Article: "The Myth of Plan First and Write Later"

[Quantum]

Let's put the myth to rest. A solid author does both.

https://www.janefriedman.com/the-myth...

[Graeme]

Yeah, obviously, it's a mix of both, however I do find myself doing a lot of planning, but I revise it a lot, and it's still live when I'm writing, and if I need to change it as I go, I do.

[Rita]

I do a little planning but then somehow the characters take over and go off in a different direction!

[Ian]

I'm not sure why this is even a debate any longer, other than the fact that some people still like to promote their own preferred "thou shalts" which (as the article points out) is extremely damaging to people whose preferences don't align with the advice-giver's.

Yes, we all do a bit of both. Some writers lean more heavily towards planning, some more to organic pantsing. Most lie somewhere in the middle, and IMO it's even a mistake to think of it as a linear spectrum. There's a whole multidimensional landscape of possible ways to mix up planning and writing. Personally, I like to describe myself as a fractal plotser.

The only thing of real importance is to get words onto the page in a form fit for consumption. Do whatever works for you to reach that goal. How you got there is nobody's business but your own :)

[Graeme]

Ian wrote: "I like to describe myself as a fractal plotser...."

(Smiles).

[J.J.]

As a pantser myself, I can say even if you develop the story as you go, you still have to have some idea of what the story is or you can't even put that first word down.