Writing Tips: Outlining/Plotting Vs Discovery Writing/Pantsing
Summary
TLDRIn episode 646 of the Creative Pen Podcast, author Joanna Penn discusses different writing approaches for crafting novels. She explores outlining or plotting, which provides structure and efficiency, and Discovery writing or 'pantsing', which allows for organic story development. Penn shares her personal journey as a Discovery writer with a touch of plotting, offering insights into her process and the benefits and challenges of each method. The episode is a valuable resource for writers seeking to understand and refine their own writing practices.
Takeaways
- 😀 Joanna Penn, a thriller author and creative entrepreneur, hosts the Creative Pen Podcast, which offers interviews, inspiration, and information on writing, publishing, and marketing for authors.
- 📚 In episode 646, Joanna shares two chapters from her audiobook 'How to Write a Novel: From Idea to Book', discussing outlining or plotting and discovery writing, also known as 'pantsing' or writing into the dark.
- 📈 Outlining is presented as an efficient method for structuring a novel to maximize emotional impact, allowing writers to create a framework that compels readers to keep reading.
- 🎯 The benefits of outlining include faster first-draft writing, more intricate plots, deeper characters, less rewriting, and faster production time.
- 🚧 Difficulties with outlining can include getting lost in the process, procrastination through preparation, and a fear of writing that might prevent authors from finishing their books.
- 💡 Joanna suggests that if outlining isn't enjoyable, discovery writing might be a better fit, as it allows for more creative freedom and the excitement of not knowing what will happen next in the story.
- 📝 Discovery writing involves writing what comes to mind and figuring out the story as you go, which can lead to organic character and plot development.
- 🤔 The challenges of discovery writing include the risk of writing oneself into a corner, the need to discard scenes or characters, and facing the blank page regularly.
- 👩💻 Joanna's personal writing process involves a mix of discovery writing with a touch of plotting, using placeholders and researching as she writes to help shape the story.
- 🔍 She emphasizes the importance of finding a writing process that works for each individual, as there is no one-size-fits-all approach to novel writing.
- 📖 The full audiobook, as well as other formats of 'How to Write a Novel', can be found on Joanna's store and various online platforms, providing a comprehensive guide for authors.
Q & A
What is the main topic of episode 646 of the Creative Pen Podcast?
-The main topic of episode 646 is discussing two different approaches to writing a novel: outlining or plotting, and Discovery writing (also known as pantsing or writing into the dark).
Who is the host of the Creative Pen Podcast?
-The host of the Creative Pen Podcast is Joanna Penn, a thriller author and creative entrepreneur.
What are the benefits of outlining or plotting as mentioned in the podcast?
-Outlining or plotting allows writers to create a framework that compels the audience to keep reading, can result in more intricate plots and twists, deeper characters, less time rewriting, and faster production time. It's also beneficial for co-writing and when working with agents or publishers.
What are the difficulties associated with outlining or plotting according to Joanna Penn?
-Some writers get lost in outlining and never actually write the book, some find it boring and never finish, and others may become obsessed with the technicalities and decide writing is too hard, thus giving up.
How does Joanna Penn describe her own writing process?
-Joanna Penn describes her writing process as Discovery writing with a touch of plotting. She does not outline in detail and finds that her creative brain works best when not constrained by a strict outline.
What is the term 'Discovery writing' and why does Joanna Penn prefer it over 'pantsing'?
-Discovery writing refers to the approach where the writer writes what comes into their head and works out the story along the way. Joanna Penn prefers this term over 'pantsing' because 'pants' in British English means underwear, and she finds the term 'pantsing' inappropriate.
What are the benefits of Discovery writing as discussed in the podcast?
-Discovery writing is fun and exciting because it allows the writer to experience the story's development as it unfolds, which can also make the final product interesting for the reader. It also allows for moments of synchronicity and relies on the writer's innate story sense.
What are the potential difficulties of Discovery writing mentioned in the podcast?
-Discovery writing can lead to writers getting stuck, writing themselves into corners, discarding words, scenes, characters, and plot points later, and facing the blank page regularly as they might not always know what to write next.
