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writingwithfolklore · 14 hours

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Making the Most out of your First Draft

As someone who used to write every first draft without planning and then use that to figure out characters and outlines, I have a lot of experience in first drafts that are incredibly helpful to forming an actual story, and drafts that don’t add much.

So here’s how to make the most out of your first draft:

1. Write what doesn’t make sense

One of the most helpful first drafts I ever wrote abandoned plotlines and started new ones as though they had existed all along like several times. It was also the longest draft I had ever written because I had packed so many ideas into it. The reason why this is helpful is because you can test out what a plot point will look like in the middle or even end of your story without having to go back to the same beginning again and again.

It doesn’t need to make sense, just try things out. Disappear characters who don’t work, add a best friend near the end that acts like they’ve been there the entire time, whatever idea you’re interested in you can try out without worrying too much about what makes sense or what you’d need in place to set it up. It's like literally stream of consciousness writing, and you're going to learn so much more about your world, plot, and characters than trying to make it make sense.

2. Write poorly

I spent a lot of that first draft having characters monologue to themselves or each other about their interests and problems and lives which allowed me to explore their backstories and voice even if that’s not something I would do in a final draft. I had the wackiest plot points to see how my characters would react, what would happen to the plot, and if I didn’t like it I would keep going like nothing had happened, I did a lot of yadda-yaddaing over worldbuilding and setting the scenes and making up things on the spot to see if they’d stick, skipping sometimes to the interesting stuff, or adding in a random scene just for fun.

It doesn’t have to be good. Even a little bit. You’re learning about your world and your characters and the story you want to tell, but you aren’t writing it yet. Allow it to be the worst thing you’ve ever written.

3. Make notes on what you like

As you go through and throw spaghetti at the wall (figuratively speaking), make notes on the things that stick. If you write a line of dialogue you really like, or a piece of backstory or even a vibe, make sure to make a note of it somewhere. This will help you narrow down your ideas to what you want to keep when you start writing your story. And if you’re like me and you want to outline or plan your subsequent drafts, these notes will be invaluable to start forming your planning.

Anything else I missed?

#writing #creative writing #writers #writing community #screenwriting #writing inspiration #books #filmmaking #film #writing advice #first draft #making the most out of your first draft #pantsing #pantser #writers on tumblr

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starchaserdreams · 5 months

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Me, writing 6,000 words today:

And then what happened???? *Type type type*

And THEN what happened???? *Type type type*

NO WAY. Then what??? *Type type type*

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harringrove-heroes · 2 years

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people commenting on my fics: can’t wait to see what happens next! :)

me:

#sometimes it’s days before inspo strikes and sometimes it’s years #fan fiction #ao3 #fanfiction #harringrove #writblr #writeblr #mine #pantser

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so-many-ocs · 1 year

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plot is for weaklings we write about absolutely nothing for 400 pages like real men

#/j /j /j #🌿 writing #writeblr #pantser #writers block #writer memes #writerscorner

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selenekallanwriter · 4 months

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I actually do try to write outlines. But my characters just laugh and laugh and do whatever the fuck they want 😭

#writers on tumblr #writeblr #writing #writer problems #writing memes #creative writing #urban fantasy #am writing #paranormal romance #fantasy #writing fantasy #fiction writing #high fantasy #plotter #pantser #I actually did write an outline for the last book #But it became useless after like two chapters lol

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writtenbyaris · 4 months

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my creative writing process as a planner 🌟

the idea:

story ideas come to me at the most random and inconvenient of times. right before i fall asleep, when i'm in the shower, during my classes, etcetera. my main rule is to always write them down, whether it's in my notes app or a slip of paper or a journal... i'll forget it if i don't.

i try keeping it simple at this stage and not thinking too deeply about it, otherwise it becomes quite overwhelming. sometimes ¡'ll make a pinterest board depending on what the idea is. if it's more of an aesthetic, then i can make a moodboard out of it to help inspire me more. however, if the idea is a plot of some sort, that can be a bit more difficult.

character and world building:

this is my favorite part. once i have an idea set in stone and i'm ready to work on it, i begin building the characters and the world around it. i figure out the mechanics of the idea and how it can relate to characters and the world they're in.

