So there are two schools of thought about NaNo novelling planning: 1) plan it all out in advance, with outlines and character sheets and such to make the novelling easier, or 2) don't do a thing till clock strikes midnight on Nov. 1, 'cause no planning leads to panic, and panic leads to adrenaline, and adrenaline leads to novelling awesomeness!
Which camp do you fall into?
I'll go first: (1) planned!
While in previous years I've winged it, this year I've actually got a plan. Mostly because I was working on a novel earlier this year that I haven't really started writing yet. I've got an outline that's good on the ends but sort of thin and mushy in the middle, some character sheets that are largely one dimensional, and a lot of world-building that I'm actually quite proud of.
Ok, your turn! To plan, or not to plan?
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12,773 / 50,000
Okt 15, 2009 - 14 57
(π/e) the middle road!
I like to have some characters and a setting beforehand, as well some idea for where I'd like the story to go. Beyond that, I don't think I'm capable of planning: if I were to plan everything in detail, I'd get two pages in before my main character chased something shiny off a cliff, leaving it to some random bystander (who was supposed to be the antagonist) to be crushed by the invading army of which I was previously unaware.
52,334 / 50,000
Okt 15, 2009 - 17 44
I generally do a general plot outline, figure out my main character and the primary setting(s). But I don't write anything down, I just think about it and write the first chapter in my head.
----------As kids we fried ants with magnifying glasses. Now that we are adults we fry characters in far more interesting ways with plot twists
40,068 / 50,000
Okt 15, 2009 - 17 47
I've got basic notes ready, with a breakdown of chapters, and character names/personalities. Not much else.
0 / 50,000
Okt 15, 2009 - 18 21
Too much planning and I get frustrated/lose interest. "Haven't I done this already?" Not enough planning and I flail around and everything comes apart.
Therefore, the best bet is to keep ideas playing in my head, take notes, and go from there. A healthy dose of obsession never hurt either.
----------C.A. Young
http://www.dimlightarchive.com
17,881 / 50,000
Okt 15, 2009 - 20 46
If I were smart this year, I'd at least have some sort of bare-bones outline plan.
That being said, I've never written that way. Even research papers and academic writing, I tend to do all from the cuff. However, I think what I need to do is not outline, but do my "research" first. Which I'd love to do, but it's hard to see that happening before NaNo this year.
34,310 / 50,000
Okt 16, 2009 - 13 19
It looks like so far most people take a bit of a middle of a road approach, but on the planning side. I think I probably count as that too, since I'm not actually done planning.
Keep 'em coming! I'll post a tally next week.
34,310 / 50,000
Okt 16, 2009 - 13 30
@twomoredays
... I think what I need to do is not outline, but do my "research" first. Which I'd love to do...
Oh man, I know what you mean. I've had the most fun doing world building that ended up looking like wikipedia articles. Lots of spontaneous stuff, and way more fun than outlining.
44,034 / 50,000
Okt 16, 2009 - 19 43
In the past I have actually tried to plan things out at least a little and had absolutely no sucess at hitting that 50k mark. Last year I walked in with nothing but a bare bones idea that had been rattling around in my head and I churned out the required words (but it was all garbage that I'm actually afeared to go back and edit).
So this year since I don't even have a bare bones idea, maybe *crosses fingers* maybe this time I can hit the mark and actually finish the story to boot. Here's hopin'.
----------<><><><><><><><><>
"You will be pleased to find numerous amenities in Hell, including demons available to assist you wtih your evil deeds."
How to Be a Villian, Neil Zawacki
13,172 / 50,000
Okt 16, 2009 - 21 09
I guess since I already know that my novel is one of 12 minimum in a series I'm writing for the paranormal romance genre, you could say I'm a "planner".
What I'm going to do this year that I've never done in previous years is sit down and (hand-write? type?) talk with my characters and get their full biographies and look into their futures a little and see how they will be tying into future novels and/or making appearances to cause nostalgia.
I should also probably start thinking of a more concrete setting because, as of right now, it takes place in a town that doesn't exist in Generic Nowhere, USA. All I know is that the base of operations won't be found in Antarctica, but other than that, I'm kind of going on walkabout in my brain...
