The Pantser Plots: A #NaNoWriMo experiment. Part 1…

Back in August I lamented the trials and tribulations of NaNoWriMo, and how perhaps it wasn’t working for me. (Is NaNoWriMo worth doing?) I wrote 50000 words for NaNoWriMo 2016, and nearly managed the same for Camp NaNoWriMo in April. But when it came to editing, I realised I had a lot of work on my hands.

I think this sums up what I had at the end of NaNo last time: A bunch of scenes, some completely useless, some badly written, and a few gems all smushed together!

When I write in a rush I waffle a lot. I had no plan last NaNoWriMo, and as a result my writing went off the rails in places as I rushed to write 50000 words.

I’ve never planned anything before. I thought maybe it was time I tried.

The purpose of the experiment:

In October I’ll plan my NaNoWriMo 2017 project. In November I’ll write using my plan. The aim? To see if planning helps improve the quality of my writing, or if it just gives me a headache and makes me bored with my project.

As bored as this cat. Not mine – I wish I had a cat!

I’ll share my planning process and woes in October, and in November I’ll share my NaNoWriMo progress. I’ll discuss the results in December or January (since I might take December off!)

Why make a plan?

To focus my writing. I want to know exactly where I’m going and exactly what I’m writing each day. I want to plan word counts for scenes and chapters, and maybe even finish a draft (or at least half of one!) I’m convinced planning will suck the fun out of writing, like discovering spoilers does when watching TV, but we shall see!

How will I plan?

In the past week, I’ve given planning some thought.

Characters:

Mica wrote a great post on creating a character web for Author Toolbox. I started to map out one of my MC’s for my NaNoWriMo project using this method, and it gave me a few ideas. 

I’ll start by noting character names, motivations, and characteristics. I may even do a few sketches! My NaNo project uses characters from history/legend, so I’ll need to raid the library too. Not going to lie, the research is going to be fun! 

Map:

I’ll map out my world on paper and make a list of locations. My worlds tend to be large, and there are lots of adventures. I’ll establish how long it takes to get from A to B, how characters travel, and which locations are key to my plot. Expect scribbled drawings in future posts!

My maps are not this pretty, although I wish they were!

Plot:

This is where I know I’ll struggle. I’m great at coming up with characters and beginnings. The first chapters come easily to me and the ending is usually straightforward. The part I have issues with is how to get the characters to the end. I’ll probably plan chapter by chapter and write a few scenes as I plan, but resources on plotting will be gratefully accepted 🙂

Research:

In a complete contrast to Dragonspire (a fantasy set in a medieval kingdom) my NaNo project is set in the future and involves the solar system. I’ll need to research planets, space travel, terraforming, and other interesting things. I’ll just need to make sure I don’t get distracted!

My concerns:

I’m worried I don’t have the attention span to plan: I’m easily distracted at the best of times and unfocused at the worst. I’ll need to make a schedule to keep me on track and stick to it! 

I don’t know if I have it in me to write 50000 words in a month any more. I’ve slowed down because I know now I write better, and more happily, when I write slowly. I hope planning a project will allow me to meet the target word count and produce quality work.

I’m not 100% decided on a project. I often switch tracks quickly and get sucked in to other projects. I’ve been re-watching Psych in the run up to the movie, and my Pizza Assassin idea also has a main character called Shawn. It makes me want to work on that story. On the other hand I love my Arthurian legend stuff, so I really want to write about that too. I might plan both projects, decide what to write on November 1st, and try not to switch!

Throughout NaNoWriMo, I must not be tempted to take Captain Cold’s advice!

Other than that? Let’s see where planning takes me!

Thanks for reading! If anyone wants to add me as a buddy on the NaNoWriMo website, my user is: Louise-DragonspireUK

Future posts will be (roughly) as follows:

11^th October: A post on how my planning is going.
17^th October (#AuthorToolboxBlogHop) What I’ve learned from planning as a pantser.
31st October: Introducing my plan.
Weekly NaNo updates in November. Probably on Thursdays.
December/January: Was planning worth it? The results!

What about you? Are you doing NaNoWriMo this year? Are you a pantser or a planner? Do you have any tips or articles for a newbie to plotting?