at this point, i'm definitely making pinterest boards, playlists, and picrews to feel more immersed in the skeleton of the story.

i still keep it as simple as possible, and try to enjoy it. when i try juggling too many things at once, i end up wanting to abandon the project. slow and steady is the key for me :)

creating the story:

now we get down to what being a writer actually is.. transforming the idea into a story. i have to at least come up with one major plotline to start. i usually write in my journal during this stage, but sometimes i'll use notion to organize everything and keep track of it all.

oftentimes, the main plot will come to me when i'm working on character and world building. sometimes it's even the idea that first popped into my head. the story is usually influenced by dreams i've had, my own every day experiences, and other media i consume.

arcs, subplots, themes, etc:

this stage is for the smaller details that are vital for the story to flow and actually work. it's like a puzzle that's finally coming together.

for me, a story isn't a good one without arcs and themes, so those are of utmost importance. subplots are necessary to make the world more immersive, give readers insight on the characters, and keep the story naturally flowing. everything has to be woven back in to the main plot or idea, though.

i will say, this is the stage that tends to give me the biggest headache :P

zero draft:

jumping into a first draft as a heavy planner is too scary for me. so i came up with the idea of a zero draft. basically- zero expectations.

this is the backbone of my story. in this stage, i'm basically just taking myself through the steps of the story. i organize the plot and subplots into chapters, and with each chapter i go through all the beats of each scene. literally every. single. thing. that happens.

i don't usually include dialogue in this phase, but i do mention when a character will be in a conversation. all the focus should be on putting a needle and thread through the story and tying it all together.

first draft:

the first draft is somewhat easier for me because i do a zero draft. so, i know everything that will happen in a chapter and just have to utilize my writing abilities to make it rhythmic.

this is the first stage where i write dialogue, so it tends to be corny. a lot of my writing can be cliche and basic as well. that's what editing is for though!

i usually stress the most when writing my first draft, because it's the first time the story is actually being written in the format of a novel. by the end, it's not always very good either. but i do not look back at all, which means absolutely no editing until the first draft is finished.

and so on…

once the first draft is finished, then comes draft two. it's enjoyable to be able to read your own work all over again, though it's sometimes embarrassing as writing does improve with practice.

i focus on one chapter at a time-reading slowly, editing, filling in plot holes, fixing anything that changed later in the story. i try to catch as many details as i can.

usually, after as many rounds of editing one likes, the draft would be sent to an editor and beta readers. then i'd look into publishing companies (can you tell i haven't gotten to that point yet? lol)

are you a planner or a pantser?

#writers on tumblr #writing #writeblr #writers and poets #literature #writerscommunity #storytelling #planner #pantser #writing process #my writing process #zero draft #first draft #writing tips #writing advice #author

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nanowrimo · 2 years

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Four Steps to Plontsing

Plotting? Pantsing? Why not both! Billy Ovid Boyles, a longtime NaNoWriMo participant is a proud Plontser and has tips on how you can utilize plontsing for your novel! Well, it’s that time of year. My desk is covered with articles about plotting versus pantsing. I’ve had my own experience with the two approaches and confess that these days, I’m a hybrid. I’m a Plontser. I both plot and pants. Sounds absurd? It’s not. In fact, it seems to me the most straightforward way to proceed with a novel. There are four things I keep in mind when I’m prepping for NaNo.

1. Initial Plotting

Whenever Plotober (October) rolls around I start plotting. Usually, I’ll storyboard the story I imagine writing. I have a whiteboard that I divide up into squares, each square representing a specific scene/chapter in the book. I usually come up with an initial title for each chapter and record a couple words on the whiteboard what I imagine the chapter is about. One important thing about the advantage of plotting is you have a beginning and you have an end. It’s very nice to have those two things resolved before you start NaNo. I’ve had spells of agonizing over beginnings and endings, and it’s no fun if you’re under the thirty-day gun.

2. Create a Detailed Outline

So, the second step is to compose a detailed outline based on the storyboard. There are lots of tools you can use for this, fairly sophisticated stuff from Scrivener to Aeon Timeline. I just use a word document and styles to organize my outline.

