Do you plan what's going to happen in your stories before you start or do they tend to write themselves once you begin? If you plan, how strictly do you stick to your plan?
I tend to just start writing and then go back and change bits around if they don't fit, but just wondering if it's easier to dedicate time to planning the story first.
Like Jonathan, I plan. I start with a basic storyline, divide it into 3 sections and then break down each section into chapters. It's a skeleton plan with bullet points and lots of post it notes. I plan when to disclose information, where to place tension, complexities of relationships and when do I start to reveal the final twist of the story.
I find it easier to then work with each section from the skeleton plan and write the story. The writing remains flexible to leave room for the story to breath and come alive.
Harry Bingham's book 'How to Write' is good to help with structure, style and character development.
Everyone is different - some people are planners others just launch into the writing. If you haven't found your preferred style, try different approaches and see which suits you best. No good trying to make yourself fit into someone else's idea of how you should write.
Enjoy exploring!
I never use to plan when I first started writing but bare in mind I was only new to the game and didn't know much. After a few uncomplete manuscripts, I decided to give outlining a go and so far so great haha
I plan, for novels it's a loose plan that I tweak as I go. but one I make sure rises and falls in the right places. For short stories it is basically
Action = blablabla
Action = blablabla
Action = blablabla
Conclusion
I start with an idea which I freestyle for a few hundred words. Then I leave it and do something else (dinner, gym) and let my mind work out the rest of the plot.
After that I'm ready to plan.