StarDestroyer.Net BBS

How do you prefer write a story?

Do you like to plan it all in advance with both a plot and chapter outline?

Or do you just wing it? Making it up as you go along with just a general plot in your head?

This question came to me while I was planning a story I'm about to start writing. I'm doing the whole works: plot brainstorming, character brainstorming, personal tech guide, chapter outline, and some other things. But this is just how I prefer to write. This just helps me to keep the story consistant.

I've also seen some great stories done the other way. Personally, I'm horrible at this.

So, how about you?

I'm especially interested in how the more successful writers on this board write.

Edit: I can't fix that spelling error in the poll. Could a mod do it for me?

With prepositions, definitely.

Fixed...and I tend to wing it.

I tend to do both. I have an outline for the entire store and some of the chapters have an outline. But mostly I just wing it on chapters that are between major events on the main story outline.

I have a basic outline of plot points, how I want it to start and finish; I have characters that start out certain ways and that I want to end up certain ways.

Otherwise, it writes itself accordingly; even the basic outline is fluid, though. If I get into it and something else hits me that will work, it goes in.

So, both

I outline the general plot in my head, but work the details as they come to me.

Both.

I start out with the general idea: who, what, why, where (or when). Then i develop the characters until i can get a cradle to the grave view of these people.

I figure out how it will end, and write a start, and then everything in between i make up as i go along, heading towards the ending for each book or story, and eventually the series itself.

It's actually a kinda' quick and easy way to do it, for me anyway.

A little of both, I know how I want the story to flow, how does it lead to some key scenes that are previously worked out, and then I let the story write itself. If I ever manage to finish it, then come the revision phase, that may include major rewritings.

I once tried outlining a story in its entirety, having all characters prefectly fleshed out, but since this way the story was basically written, I lost interestm didn't want to write the in-betweens and fillers. So nowadays, I only use a very basic roadmap, with outlining only for the current chapter I'm engaged in. (This way it has the added benefit of letting one's inspiration come naturally as one writes.)

Bit of both for me.
Generally I make it up as i go along but sometimes i'll have and idea where the next couple of chapter of going to go.

Take my fanfic for example (link in sig) I just made up the prologue and 1st chapter as i went along but i now know what i'm goint to in Chapters 2&3.

Why isn't "Drunk" one of the options in this poll?

I plan things out in detail, then as I am writing I have a change of heart and start altering my plans. Quite often, somewhere along the line, I even change my mind about things I've already writen and begin a process of rewriting... by doing so I succeed in mangling my work so badly that it becomes unsalvageable and I then disgard it out of frustration. The above happens all too often.

I like to have a plot outline. That ensures there no confusion or continuty errors

I try to do a really light outline. Too deep and I start trying to actually write down actual lines of the story and it gets too messy. And the rest of the way I make it up as I go.

I've (often) tried to screw plot and just wing it. The result was ... unpleasant.

A bit of both. Sometimes I make up the end that I want and keep it in mind and try to make the beginning meet the end somehow. Outlines are helpful in some situations, though.

A bit from side A, and a bit from side B...with a medium helping of RedImp's suggestion.

Usually I have the end and the start fleshed but the middle is a grand mystery until several edits later.

Ghost Rider wrote:A bit from side A, and a bit from side B...with a medium helping of RedImp's suggestion.

Usually I have the end and the start fleshed but the middle is a grand mystery until several edits later.

Heh.. sounds exactly like me, except sometimes it's the middle that I have ready to go and the start and end that I have to figure out...

There's a general plot, a very general plot. I tend to write it as it goes along, there are certain events I want to put in like a space war and a ground war and other stuff, but the bulk of the things is not pre-planned, the story writes itself but I stick to the general plot so nothing shitty will happen.

Usualy I dont write down the plot outline on paper. I like to keep it in my head and work from there.