What advice does Joanna Penn give for dealing with the blank page during Discovery writing?
-Joanna Penn advises reframing the blank page as a promise of unlimited possibility rather than a fear of the unknown, and trusting the creative voice to guide the writing process.
How does Joanna Penn structure her first draft when Discovery writing?
-Joanna Penn does not write in order. She writes whatever scene comes to mind that day or whatever is suggested as the next scene based on what she has already written, and she uses tools like Scrivener to reorder scenes as the plot emerges.
What resources does Joanna Penn recommend for writers who want to learn more about writing a novel?
-Joanna Penn recommends her audiobook, ebook, print editions, and workbook titled 'How to Write a Novel' available on her store at creativepenbooks.com, as well as other usual online stores and audiobook platforms.
Outlines
📚 Introduction to the Creative Pen Podcast
Joanna Penn, a thriller author and creative entrepreneur, introduces her podcast 'The Creative Pen Podcast'. She discusses the show's focus on interviews, inspiration, and information for writers regarding writing, publishing, and marketing. The podcast episode number 646 is dated September 29, 2022. Joanna shares two chapters from her audiobook 'How to Write a Novel from Idea to Book', covering outlining or plotting and discovery writing. She discusses her personal writing style, which is a mix of discovery writing and plotting, and her experience as an author with around 17 novels. Joanna also mentions her survey where many writers have questions about these writing methods and how her chapters can help them find their own writing style.
📈 The Benefits and Difficulties of Outlining in Writing
This section delves into the process of outlining, which is described as an efficient way to structure a novel for maximum emotional impact. Outlining allows writers to create a framework that keeps readers engaged. The benefits of outlining include faster writing during the first draft, more intricate plots, and less rewriting. It's also beneficial for co-writing and when working with agents or publishers. However, some writers find outlining tedious or fear that it might lead to a boring writing process. The section also discusses various outlining methods, such as using text documents, spreadsheets, mind maps, or software like Scrivener. Examples of authors who outline extensively are provided, including Jeffrey Deaver and James Patterson, highlighting their detailed approaches to outlining.
🚀 Discovery Writing: Embracing the Unknown
Discovery writing, also known as 'pantsing', is a writing approach where the author writes without a detailed plan, allowing the story to unfold naturally. The benefits of this method include the excitement of discovery for both the writer and the reader, and the potential for unexpected creative outcomes. Challenges include the risk of writing into dead ends or getting stuck, as well as the need for trust in one's innate storytelling abilities. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of embracing the creative process and the joy of writing without a predefined structure.
🏗 Overcoming the Blank Page: Tips for Discovery Writers
Discovery writers often face the challenge of the blank page, as they may not know what to write next. The paragraph suggests reframing the blank page as a promise of unlimited possibilities rather than a source of fear. It encourages writers to trust their creative voice and to embrace the process of getting stuck as a natural part of building a story. The paragraph also mentions that even though discovery writers may discard words or scenes later, the process is part of the journey to finding the story.
🎨 Discovery Writing Process of Established Authors
This section highlights how well-known authors like Lee Child, Stephen King, and Nora Roberts use discovery writing in their work. Each author has a unique approach to discovery writing, with some starting with a single idea and others allowing the story to reveal itself as they write. The paragraph also includes insights from Dean Wesley Smith, who shares his process of writing without an outline and making changes as he goes along. The emphasis is on the individuality of the discovery writing process and how it can lead to a finished novel.
🌟 Joanna Penn's Personal Discovery Writing Process
Joanna Penn shares her personal discovery writing process, which involves having ideas that develop over time, sometimes triggered by external factors like research trips. She does not follow a strict production schedule and allows her creative process to guide her. Joanna discusses her use of research, writing in Scrivener, and her approach to character development. She also mentions her first self-edit, which involves structuring scenes into chapters and reorganizing the material. The paragraph concludes with Joanna's encouragement for writers to find their own process and her invitation to explore more about her writing methods in her book.
