I am currently in the middle of my current work-in-progress — or what authors commonly call the sagging middle. I can’t speak for all authors, but I spend a great deal of time on the first chapter and then usually shoot through the first few fairly quickly. When I get to the end, I’ve already got it wrapped up in my mind and can’t write fast enough. But sometimes I’ll admit I slog through the middle. That’s when everything happens and both falling in love and the conflicts that keep my hero and heroine apart are rife.
Have you ever wondered how a book is plotted? Even after fifty books it still feels like a miraculous (and overwhelming!) process, especially when I’m looking at starting a new book. How on earth can I write a whole book?
The two most common ways authors refer to plotting is you’re either a planner or a pantster. What’s the difference?
Authors who plan their novels often have comprehensive outlines or synopses. They know what goes in every scene, sometimes in great detail. Some use a three-act structure similar to script writing while others use character and plot worksheets. One of my favorites is a storyboard — either a cork board or a whiteboard filled with index cards or multi-colored sticky notes. I personally think the pre-writing these authors do make it easier and faster to write the actual book.
Our own Inspy Romance author Hallee Bridgeman (Alexandra’s Appeal) uses note cards to plan her scenes for each chapter. These cards are easy to move around if the plot becomes convoluted.
Merrillee Whren (Second Chance Love) is a panster. She describes discovering her book as she goes as walking down one of those hallways where the lights come on as you walk forward. I think that’s a wonderful description!
Like Merrillee, I am typically that other kind of plotter — a pantster. I stare at a blank screen (or a spiral notebook — I actually enjoy writing by hand) and write by the seat of my pants. I let my characters take me where they will, which is hardly ever where I have in mind for them. (And yes, I have been known to argue with them when they are misbehaving!) However, because some of my books are traditionally published with Harlequin Love Inspired, I have to turn in fairly detailed synopses prior to having my proposals accepted, so I’ve learned the value (and fun!) of using different colored sticky notes to arrange my plot by character.
I guess that really makes me a “planster,” knowing a brief synopsis beforehand but allowing my characters to carry the heavy load as we go.
Whichever methods used by the writers here on Inspy Romance, they are all awesome writers with wonderful books. I encourage you to check them out!
Deb’s latest book from Harlequin Love Inspired is The Black Sheep’s Salvation. Check it out HERE.
~~Love Courageously~~ Publisher's Weekly Bestselling, award-winning author of 30 novels, Deb Kastner enjoys writing contemporary inspirational western stories set in small communities. She feels especially blessed to be able to include faith as a natural and genuine part of her characters' lives. Deb lives in beautiful Colorado with her husband and a pack of miscreant mutts. She is blessed with three adult daughters and two grandchildren. Her favorite hobby is spoiling her grandchildren, but she also enjoys reading, watching movies, listening to music (The Texas Tenors are her fav), singing in the church choir, and exploring the Rocky Mountains on horseback.
I think I would need to plot or I would indeed lose the plot.
I know when I use to write stories or essays at school I had a rough idea of what was happening and we were meant to have an idea of what was happening and I think I did have a start and how I wanted it to end but it was more a flow of the pen. I think trying to do a draft explaining the thought process was really hard. One I was a procrastinator and often having to do a rough draft and the story at the last minute didn’t work well. I don’t think I would be good at doing an outline and having things all lined up.
I love hearing how you all go through the process! I remember beta reading a book for an author and telling her wow, I didn’t see that coming….and she replied neither did I until it was written!
You guys amaze me!
Interesting to learn more about a writers life.
I think I would be more like you, a planster, if my life is any indication! I have a mental list of what I need to do each day, but then life happens, and I have to mentally adjust to what’s going on and move things around that will work. I used to literally keep lists of everything I needed to do, and then marked everything off as I finished. I still kinda like doing that, but don’t do it too often, as my plans change drastically sometimes! The life of a caregiver!!
i am so grateful for all authors that use both methods. What ever works for each person is what is right. thank you for sharing today.
I wanted to plot so badly! But my brain only sees a heap of fog, and it gets thicker the harder I try to see into it! I compensate by getting to know my characters and setting before I get started, and then I wade into that fog and hope I don’t trip over something in there that I couldn’t see ahead of time.
I love how God made us all different. Just like all other areas of life (except maybe math LOL) there is no one size fits all.
That was really interesting! I think I would need to plot.
My problem is if I plot too heavily I chain my characters up. They need to have the freedom to do what THEY want to do. But many authors much prefer plotting in advance.
Explaining the thought process? That made me chuckle. That was me in math. I could sometimes (rarely!) get the right answer but I could never explain how I got there.
One of the really fun things for me is my characters are more funny than I am. Sometimes they’ll say or do stuff that totally cracks me up. (Not a good thing when you’re writing in public!)
I enjoy learning from other writers and I’ve been in the biz for…well, a REALLY long time. And I still fangirl over authors I love.
I hear you, Trudy. I’m a full-time caregiver for my hubby, who had a double stroke about three years ago. And I watch my grandson. I still try to stay organized with a calendar and a physical goal planner, but I kinda cheat with those to-do lists. I’ll write something I am currently doing or have already done that day just to have the satisfaction of crossing it off the list! LOL!
