Planning: the Best Defense Against Writer's Block

For me the easiest part of writing is the first draft. It’s exciting to turn my characters, settings, and situations into words. The most satisfying moment is when the last words to my manuscript have been typed. Of course, after that comes the painstaking chores of editing and revising. This can take two to three times longer to complete than the actual writing. But I’m not going to bore you with that aspect of writing (see previous entry). What I am going to preach about today is what goes on before the first draft: the planning.

For some writers, plot outlines, chapter summaries, and character profiles are more tedious than editing. Many writers can weave a single idea into a satisfying manuscript without a single moment of planning. A spark ignites, the plot and characters unfold as they type and... VOILA...the first draft is done. I went that route with my first manuscript. Unfortunately, in my case, that only prolonged the revision process. I had that initial spark for my story ten years ago and am just now putting the finishing touches to it. This story has gone through three major overhauls in plot, setting, and characters. Since then, I’ve learned that a little planning can reduce the time spent revising.

It’s fun too. Much like the fun in planning a Walt Disney World vacation. What hotel to stay at, what parks to visit (setting). How to get there, what attractions and shows to see, where to eat (plot). Who is going (characters) and what are they interested in doing? Planning helps make a satisfying and successful vacation. The same applies to writing. A sturdy outline of events keeps the plot anchored so I don’t need to stop writing to conjure up the next scene. All I have to do is refer to my outline and my index fingers can keep pecking away at the keys. A firm character profile keeps continuity from page to page with my literary cast. I know how each character will respond to any given situation because I have laid out their age, history, families, likes, dislikes, and witticisms before bringing them to written life. Solid chapter summaries keep me focused on setting, character interaction, and specific details to the plot so I don’t have to waste precious time battling writer’s block.

The planning method works well for the “chunk” writer. No I don’t mean the overweight writer. A “chunk” writer is one who devotes small chunks of time to writing by either necessity or choice. For me—having a job and family...coaching, Cub Scout den leader, classroom volunteer, etc.—chunk writing is necessary. I may only have thirty minutes to write on Monday and two hours on Tuesday (if only I had two hours every day). With a detailed plan, I can pick up right where I left off. I know what I am going to be writing about the moment I sit down.

Planning is not limited to the few ideas mentioned above. All writers are different. One writer might only need to create a one page summary. Another may need to outline the plot, draft setting summaries, and produce family trees. A writer friend of mine once created a glossary of terms for his alien race. No matter what the case may be, there is a benefit to planning. For me—and I’d be willing to bet for most writers—planning saves time. Not to mention ease headaches. So for those of you who have yet to write a character profile or a plot outline, give it a try. You won’t be sorry.