The question many beginning authors have, including indie authors, is whether or not they should plot out their stories. The terms “plotter” and “pantser” get thrown around. Depending on who you ask, the answer will be yes or no.
Before I talk more about this, let me say that I’m not sure I like plotter and pantser. Plotting a story can mean different things to different authors. So right away I’m going to change the terms.
I feel there are two types of plot outlines. One can have a lot of detail to it. There can be descriptions and snippets of dialogue. The other type is more bare-bones. The major beats of the story are laid out, but the details are filled in as the story is written. Let’s call the first a deep outline and the second a sketch outline.
As far as not outlining at all, there are several different terms that could be used. Here let’s call that discovery writing. That said, no one really sits down to do this and just writes. They have a title, or some characters, or a trope or two the author wants to write about. Writing the story then becomes a journey of discovery.
Now that we have some terms set out, is one better than the others? Is there one you should choose over the others?
No and no. But with a caveat or two.
The best method for you to tell your stories is the one that works for you. If a deep outline gets you to writing and finishing your works, use it. If discovery writings gets your stories going then stick with it.
That said, if you’re a beginning author, my advice would be to start with one outlining method or the other. Beginners often start a story but at some point the writing stalls. The problem could be that they didn’t start with much of an outline or none at all. They had an idea and got to writing. They hit the wall when they find they’ve written themselves into a corner, no longer care about the characters, or find the manuscript getting way too long.
It’s never good when an author fails to finish a work. Not finishing can frustrate a beginner enough to cause them to quit. The best way around this is to plot out early works so the author knows where they’re going. Having a destination in sight makes getting there much easier.
After finishing a book or two or a handful of short stories will be the best time to experiment with the methods I’ve mentioned. The experience of writing and finishing works will also help with that. That will get you into a creative flow and you can move forward with your writing.
Writing, like any creative endeavor, improves every time you complete a project. The best method of plotting is the one that gets you to the end of one work and onto the next one. It takes an author time to find a method that works. This is another reason why patience is a virtue for authors, including indie authors.
Writing Update: I have 5 of my 2024 releases edited and ready. I still have a few more to do. I also came up with a few more book ideas.
Find all of my books here. Thanks for reading!