How Do You Plan?

I was wondering about the methods other writers use to plan and the amount of time that's spent on planning. I personally like to spend a long time on plans and plan in masses of detail, but how about you?

Do you prioritise plot over characters, characters over plot? Do you do separate plans for backstories? Do you like to throw random ideas on a page, do a mind map, sketch a brief outline or have you got some other planning method that works for you? Do you prefer not to plan and just go with the flow?

Also, if you've found a really good planning method, post it here and share it with everyone!

I create a scene where I sometimes draw the characters and write everything about them. With this I can make the story revolve around them as I go with the flow.

*Has been waiting for a question like this for ages*

I am the type of writer who doesn't plan anything, I haven a vague plotpline in mind and whose I go. And of course, a few characters too. I would really
Ike to say that this approach works well, but it doesn't. So here is my piece of advice, flesh out a plot line before writing. You don't have to know absolutely everything, but a few main points and enough motivation to keep your characters going that way. You also need strong characters who knows what they are doing, otherwise I can guarantee your story will wheeze its last breath within the first five chapters.

I have also tried the opposite way, I planned and ruminated a story for six months and when I actually got round to writing it. I was so sick of the idea, I just labelled it waste and tossed it into the mountain of other wasted ideas. So don't overlplanned, too much planning can kill the joy of writing the story. Sometimes, is not a bad thing to let your ideas and characters run wild for a bit.

For me personally, I find drawing diagrams help a lot because I tend to have two different worlds in my stories. Tree diagrams help a lot to plan them out, far more effective than pure writing, easier on the eyes too. I usually plan out the setting, the beginning, the major events and sometimes, the end. I usually spend quite a while on characters because my characters needs a long period of time to develop. so on average, depending on the idea. I spend around a fortnight in the first stage-ruminating and figuring everything out. Then I move onto the second stage, so basically fine-tuning everything before writing.


I do shorts for character backgrounds too, since I find writing shorts revealed surprising things about them. Is a good way to get a feel of the character in action too.

First of all I would check out this thread! It has a lot of in depth stuff. Some of this you can ignore, but I found challenge fourteen (I think) very helpful! It is the one with the plot holes questionnaire.

I used that method to plan for part of my novel, Typo Alley, but I have a few other things to say about planning. Just so you know there are many methods to planning such as using a spiral notebook or using sticky notes or using a specific app, but you can figure that out for yourself. Now here are a few foundational things to know.
Your world building should be divided into Characters, Plot and Setting. Characters are obviously the most important key to the novel, but you don't necessarily want to start with them if you want a logical world. I personally start with world building or setting because I write fantasy so that is very important.

Setting: is pretty much the stage where you determine where the story is going to take place. This is important to have because if you are writing a story, say in India, you are going to need to figure out the culture and the clothing, the common religions, the dialects/languages, etc. etc.

Plot: is what I porbably will do next, though this is up to you. Personally I like to define all the different aspects of the world and why the characters are there/what they are doing before actually creating the world itself, though that is for you to decide.

Characters: are the last thing that I move on to. If you have any idea for a character and you go from there, that is fine, but I find it hard to get going. Once you get your plot outline made and move on to the characters. You will probably have to go back and rework your outline, but it's just like a first draft. The important thing is to get it on paper!

That is about all I have to say. I could go into more detail, but the link I sent you has an awful lot of stuff in it! have fun planning!

I just create a very vague outline for each chapter and make sure to write down the main events of said chapter. The rest just kind of flows... Of course, I believe this method is one of the causes of the plot holes I have. :p

I'm very much a non-planner. The more I plan, I've found, the less likely it is that I'm actually going to write anything. I have vague ideas in my head for where I want to end up, of course, but generally I just go where the story and the characters take me. Plot holes and loose threads can always be fixed up later, after all. Planning tends to block my creativity and leads to me having no idea how to begin (ironically enough), whereas if I just keep it instinctual writers' block isn't such a massive problem. To each their own, though. I mean, I can't stand character templates, whilst some people swear by them, for example. The way I see it is that your first draft doesn't really matter all that much - it's almost like a massive plan - you can always go back and fix things and rework stuff to flesh out characters and make things seem more believable, etc etc. Editing is your friend.

I usually don't do a lot of planning. I also usually don't end up finishing what I start... But for the most part, I just can't work that way. When I find a story that works for me-that I'm excited about and have several ideas for, no matter how vague-it can usually flow and unfold for me with just a little bit of planning. I usually let an idea float around in my head for a while until enough of it has formed that I feel confident that I won't get stumped after the first chapter or have some general ideas for the whole thing. My dad is the type that has to chart and write out everything before he starts, and he suggested this to me, but I, for the most part, cannot do that. My ideas tend to come as I write. Sometimes it's almost like the plot reveals itself to me as a reward the farther I get. However, with my most recent story, I've gotten pretty stumped. I know how to start it and how I want it to end, but I'm having to do a lot of planning for the events middle, which I don't like doing.

If I have ideas that I want to make sure stick with me until I get to the part of writing them, I usually will write them down or do a brief overview of what the chapter will entail. I also like to do character bios and sometimes draw them.

@Flite, I think what you said about doing shorts for character backgrounds is an awesome idea! Never really thought about doing that. What a great way to dig deeper into your characters, their pasts and the relationships they have with the people in their lives.

I really don't plan much. Sometimes I write a mental biography of my characters and a history of their home but other than that, I rarely plan anything out. My muse tends to mug me randomly with good ideas in the middle of the night and then disappear.