🔚 Conclusion and Invitation to Further Resources
Joanna concludes the podcast episode by inviting listeners to explore more about her writing methods in her book 'How to Write a Novel'. She provides information on where to find the audiobook, ebook, print editions, and workbook, and encourages listeners to engage with her on social media or through her website. The paragraph ends with a sign-off and a teaser for the next episode, which will discuss traditional publishing experiences.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Outlining
💡Discovery Writing
💡Plotting
💡Character Arc
💡Co-writing
💡Publishing
💡Mind Maps
💡Scrivener
💡Drafting
💡Revision
Highlights
Joanna Penn introduces her podcast, focusing on writing, publishing, and marketing for authors.
Episode 646 discusses different approaches to writing a novel, including outlining and Discovery writing.
Outlining is presented as a method to structure a novel efficiently for maximum emotional impact.
Discovery writing, or 'pantsing', is described as writing by the seat of your pants, discovering the story as you go.
Benefits of outlining include faster first drafts and less rewriting, resulting in intricate plots and well-developed characters.
Difficulties with outlining can include getting lost in the process and never actually writing the novel.
Discovery writing is praised for its fun and exciting process, keeping the writer engaged and discovering the story.
Challenges with Discovery writing include the risk of writing oneself into a corner and frequent encounters with the blank page.
Joanna Penn shares her personal writing process, which involves a mix of Discovery writing and some plotting.
The transcript provides tips on how to do both outlining and Discovery writing effectively.
Examples of authors who successfully use various writing methods are given to illustrate different approaches.
The importance of finding your own writing process on the spectrum between outlining and Discovery writing is emphasized.
Joanna Penn's own journey as a thriller, dark fantasy, and crime author is briefly discussed, providing context for her advice.
The podcast offers resources for authors, including a free author blueprint and information on Joanna's audiobook.
Advice on how to outline a series is given, suggesting it can be beneficial for long-term planning and character arcs.
The transcript touches on the use of tools like index cards, spreadsheets, and software for outlining and plotting.
Joanna Penn's process involves researching as she writes, using online resources and interactive sites to enrich her scenes.
The podcast concludes with encouragement for writers to find their unique writing process and not be constrained by traditional methods.
Transcripts
welcome to the creative pen podcast I'm
Joanna Penn thriller author and creative
entrepreneur bringing you interviews
inspiration and information on writing
publishing options and marketing ideas
for your book you can find the episode
show notes your free author blueprint
and lots more information at
thecreativepen.com and that's pen with a
double n and here's the show
[Music]
hello creatives I'm Joanna Penn and this
is episode number 646 of the podcast and
it is Thursday the 29th of September
2022 as I record this in-betweenie sewed
so in today's show I'm sharing two
chapters from my audiobook how to write
a novel from idea to book the first
section is on outlining or plotting and
the second is on Discovery writing
sometimes known as pantsing or writing
into the dark and yes it's narrated by
me I go into the benefits and
difficulties of both approaches examples
of authors who write in the various
different ways some tips on how to do
both of them and I go into my own
Discovery writing with a touch of
plotting protests because yes we all
find Our Own Way eventually and you'll
be somewhere on the Spectrum so I go
through the two extremes I guess and
where I am and some people have said
they didn't even know I write fiction so
just to be clear I write thriller's Dark
Fantasy and crime as JF pen and I have
around 17 novels I keep losing count
plus other novellas and short stories
now a lot of people in my survey the
reason I'm putting this out is I'm doing
a survey and many people have said
firstly that they have questions about
this but secondly that these chapters
helped them realize particularly around
Discovery writing that if you're feeling
like you hate plotting and you've bought
all these books on plossing and it just
takes the joy out of things that's how I
feel too so I share all about that if
you're a plus or an outliner good on you
I sometimes personally I kind of feel it
might be easier
I have tried so much as I talk about in
the audio book
right so let me know what you think in
the comments on the show notes on the
YouTube channel or tweet me at the
creativepen and of course if you'd like
more this is only two chapters of the
quite a large book you can find the
audiobook as well as the ebook print
editions and workbook of how to write a
novel on my store at
creativepenbooks.com you can also find
the audiobook and the other editions on
all the usual online stores and
audiobook platforms and subscriptions
and every it should be everywhere you
can also order it from your local
independent bookstore borrow it from
your library just ask your librarian to
order it from the catalog in whatever
format you prefer right I hope you find
these chapters useful let's get into the
audiobook
2.3
outlining or plotting
outlining is the most efficient way to
structure a novel to achieve the
greatest emotional impact
outlining lets you create a framework
that compels your audience to keep