An outline can help to reveal any plot holes or timing issue. Use whatever tool you want to catch that draft outline, but make sure the work follows a logical progression with no gaping holes in the storyline.

3. Develop Characters

In the third step, characters are important, and Plotober is a great time to develop characters. The same tools that help you build your storyline can help you build character profiles, with an organized way to approach the creation of the keys to your story. I personally like to take my characters out and about. I ride a bike and it’s easy for me to imagine my characters if they were faced with a bike ride. What kind of physical condition is the person in? How do they react to the flow of traffic around them? Is there any joy in the riding itself? Yeah, yeah, I get creative in Plotober. It’s important to have as close a relationship as possible with your characters and it doesn’t hurt to put them in situations where they have to “come to life”.

And that’s the final key to this. I have developed several detailed outlines for my November efforts over the years … and almost every one of them has been hijacked by some twist I think up when fleshing out the storyline, taking the whole story in a different direction.

That’s a reward.

4. Let the Outline Roam Wild

Step four is allowing your outline to get jacked by a better direction. That is one of the true joys of writing: when the novel “comes alive.” When my story starts writing itself, that’s like … getting to the heart of a freshly steamed artichoke! Or Uncle Biff’s Killer California cookies. It’s what you really want to happen. When the characters start talkin to each other. When the story turns on the strength of the characters. And, if your twist doesn’t turn out, you’ve always got the outline to fall back on. Remember, every word during NaNo counts—even if they’re in the wrong direction for a bit. That’s your four steps to Plontsing. Best wishes!

Billy Ovid Boyles is a 65-year-old, retired computer geek now dedicated to writing crazy fiction. He’s been participating in NaNo since 2011 and has met the 50,000-word challenge four times. All four of those ‘wins’ eventually wound up being published through Kindle Direct Publishing. You can visit his Facebook page or his website. Image by Pexels from Pixabay

#nanowrimo #writing #amwriting #pantser #by nano guest #billy ovid boyles #planning

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poeticghostlywillow · 2 years

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Guilty!

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ramonag-if · 1 year

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As Chapter 7 is approaching completion, I was curious to know from those of you who write (IF or just regular novels) what type of writer you are.

One of the biggest tips most IF writers get told is to plan for stuff because there are tons of paths to keep track of and it can be easy to digress and get caught in plotholes.

A fun fact for those who were wondering, at least 90% of Crown of Exile is written on the fly. My plans consist of chapter outlines that are almost always ignored and honestly, nothing but the major plot is planned (in my head because who needs to write it down?).

This is just for the sake of my curiosity because it feels weird being 400K words into the game without having details of chapters planned out 😅

#crown of exile #poll question #writer question #pantser #planner

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girlfromthecrypt · 9 months

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Me trying to be a plotter:

I recently learned about plotting and pantsing, and guess what category I normally fall into. The thing is, I believe I am a bad pantser. Planning my writing is tiresome and sometimes blocks off my creativity, but I feel like I can't rely on myself not making mistakes or creating plotholes anymore. Seeing as I recently decided to turn one of my batshit ideas into a novel, I want to be particularly careful. This is my first shot at true long-format writing, and if I'm not meticulous about working out the content of every last chapter beforehand, I think Imma run this into the ground.

It's not like I've never plotted out anything before, it's just that I normally write down bullet points and then get lost in the flow once I actually start writing. I want this book to be something I can actually be proud of. If that means I've set my expectations too high, so be it. (I'm saying this now lol. Hope I don't regret building this pressure later. Ngl I prolly will but I'm just super pumped rn sooo)

Also, working title is

A Fucked Up Fairytale.

God, I love tumblr fonts.

#writeblr #amwriting #writer thoughts #fiction writing #horror writing #original fiction #writer things #creative writing #original writing #folklore inspired #fairy tale inspired #dark fantasy books #dark fantasy writing #dark fantasy #dark fiction #nosleep author #writing #pantser #plotter

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icypantherwrites · 4 months

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You know the worst part about being a Pantser?

