Finch > Status Update

I usually just do one big brain dump, then start writing, and as I get farther along and have a better idea of what I want the story to be, and how it would work best with my characters and world building, I do a loose chapter by chapter outline

I start with a small idea and gradually add more details---anything and everything that I can think of. Then, I start forming more concrete information, like the world, the names, the characters, the general plot, etc. After that, I use Save the Cat! for my plot structure, flesh out some more details, and start writing! I copy and paste my ideas for every chapter from my planning document into the official story document.

Both (though it depends on the book) - start with a brain dump, then organize. Usually I don't thoroughly plot out everything that happens in the chapters; I plot the big stuff and leave wiggle room.

(With my current WIP, I have major events laid out, but I'm planning smaller things one month (in story time) at a time. I print off a calendar of the month (currently I'm in December 1967) and note everything that Battalion records mentioned on which days it happened - then I figure out which days to put scenes that I've come up with. Inevitably I add stuff that wasn't there to begin with, which is why I keep my plot loose. Does that make any sense lol 🤪)

Ah okay yeah! I pretty much to the same thing as Noelle. Sticking to a very specific plot structure (such as Save the Cat!) often causes me burnout, though I try to keep as close to it as possible regardless of if I use it or not. I try to stay loose with plotting and stuff and just write what feels right. Oftentimes this leads to rabbit wholes and spiels but it’s easy enough to reign in and keep with my goal.

I don’t…typically plot 😂 I have an idea then I just start writing 🤷‍♀️

I normally come out with an idea and just start writing, but if I have an idea for something later on I write it. For example I’ve already written the last chapter and epilogue of my book.

I go for the brain dump first, just get as much thoughts with no organization into a document, and add to it day by day, letting the idea stew, then I go through the document and keep what works and delete what doesn’t (though not permanently, I just transfer the filtered thoughts into a new doc) and I then take those notes and use a wall and visually plot out the book with sticky notes, adding in the missing pieces from the brain dump. Idk if that made sense, it’s a chaotic process XD

Both 😂

Neither XD. I write a vague blurb like one that's on the back of the book and write from there. I like the creativity it gets me, and I don't ever feel pressured or confused lol.

I go chapter by chapter but out of order.....yes it sounds weird but it lets me get those big main ideas on paper before I forget them, and then I go back and fill in those gaps

I like to do a rough outline and fill in the beginning, end, and middle with a summary of each part, but I don't go chapter by chapter because then if I get a new idea to add it is reallllyyyy hard to fit that into the outline I already have. It kinda stunts the creativity if you outline too much.

A detailed (or sometimes vague) bullet point outline for a few chapters at a time before writing them. Most often that's how I do it.

Normally, I just go off of my sort of detailed summary of my novel. If I'm stuck, I will plot out the chapter/ brain dump ideas.

I find if my outline is super rigid it doesn’t allow me to make a creative pivot when it feels right. So I plot out major events, as well as the climax and conclusion, then from there I made a mind map of everything that is the essence of the story- theme, faith, and love. After that, I just let the story shape itself, and write towards major plot points, giving me the freedom to change the timeline or add more if needed.

First do big brain dump, then organize thoughts, thennnn plan each chapter, then plan each character type, then write

Usually I start with a smaller idea/idea for a few of the characters, then start adding more details over time until I have a "brain dump"/some character profiles where I figure out each character's part in the plot/personality/what they do in the book, then organize it into a three-part outline, then organize that three-part outline into a chapter-by-chapter outline 😅

Explauren wrote: "I normally come out with an idea and just start writing, but if I have an idea for something later on I write it. For example I’ve already written the last chapter and epilogue of my book."

Oh I do that too!!