----------Winner 2006 - An Ancient Equivalency
Winner 2007 - On the Sides of Gods
Participant 2008 - The Halls of Worlds
11,278 / 50,000
Okt 17, 2009 - 04 11
I'm firmly in the middle: character sketches, a general idea of how it starts and ends, a more general idea of what will occur in the middle. Maybe six-eight pages of stuff written down, and a lot of small scraps of paper with ideas jotted onto them ...
I need to be doing some research. Most of the story line involves stuff that is very familiar to me, but about 25% is concerned with production of a TV show, about which I know NOTHING! I don't even know where to look for that, but I'm sure the information is out there.
BB
----------Author, Minus One: A Twelve-Step Journey
www.bridgetbufford.com
34,310 / 50,000
Okt 22, 2009 - 14 23
@Atlantis:
Holy cow, 12? How do you know it will be that many beforehand?
34,310 / 50,000
Okt 22, 2009 - 14 27
It looks like if we arbitrarily take writing stuff down vs. not writing stuff down as the line between the planners and the wingers, it looks like it's Planners 6, Wingers 3.
It doesn't break down that easily, though... it seems like most people had some variation of "enough planning to keep focused, but enough winging to stay interested".
0 / 50,000
Okt 22, 2009 - 17 39
I like to write out a random scene that goes through my head. Stare at it for a bit and then daydream. After awhile, some vague ideas about plot and characters and all the like start to form and then I continue writing it out.
35,898 / 50,000
Okt 27, 2009 - 19 05
I'm in between for this one--some notes taken, thought about characters, list of names (although nothing for the hero yet), and the general outline of the suspense plot ~~in my head~~. Plan to have a great first day word count, though, with that list of scene titles. ;)
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http://annmariegamble.wordpress.com/
593 / 50,000
Okt 27, 2009 - 22 13
Mine is planned in that I know where I'm going with it, but the problem is that the place I'm going is possibly a few books in my future. Sad Panda. So for the most part I suppose I'm winging it. I'm going to come to as many writing meetings as I can this year, because I'll need to
----------syphon ideas out of unsuspecting mindsbrainstorm stuff to happen in the middle bits. :D31,000 / 50,000
Okt 28, 2009 - 04 57
I'm planning. Sort of.
I have a 500-ish word outline of the story, which might or might not get changed, and might or might not run out of words before the 50k mark. So, I have a couple of other ideas written down for the same set of characters, which will be fleshed out as needed or used as sub-plots in the original.
I had every intention to do character sketches, but have not gotten around to it yet.
30,011 / 50,000
Okt 29, 2009 - 07 10
This is my first time and very spur of the moment so I think I'll have to be in the 2) camp. Like I said in my intro I haven't really written any non-comic book narrative in years so I'm hoping some form of mental diarrhea will translate into pages come this Sunday.
18,282 / 50,000
Okt 30, 2009 - 05 40
I am going with something totally new thanks to a toy I bought a few years ago -- The Writer's Toolbox. It has an assortment of goodies to get you started. This seemed like the ideal time to break it out and actually use it.
34,310 / 50,000
Okt 30, 2009 - 11 58
Looks like the latest count puts it neck and neck, Planners 7 and Wingers 7!!!
44,900 / 50,000
Okt 30, 2009 - 16 55
Wasn't Winger a bad hair metal band?
----------Visit Radio Nowhere
http://radio-nowhere.org/nb/
35,830 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 06 13
I fall into the second camp. As a first time nano participant I may regeret not planning it all out, but ho well, live and learn, right? P.S. Anyone who wants to be my writing buddy feel free to do so. I'm looking for any writing buddies I can get.
Daish
----------Daish
0 / 50,000
Nov 6, 2009 - 00 57
I'm so with you, ScottZ. Except I don't really have a plan. Much of a spur-of-the-moment thing to sign up. The idea of 50,000 words forgot to flash in my mind before I registered, though. I honestly don't know how I'm going to do this, cuz the longest story I've done and completed is about 35 thousand words. Just thinking about it stresses me out.
34,310 / 50,000
Nov 9, 2009 - 22 22
On my first time, the most I'd ever done was a single, less than 1,000 word short story. I won nano that year. You'll be fine.