reading from the first page to the last
Jeffrey diva
writers who outline or plot spend more
time up front considering aspects of the
novel and know how the story will
progress before they start writing the
manuscript
it's a spectrum with some outlines
consisting of a page or so and others
stretching to thousands of words of
preparation
the benefits of outlining
while Discovery writers jump into
writing and spend more time later
cleaning up their drafts outliners or
plotters spend time beforehand so they
can write faster in the first draft
when it's time to write outliners focus
on writing words on the page to fulfill
their Vision rather than figuring out
what's going on
outlining can result in more intricate
plots and twists deeper characters less
time rewriting and faster production
time
if you co-write outlining is the only
way to ensure your process works
smoothly
as a discovery writer I have found it
particularly challenging to co-write
fiction which is why I rarely do it
if you have an agent or a publisher or
you want an agent or a publisher you
might have to write an outline anyway
so learning how to do it well can help
if you're a discovery writer you can
always outline after the book is
finished if you need to
when you plan a story the right way you
guarantee a tight compelling structure
that keeps readers turning pages and
delivers a satisfying reading experience
from start to finish and really A
Satisfied reader is all you need for a
good book
Libby Hawker take off your pants outline
your books for faster better writing
the difficulties of outlining
outlining and plotting suit some writers
very well
but not all
some authors get lost in outlining and
plotting and World building and
character bios and theme exploration and
symbolism are never actually write full
sentences and may never finish a book
such writers may go astray through a
combination of procrastination through
preparation a delight in the learning
process without a desire to do the work
to turn it into a story or perhaps fear
of what might happen if they do right
some authors outline a book and then
decide it's too boring to write it and
never finish
some authors become so obsessed with the
technicalities of outlining that they
decide writing is too hard so they give
up
other writers try outlining only to find
it is no fun at all
if you can do it brilliant if you can't
don't worry see the next chapter on
Discovery writing
how to outline
every hour spent outlining prior to
starting a novel saves you many hours in
the actual writing process
it also helps you to write a better
novel as you will tighten down the story
in your outline before you write rather
than having to do it in rewrite
Bob Mayer the novel writers toolkit
there is no single way to outline but
options include a text document a
spreadsheet mind maps scrivener or other
software
outlines can also vary in length and
complexity
Sean Coyne describes the full skep
method in the story grid where an entire
book can be outlined on one A4 page with
just a few lines describing the
beginning middle and end of their story
you could expand this brief outline into
a document of a few pages by describing
the main action points and characters of
each scene in a couple of lines or a
paragraph
this is often what agents and Publishers
mean by an outline
at the more extreme end of the plotting
Spectrum thriller author Jeffrey Deva
creates a lengthy outline for his
thrillers
as he said in a Wall Street Journal
interview in 2012
the finished outline runs about 150
pages single spaced though with very
wide right margins so I can jot
references to the research material
relevant to the plot
James Patterson outlines his books and
uses the process to complicate his plots
and come up with twists that surprise
readers
Patterson is a prolific story machine
and works with co-writers to expand his
story worlds
whatever you think of his books he is
the highest earning and best-selling
author in the world I highly recommend
his masterclass online course in which
he goes into detail about his process
in the master class Patterson says I'm a
fanatic about outlining it's going to
make whatever you're writing better
you'll have fewer false starts and
you'll take a shorter amount of time
I write them over and over again
you read my outline and it's like
reading a book you really get the story
even though it's condensed
each chapter will have about a paragraph
devoted to it but you're going to get
the scene and you're going to get the
sense of what makes the scene work
the ending almost always changes in the
writing though it's because I learned to
listen to the characters
some writers use paper index cards for
plotting scenes and characters
Lauren buchus used a wall of index cards
to physically plot the details for her
award-winning Thriller The Shining girls
later adapted for TV
it is a time travel thriller so the plot
lines and characters needed to be
interwoven in multiple ways
if you don't want to use paper you can
use plotting software like scrivener
plotter granthika or other tools to
create electronic versions of index
cards that you can drag and drop into a
different order as you need to
JK Rowling outlined the Harry Potter
series with hand-drawn matrices tracking
the characters against the plot and the
timeline
prolific thriller author Russell Blake
uses a spreadsheet with chapter numbers
down the left character names across the
top and a few sentences in each cell
I will typically capture the whys of the
chapter meaning the motivation for
writing it
to make it into my final outline it will
need to either reveal something about
the characters or the plot or move the
