How far do you plan your stories?

[Syringe]

To the very end. The analogy/format I like to use is a 'Ladder'. Basically, the top step exists but it cannot be reached without the prerequisite steps (which are certain plot points/arcs) before you can reach the top of the ladder.

So when I have a key idea/moment I want in the story, I ask myself "How do we get there? What needs to exist before? Are there pre-existing steps to support it/foreshadow it? If not, then make them."

 

[Hans.Trondheim]

Until the end, and not too much into detail so as not to lose interest when doing it.

 

[Cosmictapestry]

Plan?

I don’t even have a pla-

 

[kokiboki]

The title is quite obvious. How far, and above all, in what way do you plan your stories?

I just write whatever the wind take me

 

[MisterEnigmatic]

I just have various Arcs that I lay out as a foundation, and then I mostly play it by ear from there.

But I happen to be mentally ill, so refrain from taking my opinion seriously.

 

[miyoga]

Spoiler: Lots of quotes

Plan my what now?

You guys plan your stories?

What's a 'plan'? Is it something you eat?

Pretty much all these.

I guess the answer is more about what you're writing. You can do a short story/oneshot with nothing more than an idea and just letting the words flow. For longer/bigger projects, at least outline what you want to happen in a specific arc/book then work backwards from the end. Once you reach the beginning, go back and edit for readability common sense and world building factors.

Alternatively, just write it, release it and let the 1* ratings come in because ratings are like votes for the US president these days: they don't matter.

 

[Nolff]

You guys plan your stories?

PFFT AHAHHAHAHAHAHA

I was reading all the serious stuff people were commenting, and then this muhfuqa just said "You guys do that?". I'm dying of laughter rn.

 

[wresch]

I invent a beginning. I have heard over and over and over you get your readers (and agents and editors) in the first page. So I work that page over and over. It defines the characters. It defines the ending. It tells me what will happen in the middle.

I'm still not good enough to get published, but I'm working on it.

 

[Thraben]

So you know how most TTRPGs have random event tables that you roll a d100 for?

Put everything you need to get done for your story on that random event table, and when you sit down to write, roll the die and write whatever you rolled on the table.

It probably won't be good in terms of planning, but I want to see the result.

e.x.

1-10: Opener
11-20: Act 3 ending
21-30: Act 3 beginning
etc

 

[Verdant]

The title is quite obvious. How far, and above all, in what way do you plan your stories?

I have a broad overview of my entire novel, alongside battle systems and worldbuilding BEFORE I start writing the chapters. The intricate details aren’t planned out but are reconned to a fixed outcome.
I always have the beginning then ending done first. The middle parts are done last usually.

 

[Zagaroth]

I start writing with just a scene or character concept in my head. I world-build by answering the questions that arise as I simply keep writing.

I find my antagonists and major plot points from this process, and once I have those I can start sketching out the longer-term plot. But almost everything remains flexible; I find my characters tend to take on a life of their own and it throws off my timelines. :D Seriously though, I have discarded events I wanted to write because they didn't work into place neatly enough and had other events happen that I hadn't planned until the ball started rolling.