Likewise! I love books from authors on both sides of the plot river and am so grateful God has given them such talent and that they’re sharing it with us.
I’m with you, Valerie. I SO want to use all those pretty colored sticky notes, and I’ve found a method that sorta-kinda works for me, but I think it fulfills something different in me than really plot. I get to know my characters and let them have their way with it.
I’m starting to see how this might go beyond just writing books and into how people plan their lives. I think we may have planners and pansters there, as well.
I love hearing about the journey and struggles of writing. You make it look so easy but I appreciate that hard word involved.
I admire those who write. I look at all the plotting and thought that goes into how you do it and structure involved as you write and my eyes glaze over. Kudos to you all for having the talent to write such great books.
Deb, I think you are totally right. I know people who have everything planned for the day and who use sticky notes to help them keep track of tasks and reminders and others who are able to go with the flow. I think that I am somewhere in the middle.
I’m always interested in how authors plot (or don’t). I am somewhere in between never plotting or doing it over the top.
Authors do a lot of research and a lot of work and a lot of hours are spent to write a book, and for that I am Very Grateful to all authors, Thank you so much! I love to hear when authors talk to their book characters, I find that very interesting , especially when they tell me that they had to change something in the story because of a book character not liking something . Have a Great rest of the week and stay safe. I enjoyed reading this post.
When writing scientific research, I always “plot”. I have a detailed list of what needs to go in my literature review, how I’ll organize and present results (tell a story from data). It’ hard to teach that though and my students always find hard to “plan” their thesis projects. I don’t let them start writing before they plan, but students just don’t know how to plan.
Oh, man, I do the same thing!!! I’ve been known to add an item I just picked up at the grocery to my list so I can say I only bought what was on the list!! Lol!! When I was in school, I wrote down all of my homework assignments in a “special” notebook just for that purpose, and then took pleasure marking them off! It’s definitely carried over to adulthood!
I keep sticky notes in the drawer by my bed because I inevitably remember something I forgot to do or need to do when I’m already tucked in for the night.
I do find it interesting that the mountain appears too tall no matter how many books I’ve written. You’d think it would get easier!
There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes where creating a novel is concerned!
A planster! That’s where I end up with my traditional books by default.
Likewise! I’m so grateful to my author friends for putting their hearts and faith into their work.
How very interesting, Priscila. A completely different take on planning.
I’m more of a plantser, too.
This is so cool. Thank you for sharing!
I wonder if people who run marathons ever get to thinking of it as something easy. In my limited experience writing (still working on number 1), I have found that I like having a road map but have also enjoyed a few side trips as better ideas occur to me. It’s easy to improvise toast with butter and jam. You might even be able to toss together pasta and sauce from a jar. But when it comes to Chicken Cordon Bleu or Grandma Lucia’s famous lasagna with the three-day sauce and homemade ricotta, it really helps to have a recipe.
It’s always interesting to see that despite there being two or more ways for authors to write their books, the results can still be powerful, moving, and God-glorifying :) Keep up the good work!
Great metaphors!
I would have to have at least a general outline about the plot and characters.
no one wants to be in my brain my thoughts are all over the place. Did I mention I never did well in English.
(Partly cos I couldn’t understand what they were trying to ask me to do) I had no idea how to draft out a story
I could probably say it but putting things on paper wasn’t good for me. Like I can describe something to someone if I have to say it but on paper it would be the cat sat on the mat. In person I could describe the cat and the mat but not so when I write.
If I wrote a book, I would definitely need to start with a plan! Otherwise I don’t think any of it would make sense by the end. :)
I have sit in on some chats with others and love to hear how they right. I am not sure that I could write with out some kind of out line. I also love to ask rather they write with music on
(and what type if they do)? Thanks for sharing. I have not done much with my blog lately due to health issues, but plan on getting back into it.
It’s always interesting to me to learn what method writers use to plot a story….I love that most of you guys are a combination of plotter or panster. I’ve found it rare for an author to be strictly a plotter or strictly a pantster. However you do it, it works! :-)
If I were a writer, I’d be one to use some kind of word program on my laptop to write a story…I don’t know if I would be one to plot out all of my story or if I’d do more of a “seat of my pants”. I would probably lean more towards having a known plot….but then like you said, your characters don’t always cooperate, lol! So maybe they would change what I do :-)
And I’ve also heard writers complain about the “sagging middle”, I bet that would be a hard spot to write in your story. I’d probably take a break at that point to go do something else & come back to it. I solve a lot of my problems that way, I find if I walk away to do something else and then come back, I have a solution. Most times anyway! Lots of prayer goes into it as well, God always has the answers :-)
Thanks for sharing your methods with us Deb! I love learning more about you as a writer.
Great process. Sounds like a fun read.
Interesting, I imagine it depends on how the writer is inspired and can oversee the story whilest writing. I think there are probably some in each camp and others like you who are a combination, so we come back to a bell curve distribution of writers. I think once a writer discover what works best for them it will free them up to allow the words to flow and share their passion for the story. Thanks
Enjoyed hearing about your process! Thank you for sharing!