When you think you, finally, have come to an idea to bring everything full circle and wrap it up neatly and are giving yourself a pat on the back and breathing a sigh of relief because this story you've been writing for over two and a half damn years has an end in sight and it's almost finally over and you can stop thinking about it and then...

Then you just write this single little line and it creates this whole new tangent, this whole new plot and Goddamn it this story is already almost 200k and I want to cry and ram my head into the wall and yet now that the idea is out there I can't shove it back into the dark recesses of my mind so here we go, damn it all xD

(The fic in question if anyone is wondering is Bottled Ocean, my Patreon Exclusive Mer!Lance fic featuring Night Elf Captain Lotor and slaves Shiro (Human) and Keith (Half-Human, Half-Night Elf) and is so full of whump and angst and pain I could literally bottle it as the title suggests xD. It's posted through Chapter Thirty-Five on said Patreon and I'm hoping to start publishing the rest once I finish the darn thing)

(and for anyone unsure of the term "Pantser" it describes the writing style fondly known as "flying by the seat of your pants" versus a "Plotter" who outlines and has an actual idea of where their story is going and how it gets there. I never know where mine go, they lead me and I just follow ;p)

#writing #fandom #fanfiction #author #it's not writer's block #it's writer's catapult #Bottled Ocean #Mer Lance #Mer #Shiro #Keith #Lotor #fanfic #Patreon #Pantser

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starchaserdreams · 5 months

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Me, writing 6,000 words today:

And then what happened???? *Type type type*

And THEN what happened???? *Type type type*

NO WAY. Then what??? *Type type type*

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alinacapellabooks · 3 months

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Are you a plotter, or a pantser?

#writeblr #writing #Plotter #pantser #writing memes #novel writing #creative writing #lol #poll

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authorkarajorgensen · 11 months

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Planning for Pantsers

This week's blog is about how to plan your work when you are naturally resistant to plotting, a discovery writer, or a pantser.

I fully admit that I am a pantser by nature. I love to dive headfirst into writing and figure it out as I go… until it stops working and I hit the wall bug on a windshield style. Over the years, I’ve tried to devise a way to balance out my discovery writer side, which I need to be enthused about writing, with my need to know where I’m going to avoid creating a colossal, unsolvable mess. I like…

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#advice #gardener #organizing your writing #outlining #pantser #plantser #reverse outline #scene cards #three act structure #writer #writing

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walkawaytall · 1 month

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Love when past me leaves some detail in a story that’s not really a dangling thread, but can easily be revived into a Reasonable Explanation for a New Thing. Makes me feel like a genius who actually plans things rather than the pantser goblin I am in reality.

(I should say I’m more of a plantser for longer stories. There’s always an overarching plan, there are always certain events that I have had planned since the beginning. But how we get to those events…uh…sometimes that’s meticulously planned out, and sometimes it is…whatever the opposite of “meticulously planned out” is.)

#it me #fanfic writer #fanfiction writer #pantser

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katriniac · 5 months

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Pantser VS. Plotter

Gardener VS. Architect

These are different ways to describe your own writing style. I had heard about the pantser/plotter a while ago.

I write fanfics as well as do RPs with writing partners.

When I'm RPing I find that I'm mostly a pantser because that's what works naturally with my partners. But we do take time to workshop a path, but not nearly enough to call us plotters. However there is always a blend of the two.

When I'm writing my stories, though, I stop thinking in terms of the first two. Instead I prefer the gardener/architect concepts.

If you're not familiar with them, AO3's Tumblr account described them really well here:

Snippet from that post:

When I have a story idea, I find that I'm firmly in one camp or another. I don't cross over or mix them AT ALL.

And you know what? Once it's all done and I re-read after editing, I honestly can't say one way is better than the other. Both methods produce good stories. Both work for my weird writing habits.

What makes all the difference are these two things: How the fanfic idea was first inspired; Who I am writing this for (me VS a specific audience).

Are you a Pantser? Plotter? Gardener? Architect?

Do you have other terms or concepts you divide your writing styles into? I'd love to hear about them!

#pantser #plotter #gardener #architect #writing styles #writing advice #writing #gardener vs architect #pantser vs plotter

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