#novel planning

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The words “pantser” and “planner” get thrown around a lot within the various virtual writing communities, especially those who participate in National Novel Writing Month. November has come and gone, but writers do not let the changing of the seasons stop their craft. If one is a planner, they find planning out their novel in advance to be most productive. Some people plan their stories for months in advance before starting to write. Conversely, if one is a pantser, they prefer to take a more freeform approach to their writing projects. In a way, the stories of a pantser write themselves because the author is not afraid to take a concept and run with it.

I am a scientist by trade. My entire life revolves around meticulous planning in order to get the accurate and precise results I need. A byproduct of that is that I seem to not be able to do anything without creating a game plan first. If I don’t, writer’s block sets in and nothing gets done, or I get so focused on one certain detail that the rest of the work falls short. So, I’ve put together a master post of resources to help other planners (and people who want to be planners) organize their thoughts for a productive writing project.

As always, the links I find to be especially apt will be in bold.