's the way the story's flowin', ya know? I don't keep it too rigid.

I kind of drift the line. I like to have a general idea of where I'd like a story to go, but I don't like to fill the gaps until I'm sitting ready to write. I don't know why, I guess I feel like there's something permanent about planning and I'll feel guilty if I change it (which I always do). Sometimes I like to plan certain parts, other parts I just have to let flow.

I don't like to plan. I've tried planning a story down to the last detail, and after about ten chapters, I got bored of the story and just didn't want to write it anymore. The outline that I wrote just hindered my writing, I think. While I don't like to plan, I do plan a little bit. Most of the time, I just have a vague idea of the plot and the characters and just write from those ideas. It's helped me better than outlining the entire story.

@ sindie synclayre
Haha my English class was having a disscussion today and for the most part I was completely paying attention like the good student I am while not secretly writing the scene down on the back of a paper I just got back.

I always have an old spiral notebook with me, and in that I plan every detail of my characters. I'll vaguely write down a story idea but other than that, I don't ever have any plans for my stories.

@ DarkHeartedAngel
I do the same thing. i actually do my best writing when ignoring somewhat acknowledging my teacher.

I'm one of those vague planners and go with the flow until I have a sudden scene that must be written at that exact minute even when the teacher is busying trying to teach something that I may or may not use in my future.

I hardly ever plan. I come up with a scene in my mind, think of potential plots that may or may not work and then just start writing. It works pretty well for me on most occasions.

i do the same thing you do.

I have brief ideas of how I want my characters to be, I plan chapter by chapter outlines but as for dialogue or specific moments I let that be written on the fly. I find that I'm funnier when I let things roll