Should I be planning my Novella or Novel?
Whether you're a pantser or a planner, the world of fiction has been at polarised opposites with some people swearing by the non-planning process, but here's why planning can be useful.
PLANNING
2 min read
Pantser Versus Plotter
The world of fiction seems to be divided by people who believe that the craft cannot be taught, and those who believe strongly that it can be. There are some who seem able to wing it, make something out of the chaos and who believe you can just muddle along, that characters will naturally take you places, that a plot will fall into your lap, that you'll know all the right things to say, and even those who say, 'I didn't need to edit it.' That's a lot of luck, ifs and maybes.
I agree that its freeing to explore a world, don't get me wrong, but it has its limitations. It's fun, but there are also difficult times when there is no road map. No compass, just a ticket to roam wherever you please. It sounds great, but after a time you can get lost, go down roads that lead to no where in particular and follow your own tail. After a while, you might just wish you had that road map.
If you've never written a novel before, or if like me you've got lots of unfinished projects which you keep revisiting, but seem to be stuck with how to proceed, planning can give you a road map.
If you get writer's block and can't move beyond a point in your story, whether its because you've reached the half to three-quarters mark and are losing the will to keep going, or if there's just a difficult decision you need to make for the characters or for the resolution of the novel, planning can give you a much needed sense of motivation, direction and affirmation.
So whether you are a pantser or a plotter, give a little time to planning. Try it. What have you to lose? There are so many great ways to plan and there will be one that will work for you. Not only does it give you a new perspective of the whole world you've created, it helps you to gauge where your plot is the strongest, what you need to work on, and ultimately, what will make it a more engaging piece for your readers. There's only so many times you can re-read or re-edit your past work and only so many times you can stare at a blank page for inspiration.