story forward if I can't articulate to
myself the purpose of the chapter in
that manner I cut it
you can include whatever you like in
your outline and it can be as long as
you want it to be
outliners often change things as they
write so don't feel that the outline is
a constraint on your creativity it's
just a tool to help you write your book
in whatever way works for you
a good outline should be a spur for
creativity not a stumbling block the
author is the master of the outline not
its slave
K.M Wyland outlining your novel
outlining a series
if you have a series in mind
particularly if there is a clear
character Arc and a final ending then it
can be a good idea to outline more than
one book at the same time so you know
where the series is going even if it's
just a few lines
however remember to write the book at
some point don't spend forever outlining
questions
what are the benefits of outlining
what are the potential difficulties
are you excited about the prospect of
outlining
or is it something you feel like you
should do
which methods of outlining might work
best for you
how much time do you want to spend
outlining before you move on to writing
2.4
Discovery writing or pantsing
if you surrender to the wind you can
ride it
Tony Morrison Song of Solomon
the word pantsing comes from the term
fly by the seat of your pants
and essentially means that you write
what comes into your head and work out
the story along the way
for some people this means literally
starting from the first sentence of the
first page and writing until the story
is done
for others it involves writing out of
order and stitching the story together
later which is my Approach
let's first address the term panting
which is frankly terrible
it is based on the American word pants
meaning trousers but I'm British and
pants are underwear I much prefer the
term Discovery writing so that's what
I'll use and perhaps together we can get
rid of the term panting altogether
the benefits of Discovery writing
it's so much fun
many Discovery writers feel as if
knowing what happens or planning it all
in advance makes the writing process
boring but if you don't know what will
happen next in your story the writing
process has the intensity and excitement
of discovery
this can make the finished product just
as interesting for the reader as it was
for you in the writing process
I also find these extraordinary moments
of synchronicity happen when I Discovery
right and research as I go
they happen during the writing of every
book although I can't force them to
happen
there's a moment where the story clicks
it all suddenly makes sense and things
that I invented cross over into the real
world in unexpected ways
that feeling makes the creative
potential of the discovery process
almost addictive
you need to have a certain amount of
trust in your innate story sense but
that is also part of the enjoyment
we have all read so many books and
watched so many movies and TV shows that
we have a deep understanding of story as
human beings
there's a sense of knowing how a story
works
and in Discovery writing it's about
leaning into this feeling
trust that your subconscious story brain
will give you what you need along the
way
writing with intentional plot structure
is not necessary for the story to be
compelling
Becca Sim and Susan biskoff dear writer
are you intuitive
the difficulties of Discovery writing
if you don't know how the story will
work you can end up writing yourself
into a corner
many Discovery writers discard words
scenes characters and prop points later
some may have to redraft altogether to
make a story work
some consider that a waste but it's just
part of the discovery process
you will also face the blank page
regularly in your writing sessions as
you might not always know what to write
next
Dean Wesley Smith addresses this in
writing into the dark
getting stuck is part of writing into
the dark it is a natural part of the
process of a creative voice building a
story
embrace the uncertainty of being stuck
trust your creative voice give it a few
moments rest then come back and write
the next sentence
reframe the blank page as the promise of
unlimited possibility rather than the
fear of the unknown
how to Discovery right
story emerges from Human Minds as
naturally as breath emerges from between
human lips you don't have to be a genius
to master it you're already doing it
will store the science of Storytelling
write a sentence
then another one
then another one
repeat until done for the writing
session
you don't have to tell the story in a
linear fashion you can jump around and
write what the Muse wants to write and
piece it all together later
that's how it works for me I never write
an order
when you sit down to Discovery right you
need to trust that something will emerge
from you somehow even if it feels like
you have nothing when you face the blank
page
of course you must learn the craft there
must be an element of understanding the
principles of story
but there is also something ineffable
something unexplainable Something Magic
that happens when you trust the
discovery process
you may not even realize what is in your
mind until it spills out onto the page
as poet Ben Opry said we are magnificent
and mysterious beings capable of
creating civilizations out of the
wildlands of the earth and the dark
places in our consciousness
as Walt Whitman said I am large I
contain multitudes
you can do this
trust emergence
authors who are Discovery writers
Lee Child used to start writing his next
Jack Reacher Thriller on 1st of
September each year and continue writing
until the book was done
before he handed the franchise over to
his brother in 2020.
