Hello readers! I’ve been busy ramping up for National Novel Writing Month. Molly Miranda #3 is, of course, the project I’ll be focusing on and I’m so excited about it. I’ve only tried NaNoWriMo once before and it didn’t go very well, but that was before I had two novels under my belt. I also have a detailed outline going in this time that is certain to help. I’ve been doing a lot of planning, so this guest post came at a perfect time. Talk soon! -Jillianne
Working on buzzessay.com, I always wonder why novices underestimate the importance of planning. Perhaps this is the consequence of a rush, when the writer is full of ideas and anticipates great things. In this state, how can planning – such a little nuance – prevent the future per wizard from creating his first masterpiece?
Alas, not always young writers are able to finish their stories in one sitting. Life goes on, with all its unexpectedness. A sudden phone call, just-arrived distant relatives, a bad mood – whatever – can become a serious obstacle to completing the story within the original deadline. And the next day, when you sit down at the table, it turns out that you lost the idea (or it lost its charm)! Quite a familiar situation, huh?
Well, that state of affairs does not discourage most beginners. They stubbornly continue to write, and at some point reach the place in the plot that they have not thought-out yet. They know what happened before and what will happen, but still can’t build this particular scene! As a result, they fall into a stupor or fill the space with poorly-thought banal dialogues. That’s sad, but that’s very common for amateurs.
However, sticking to the plan, you will avoid such incidents. So let’s consider why any prose work requires a plan.
#1 Structure of the Text
According to personal experience, I can safely say that ideas usually come from simple elements, impressions, and motifs. A very rare case is that a complete picture of the story appears in the author’s imagination. Typically, you know the idea, the beginning, and the approximate direction of the development of events. But that’s not enough to produce something consistent! Trying to go on, you will constantly stumble upon blank scenes and logical inconsistencies.
Therefore, before start writing, please be sure to clearly structure the text up to the smallest detail. Working on a plan in a quiet environment and successively scene after scene, you can think over nuances so to avoid future confusion. Knowing these little chips in advance, you can safely inbuild them into the text.
#2 Synopsis
As a rule, a plan starts with a synopsis. A brief summary of the plot will help you to unveil the moments you should emphasize on. In general, you have to understand the main ideas of the future book. The synopsis will come in handy if you ever decide to send your opus to the publisher.
#3 Character cards
That’s a very important element that facilitates the work and prevents you from many possible blunders. By attaching some characteristics to the heroes, you’re unlikely to get stuck in future. Naturally, one of the main components is the psychological state of each character. Intelligence, physiology, social and economic position, talents, interest, family and sexual life, education – all these features come to the forefront and are much easier to implement if you have a plan.
#4 Location Cards
Everything said in #3 applies to location cards. Be sure to decide on the place of action and environment in advance. This will facilitate further writing, so you won’t need to invent something in the course of the play and disperse on the minor details.
Of course, there are authors who are working without a plan. They just write, change, and edit in parallel, rewriting scenes many thousands of times. Although I do not support this approach, it is a matter of habit and taste.
I believe a writer is an architect that constructs a high and beautiful building. And the stronger the foundation, the more stable the building. I wish you best of luck in writing!
Lucy Adams is one of the professionals from BuzzEssay. Apart from blogging and writing essays, Lucy appreciates traveling, marketing, psychology and some other niches. She’s an open-hearted and versatile generalist able to cover a huge variety of topics. Feel free to share your ideas and get an in-depth paper at no cost.
The post Guest Post: Why Do You Need to Plan Before Writing? appeared first on Jillianne Hamilton.