Thread: Can a good story be planned from start to finish?

I've written a lot of stories over the years, but somehow the best ones decide what happens next in spite of my plans. I've heard that all authors plan their novels before they even start, but I've tried that and it never works out the way I thought it would. Eventually half way through a sentence or chapter nothing feels right if I keep doing it how I planned, so in the end my stories control themselves. Is this really such a bad thing? I have general ideas, but the individual events never progress the way I thought they would. Is this it really so terrible? Does this happen to anyone else or am I just crazy?

Originally Posted by Demonic_Angel

I've heard that all authors plan their novels before they even start

Your premise is based on a falsehood. Wherever you heard this, it's untrue. Some do, some don't.

Good. I just could never pull it off for some reason, and I'm glad I'm not the only crazy one :-P

I agree with Rob. Some writers outline and some don't. It might be mark of experience. Depending on where you are in your writing career, outlining may or may not make sense for you now, but that could change in the future. Over-outlining might stifle your creativity. My latest project was the first one I outlined from start to finish, and I found it very helpful. I plan to outline my next project as well. I planned 20 chapters of approximately 5K words each but only outlined 15, leaving room for unanticipated new chapters as the story evolved. I finished with 18 chapters and 90K words. Initially, my outline only had one sentence for each chapter - a goal for where the story had to be by the end of the chapter. Later I added notes like "Ch 12 - character A does XYZ." While the goal for the chapter was more or less locked in, I still felt I had the freedom to get there any way I wanted to. If I could not get to the goal for that chapter, that meant that I had to insert one of those new chapters that I had not planned on.

I for one am a spontaneous writer. I usually just write on what my muse develops as a story, then leave the editing for later. Sometimes, I do outline too, but I never really plan the novels meticulously, though many times I already have a certain ending in mind.

Sometimes I think I have an ending I want to do, but then it changes a few days later because I think of something more interesting. I guess I’m afraid that if I map it all out it will feel more like I “need” to write this than I “get” to write it. I just hope I can have fun with it and still make it fun to read. The beginning isn’t too fun for any writer, but I hope that readers will enjoy it now that I enjoy it as well. I just don’t want to lose that. On the other hand, I want it to still be well written and get it published. I hope I can have both without committing some crime against nature :-P

I think a lot of us 'semi plan' You have the idea, you imagine a few scenes and you try to make them happen. I like to semi plan, writing down scenes that are very important to the plot and then branching from there. I dont think any author really has everything come out exactly as planned. There's almost always something more... interesting, better, smoother to read than what you had before. And THAT'S what gets you off track, improvements. So no you're not committing a crime. It might have been a crime of you were too rigid... Ha.

I believe a plan is absolutely imperative. As the author you should know what will happen before you write it. I don't really see how a plot that makes sense, not to mention subplots and character development, can occur if you don't plan. However, you don't always have to stick to the plan. Often you will see new developments as you write, or change something. Still, a plan is important, whether it's a few dot points or an entire synopsis, you need one to write a 'good' novel/story.

I find I jot a few notes down and then sometimes that turns into a plan. But much like yourself Demonic_Angel I always find that something happens when I'm actually writing that turns it away from the plot outline that I've completed. I also find that sometimes comments others make on your work will also change the direction of the story.
I say go with your gut. In the end that's what tells you if you have a good story or not.

I guess everyone writes differently. What works for Aderyn might not work for me, but I don't think it makes me a bad writer.I can always go back and add foreshadowing or change facts if I really have to. I think another benefit from not getting too far ahead is it becomes less predictable if even I don't know, :-P Some people say it's childish not to plan that far ahead, but it's good to know that not everyone thinks that way.

I despise plans. Without failure, every single plan I've ever written has only ever managed to waste my time with constant rewrites of itself. Plus, I find that once a story has been planned, it only has a week max before it gets replaced by a new, unplanned story, that is unless I quickly toss the plan away or decide to ignore it. I prefer to just make the occasional note, and keep in mind a general idea or two where I think the story should lead. I think the argument that you end up with a shoddy plot without a plan is nonsense, I'm currently writing a satirical fantasy and everything is going swell.

It is nice to know I'm not alone on this. I could never plan and some writers looked down on me for it. Sort of makes them seem stuck up now that I think about it. And no, I'm not talking about anyone here.

Originally Posted by Aderyn

I don't really see how a plot that makes sense, not to mention subplots and character development, can occur if you don't plan.

It only has to make sense when you're finished.

Originally Posted by Aderyn

I believe a plan is absolutely imperative. As the author you should know what will happen before you write it. I don't really see how a plot that makes sense, not to mention subplots and character development, can occur if you don't plan. However, you don't always have to stick to the plan. Often you will see new developments as you write, or change something. Still, a plan is important, whether it's a few dot points or an entire synopsis, you need one to write a 'good' novel/story.

Lee Child, author of over a dozen best-selling thriller novels, has never planned in his life and he writes brilliant stories.

I've written ten and have never planned. The plot has always made sense. The characters have always been developed. The subplots have always tied together at the end. I hope that doesn't sound like I'm admonishing you, but it needs to be said that all authors do not need to plot. Some find (like me) a plot hampers their freedom and creativity. Personally, I find no joy writing a story where I know everything that will happen; no more than I'd find joy reading a book where I know everything that happens.

The greatest thrill for me is writing something that seems irrelevant in chapter ten and then, ninety chapters on, I write something else which perfectly explains that anomaly. It's amazing how many times that happens. Spur-of-the-moment writing is like that.

I think the biggest problem people have with not outlining is fear. Fear that it will all fall apart. Take it from someone who's done it time and again. It will not fall apart. Even if it does, you still have the power of editing.

Originally Posted by Demonic_Angel

I guess everyone writes differently. What works for Aderyn might not work for me, but I don't think it makes me a bad writer.I can always go back and add foreshadowing or change facts if I really have to. I think another benefit from not getting too far ahead is it becomes less predictable if even I don't know, :-P Some people say it's childish not to plan that far ahead, but it's good to know that not everyone thinks that way.

I completely agree with you! I consider planning to be an ongoing thing that doesn't actually stop until the novel itself is finished. When you say you go back and foreshadow or change facts if necessary, that's just as important as the original planning, and probably part of the planning process.

I think everyone plans, it just looks different. As I said, some people will write a complete synopsis, while others may just have a general idea in their mind. But I think all plans must change to some degree as you write, because is not until you begin writing that the characters and the places come alive and you begin to know them and see opportunities that you can never see with a plan. My plan, if you are interested generally always looks the same - some character and setting dot points, then a series of subheadingsmand further dot points for the plot, then heaps of messy writing all over with my additions or crossed out sections, the whole thing looks like a mess by the finish. But I have to write my ideas down or I forget them lol! Anyway, my main point here is thatnplanning never stops! You have to plan in a way that works for you and if it works for you it won't make you a "bad writer"