Planning by Allison Symes

Image Credit:  Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.

Where there are writers, they will fall either side of The Great Debate. 

To Plan or Not to Plan, that is the question - whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to work out a outline or to accept sometimes you’re going to box yourself in because you didn’t (otherwise known as a sea of troubles).  

With apologies to W. Shakespeare, late of the Parish of Stratford-upon-Avon. I wonder how many drafts he did but suspect the fact he had deadlines helped him focus.

I plan. I don’t plan everything. I need enough to get me started, whether it’s a blog, a flash fiction tale, or my columns elsewhere. 

I knew from the start of this I would misquote Shakespeare for what I hope is humorous effect. Am not sorry. Am sure he would be delighted to know he still inspires writers - that’s my excuse.

I have only abandoned two short stories. I’ve been writing for over 25 years. That isn’t a bad return rate but why did this happen at all? I hadn’t thought through enough on either tale to get me out of trouble. I did box myself in. Didn’t like it. Was cross I did it a second time. Am pleased I’ve not done it again since.

So I must outline. For fiction, I need to know my character’s major trait (because so many attitudes and actions come from that). I need a rough starting point and likely end stop. That can change as I draft but I see this as the equivalent of having a road map even if I decide to veer off.

I have found having this outline has stopped boxing in syndrome because I can return to the road map. 

Like the Bard, though on a different scale, I have deadlines to meet so must plan what I write and when to make the most of my available time. It means I hit the ground running whenever I get to my desk. Helps productivity.

I enter short story and flash competitions. My big tip to never miss a deadline is to take about a fortnight off the official deadline. I make this date my deadline. 

It is when I check my piece for those annoying typos that somehow escaped the editing I did before (and there is always one. Not something I fear dear Bill had to worry about). 

I check I’ve followed the submission rules. I make any final amendments and off my piece goes in good time. So again I have to plan my writing the story and editing it around my chosen submission date. 

I edit three times, even for a 100 words tale. Edit 1 - make sure my story works. Edit 2 - check for errors. Edit 3 - check for errors again and that I’ve followed the rules. Then submit the piece. 

But the great thing about plans is they can be adapted to suit the individual writer. What works for you?