Pantser, Plantser or Plotter? Previously, I was staunchly pantser, but returning to the writing game after 4 years has proven just how much I've changed in that time. For the first time I fully outlined my novel: characters and their arcs, detailed worldbuilding, and plots with subplots. I stumbled through the process, learning as I went, and it was the best thing I've ever done.
I'm not an expert, this is not a step-by-step guide, all writers work differently and this may not be the best option for you. Now that we have the standard disclaimers out of the way, what I am going to delve into here is my experience of the outlining process, what I found helpful, what I found restrictive, and tips I'd recommend to other writers wanting to give the plotter-life a try. Don't worry, I won’t bore you with every personal decision or moment of my learning, I'll just show the highlights reel.
Elements I’ll be discussing: Character profiles, Character Arcs, Worldbuilding, Basic Story Map/Significant Plot Points, Detailed Timeline/Chapter-by-Chapter Outline
Benefits of Outlining your Novel
Okay, so one thing I’ve learned about having a complete outline for your novel before beginning the writing process is that it makes writing the first draft quite a bit easier. In the past, I've found myself staring at a blank scene, trying to figure out where it was going and why. I struggled with pacing and overarching goals since I would start something in one chapter, and ten chapters later I would have forgotten that I even mentioned it.
With my goals and objectives outlined in a map, and detailed chapter outlines, I've been able to soldier through over 75K words in just over two months. I've been able to track, plan and comprehend multiple plot lines and character arcs easily. This means I've also been able to add some foreshadowing and subtle nods toward the climax of both book 1 and also the trilogy as a whole.
Thanks to this, I've noticed now, even before finishing up my first draft, that it’s going to be much cleaner and require less editing than if I had bypassed the pre-writing process. My characters are fairly defined, my plot has distinct structure with (hopefully) little holes, and my world and descriptions are thought-out and well-rounded.
I’m not saying any of these things are perfect, or that they’re unchangeable in editing. That's absolutely not the case and I'm sure the entire thing will take lengthy and intense editing in multiple rounds. BUT, there will be less to completely overhaul and hopefully little rewrites compared to an unplanned work to get it to the same quality.
Limitations of Outlining your Novel
One big question for people who outline their novels is when to follow the outline and when to divert. While I found writing my first draft with an outline easier and of better quality, I'm not afraid to admit the process did lack the kind of discovery and excitement of seeing how the story unfolds as it’s written.
And outline is just that, and it can always be changed and altered if the inspiration should strike.
Personally, I didn’t experience any moments of discovery or imagination that lured me to wander from my outline. However, I did spend quite a bit of time brainstorming before defining the outline which is probably where I had those lightbulb moments.
I did, however, manage to forget to include a few key scenes in my outline, meaning they didn’t make it into my first draft. I will have to go back during editing and figure out where they should slot into the story.
Linked to this, I think using an outline is good for the first draft, but there’s a desperate need to revise and critically scrutinise this outline for revisions. I found that the outline, once written, seemed to solidify in my mind, making it hard to be open-minded to the benefits and stakes that could be achieved if scenes/chapters were re-arranged. As long as one is mindful of this, I think it’s only a slight nuisance.
Tips for Outlining your Novel
Firstly, know what you’re doing. Check out some blogs about writing, story structure and character arcs. I had no idea what I was doing. I found an amazing resource, if you’re willing to pay a little money, called One Stop for Writers, which provides templates and resources for planning your novel. It is my saviour.
Secondly, even if you’re a pantser, I suggest giving outlining a go at least once. You may find that it’s tedious and doesn’t help you in your own process, but you also might find what I found, a safety blanket and roadmap to success.
Finally, your outlines can be as detailed or as vague as you want. If you prefer having every single scene outlined in 10’000 words, do that. If you still want to enjoy the excitement of discovery writing you can have dot points explaining the ideas, conflicts and/or interactions you want in each section of your work. Personally, I sat somewhere in between. I outlined the scenes I wanted for each chapter, but left the circumstances (setting, characters, conflict, etc.) out so I could assess the flow as I went and make the most logical decisions.
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