interview with Mary Claire magazine he
said
I just start somewhere somewhere that
feels good and then literally think all
right now what happens
so a million times in the process it's a
question of all right now what happens
and so the story tells itself
I'm a Jack Reacher fan and the story
lines are linear and work well for this
kind of writing style
Reacher arrives in a town something bad
happens he must find and punish the bad
guys and there's some fighting and
occasionally some loving along the way
there is a clear protagonist and the
story unfolds in real time as Reacher
experiences it
but not everyone writes such a linear
story and you certainly don't have to
Stephen King is a discovery writer and
his books are usually sprawling stories
with many characters multiple points of
view and often a complicated plot
in on writing he talks about starting
with a character in a situation and
writing from there
stories are found things like fossils in
the ground which must be uncovered
through the writing process
King does multiple drafts and revisions
to deepen the story but his first draft
is all discovery he says I believe
plotting and the spontaneity of real
creation aren't compatible
Tess Garretson talks about her Discovery
process in an article on her blog
since I don't outline ahead of time I
don't always know the solution to the
mystery
so I'll wander in the wilderness along
with my characters until I get about
two-thirds of the way through and I'll
be forced to find answers and then I can
finally write to the end
I don't stop to revise during the first
draft because it's all going to be
changed anyway when I finally figure out
what the book is about
Nora Roberts says in a blog post about
her method
the first draft the discovery draft the
POS guess what that stands for draft is
the hardest for me
figuring it all out creating people I'm
going to care about enough to sit here
for hours every day in order to tell
their story
finding out information about the
setting the careers involved and so much
more
I don't outline I have a kind of loose
mental outline then I sit down get
started and hope it all works one more
time
Dean Wesley Smith has written several
hundred novels and shares his process in
writing into the dark how to write a
novel without an outline
he talks about cycling where he writes a
scene then Cycles back to read through
it and make changes as necessary every
time he sits down to write he might
deepen the character or add to the plot
or make other changes
sometimes he might find a plot issue and
have to cycle back further but when he
finishes the First full draft the book
is done he has a proofreader check it
and then publishes
my process
Discovery writing with a touch of
plotting
I have tried so many times to become an
outliner I've read all the books on
structure and plotting and done lots of
courses but my muse just won't comply it
frankly makes me miserable to try and
outline in any detail my creative brain
just doesn't work that way
it sucks the joy out of the writing
process and what's the point in that
I have written and published many novels
at this point so clearly my process
works even if it doesn't fit neatly into
the way others say we should right
this is how I Discovery right
I have various ideas mulling around in
my head for a long time before I start a
book
they might be ideas about a character a
setting a story question a theme I want
to explore or a MacGuffin an object of a
quest all of which I'll cover later in
part three
I have a folder on my computer in my JF
pen drive with subfolders labeled with
broad brush working titles
most of the folders are empty but they
are placeholders for the muse
as I write this I have 16 folders in my
to write list but they are pretty
nebulous
for example volcano botanist adventure
and French Gothic stonemason
I have vague ideas about what these
stories might be someday but they take
years to emerge
I move the folders up and down depending
on how I'm feeling about what I might
write next
at some point I settle on the story I
need to write
that decision is driven by an urging
from The Muse or something external that
triggers the choice like a research trip
where a story piece clicks into place
I don't write to a production schedule
for my fiction and I have spectacularly
failed to plan when my books might come
out
I am incredibly organized in my
non-fiction side as Joanna Penn and in
my business but my fiction self my JF
Pen side cannot be constrained
