To plan or not to plan?

I’ve been trying to write my first book for a while now. I submitted a few chapters of it to the RNA New Writers scheme last August and the feedback told me that I should know my characters and to go back to the beginning and research them (even if certain details don’t end up in the book.) It also didn’t help that through panic, I rushed the writing process… a lot. 

This advice is something I have taken to heart and that is what I’m doing. However, there is a niggling thought that I should just be writing the book and that it’s not going to write itself. I’m also worried that I’m going to get too buried in facts. However, when I went back and wrote a summary, the words did seem to flow better when I had an idea of what I was writing about and aiming for. 

I ask published authors the question of whether they plan prior to starting a novel a lot as I am always interested in the answer. It varies from author to author. Some plan religiously where as some don’t. I read of one author who simply writes a few lines on a piece of card including character names and then sees where it leads. 

Although I want to just get on and write, planning does seem to help me focus better. 

What do you think? Should you plan when writing a novel or does planning hinder the spontaneity of the plot? 

by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.