For the first draft, write without a plan (sorta), just to get a feel for story.
However, for the second draft and maybe more drafts later, it better to plot/plan/take notes, there’s a strong definite chance things in the story will change and because of that things need to get removed, add, update, switched, or something else entirely.
Is that necessary to do when getting heavily into the story?
I can pants the whole thing, but that might cause problems.
What are your thoughts and feelings?
It’s possible, though I’ve never done that myself. Makes sense to tell yourself the story with the first draft, then organize that story better with a structured plot in the second draft. Hope it works out well for you! ( ˆ◡ˆ)۶ ٩(˘◡˘ )
Thanks so much!
I think it makes sense and if it works go for it. I’ve never written an entire first draft without a plan/plot, but I’ve done scenes, dialogue, etc. (usually out of their backstory) to get a feel for the story and the characters, or I write them into different scenarios.
Like, I wrote about all of my characters going to different parties. What type of party would they go to? Are they forced, or are they going of their own free will? What type of food is there? People? Who do they mingle with?
Sometimes writing scenarios’ like that can give you a good feel of the story/scenes, and also inspire for future prospects. You may not use everything you write (some of it may not even end up being canon but not on page), but I’ve found it to be very helpful esp. if I’m having trouble connecting or finding the right tone.
As far as if it makes sense to write the draft then plot during the second draft, it does. If it works for you, then it works for you. Anything to get the book out, lol!
Thanks. 
It makes perfect sense. I’ve even heard of some writers doing this, where they wrote the first draft without much of a plan going in and then the revisions were where they planned it out more thoroughly which changed some or a lot of the story, but the point of the first draft was to get the idea down, that way they didn’t create the plot only to want to change it later on in the first draft which could’ve changed the whole thing.
Some writers also do this but they call it rewrites instead, which is also very common.
I think that it depends on the writer. Some love doing these like this, others not to much. Every writer has their own process which is not only unique but helps them out the most.
The more organized you are the less you have to keep in your head as you edit everything. So, while this is up to personal preferences, the advantage goes to someone who plans more thsn to one who pants.
Second draft I don’t pants, personally. Second draft gets into the first stage of editing for me. This is where I cut out entire paragraphs and move them elsewhere or get rid of them (and put them in my deleted scenes file if I like them), switch out characters if needed, add in scenes if needed, and smooth out the plot. Occasionally, I might need to rewrite an entire section or chapter (which I do, on the spot).
I also make notes about the lore, about places visited or important locations. I make a list of characters (description and everything) and their relationships to each other or their backstory mentioned in the story. If I already had notes on characters and such, I would add or change elements if necessary while restructuring the story.
I probably do this first stage of editing a couple times throughout my editing process.
Anyway, this is how I do it. You can take inspiration from this and try it yourself, or do something else and see what works for you
Thanks.
SOMEONE STOP ME FROM MAKING CHANGES EARLY IN THE NOVEL!!!
I am only fifteen chapters in and the changes in my mind are nagging at me!
I DON’T WANT TO STOP WRITING THE CHAPTERS, BUT MY MIND CAN’T HELP IT!!!
Help me out!