this is why I don't do long pre-orders
on my fiction I only ever put up a
pre-order when the book is with my
editor as then I know the timeline for
publication
I'll spend some time researching and at
the point of committing to a book I
usually have at least a character idea
and sometimes a name a setting for the
opening scene and ideas for what the
plot might be about
but most of the time I haven't written
any of it down
sometimes I draw a simple mind map in my
journal sometimes I have the equivalent
of an A4 piece of paper with thoughts
but it's all pretty free flowing
I open a new scrivener project and add
some placeholders for scenes
these are just one-liners for example in
destroyer of worlds my first placeholder
line was Trafalgar Square bomb something
stolen from the Arcane vault
I didn't know what was stolen but that
emerged once I sat down to write
I schedule first draft blocks of time in
my calendar
I turn up at my desk or The Writing Cafe
or wherever I'm working and I write
I don't write in order
I write whatever scene comes to mind
that day or whatever is suggested as the
next scene based on what I have already
written
I might follow one character for a few
scenes and then go back and write
another timeline later
I add more placeholder one-liners as the
plot emerges
I researched before I begin but I also
research as I write
for example when writing a scene set in
Cologne Cathedral for Tomb of relics I
had the cathedral interactive site open
so I could write as if I was actually
there
I also check aspects of plot as I type
yes sometimes I end up down a rabbit
hole during the draft but that's okay
too because there's gold in the research
process for a discovery writer
I don't do character profiles my
characters emerge from the discovery
writing process
I'll often write a scene to expand on
character motivations and backstory
later in the process but then insert it
earlier in the story
this is why I love writing in scrivener
I can drag and drop and reorder my
scenes as I go
when I get to around 20 000 words of a
full-length novel I often lose track of
what's going on with the different
threads of the story I usually stop and
reread what I have so far noting down
open questions character issues plot
holes and anything else
this process helps me figure out what
else needs to happen and I can usually
write to the end after this we read
I can also use dictation at this point
in the process as I know more about
what's going on but it doesn't usually
work for me earlier in the discovery
process as I only know what I will write
as I type
my first self-edit is when I structure
scenes into chapters and find what I
need to cut and add often that leads to
a major reorganization of the material
it's all part of the discovery process
there are as many different ways of
writing as there are writers but we all
end up with a finished book regardless
of how we get there
you have to find the process that works
for you
questions
what are the benefits of Discovery
writing
what are the potential difficulties
are you excited about the prospect of
Discovery writing
does the empty page scare you or
represent unlimited possibility
how do you think Discovery writing might
fit into your process
so I hope you enjoyed these chapters
from the audiobook of how to write a
novel and that it's given you some ideas
or at least helped you feel like you're
not going bonkers when you're figuring
out your own writing process so of
course that was only two chapters if
you'd like more you can find the
audiobook as well as the ebook print
editions and workbook of how to write a
novel on my store at
creativepenbooks.com you can also find
the audiobook and all the other editions
on the usual stores and audiobook
platforms order it from your local
independent bookstore borrow it from
your library whatever you like so I hope
you found these useful and back to the
usual show on Monday when I'm talking
about different types of traditional
publishing experiences with Georgina
cross so happy writing and I'll see you
next time
thanks for listening today I hope you
found it helpful you might also like the
backlist episodes and show notes
available at thecreativepen.com forward
slash podcast
you can also get your free author
blueprint at thecreativepen.com forward
slash blueprint
if you'd like to connect you can tweet
me at the creative pen or find me on
Facebook at the creativepen see you next
time
[Music]
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