Do i plan my story then start or go with the flow

[Izumi88]

I know first chapter of my story i was wondering how should i approach it plan it then start writing or go with the flow?

 

[DeepWater]

Either way as long as you finish the story.

 

[Garolymar]

I plant vague ideas of where I want to end up, and then hope I stay on track. First thing I ever came up with for the story was the ending lol.

 

[Forgotten_Fox]

Go with the flow!

 

[Izumi88]

Go with the flow!

ok ty

Either way as long as you finish the story.

okh ty mate

 

[BearlyAlive]

Both. Both are good.

 

[Izumi88]

Both. Both are good.

ty for the answer

 

[CharlesEBrown]

In my experience you NEED to do both. Have an overall plan but leave it flexible. Once the characters are established, they WILL take the story in directions you hadn't intended, and often that works better than the initial plan.

 

[Izumi88]

In my experience you NEED to do both. Have an overall plan but leave it flexible. Once the characters are established, they WILL take the story in directions you hadn't intended, and often that works better than the initial plan.

i see anyway ty

 

[Xcalibur_Xc]

I used to go with the flow, but it becomes difficult because when you need an ending and you have no idea what ending you want, well, most simply abandon it. So, create an outline of the arcs you want and an ending. Then you can simply follow that while adding mini arcs in between according to your mood.

 

[Indicterra]

Have a plan in mind, but that shouldn't stop you with going with flow

 

[butierHHF]

Personally, I go on with the flow.

 

[Deleted member 84247]

I go with the flow, and I did drop plenty of stories before. However, I'm almost finished with my first web serial. About 60%. I considered the ending and everything in my head, but I just go with the flow.

 

[Our_Lady_in_Twilight]

I like to have my main story pretty set before I start. Then, when writing, I try to keep my mind spinning to ideas for subplots, character beats, thematic motiffs and stuff like that, the better to create a sense of depth and complexity.

 

[Iassus-Rudera]

Unfortunately, the answer to this question in reality is that it's a matter of personal taste. On the one hand, some people can plan out their entire story in advance and make slight deviations as they come up. On the other hand, a lot of people find that planning a story so meticulously takes months and by the time they're done they're bored of the story in question.

This isn't really a question of whether you should do one or the other. It's a question of how you should find out which is best for you.

I'd recommend experience but that's basically just telling you to get on with it and that this entire thread was a waste of time. So instead, I'll try to give you something actually useful. First, I would recommend writing a short story in both styles. Plan one out entirely and the other just write it off the cuff. Whatever comes to mind, don't even flesh out the idea in advance. Then you decide which one you thought was better and which one you enjoyed more. Lean towards whichever one you prefer next time. If you preferred pantsing(off the cuff) then try to plan out the idea alone this time. If you preferred meticulous planning then try to only plan the characters, world, setting, plot and major points/ending. Don't go too deep into worldbuilding and what have you, those can be worked out later. Then continue to adjust until you find the perfect middle ground.

Of course, that's the slow way. Feel free to jump steps, or go straight to writing a proper story and plan as you go along. It's all about preference.

 

[Izumi88]

Unfortunately, the answer to this question in reality is that it's a matter of personal taste. On the one hand, some people can plan out their entire story in advance and make slight deviations as they come up. On the other hand, a lot of people find that planning a story so meticulously takes months and by the time they're done they're bored of the story in question.

This isn't really a question of whether you should do one or the other. It's a question of how you should find out which is best for you.

I'd recommend experience but that's basically just telling you to get on with it and that this entire thread was a waste of time. So instead, I'll try to give you something actually useful. First, I would recommend writing a short story in both styles. Plan one out entirely and the other just write it off the cuff. Whatever comes to mind, don't even flesh out the idea in advance. Then you decide which one you thought was better and which one you enjoyed more. Lean towards whichever one you prefer next time. If you preferred pantsing(off the cuff) then try to plan out the idea alone this time. If you preferred meticulous planning then try to only plan the characters, world, setting, plot and major points/ending. Don't go too deep into worldbuilding and what have you, those can be worked out later. Then continue to adjust until you find the perfect middle ground.

Of course, that's the slow way. Feel free to jump steps, or go straight to writing a proper story and plan as you go along. It's all about preference.

thanks a lot that helps a lot

 

[Spacerunner357]

I know first chapter of my story i was wondering how should i approach it plan it then start writing or go with the flow?

I have been doing this, well first I open something up to type on while thinking imagining the scene, Durring the day I would start coming up with a scene and either write it while making it or just what I have been doing keep making it in sort of great detail and after I feel like I have enough I then write it down. But for my E o A U C W, I really liked just sittin down to write down quick moments that happen and move on then fill in those moments with story mode. (Think about imagine them I mean for a while) sorry for the mix of stuff

 

[CrimsonGenius]

Both. You can plan an outline, but that can change. I had to drop and idea or two and alter some things when writing. Going with the flow can happen. An can pop up in the middle of writing.

 

[nabil_ki]

I know first chapter of my story i was wondering how should i approach it plan it then start writing or go with the flow?

There are two types of writers: those who need to outline everything from the start, even planning out a trilogy ahead of time to keep things coherent, and those who let the characters guide them. Both approaches are valid, but generally, the ones who create the strongest stories tend to be the planners. They know the destination from the beginning and stick to it. If something feels off, they pause, go back, and revise the structure and outlines to stay on track. This is especially great for plot-heavy and foreshadowing-driven stories.


Then there are the writers who let their characters lead. I think this is the harder path. It takes a really imaginative mind to pull it off and still land an intriguing story, with strong characters that steer the narrative beside you and sometimes even surprise you. But if you manage to pull off this second approach well, you’re probably creating something exceptional. Think of George R. R. Martin writing Game of Thrones. He’s said, “I let the characters drive me.” And that’s not easy to do. Really.

 

[RepresentingCaution]

Try both ways, but use condom.