To Stucture Or Not Structure Your Story

[lomax61]

Do you write whatever comes to mind, or structure your stories? I know this might be an old, done-to-death topic, but I really believe it's integral to good writing. Do you scope out your stories before writing them, or just let them flow and take you where the pen takes you? And either way, what is your reasoning? 

 

The reason I ask is that I've tried both ways and I'm still in two minds.

[Brayon]

Depends on the project, for me. Some of my major ones, like what I'm doing for the GA Summer contest, I'm outlining it and doing more research than normal. Others, "Have Word, Will Type."

[Myr]

Well, I fall into both camps.  Since I write Science Fiction and Fantasy, the worlds I have are very structured and planned out.  But the stories themselves are only roughly sketched.  This is the danger of writing serially.  Which is to say, posting chapters as episodes as you complete them.  The feedback comes faster but you can really write yourself into a corner.  I've done so twice with my HP fanfiction story.  I've been oh so slowly rewriting that so I can finally finish it.

 

In the future, I'm going strictly with not posting stuff until I'm done with it.  I can get enough beta readers these days that it'll satisfy my need for feedback during the process.

 

thus far, I've not been able to plan stuff out in detail as I've found that the battle plan never survives past the start of the writing battle. lol

[Brayon]

1 hour ago, Myr said:

thus far, I've not been able to plan stuff out in detail as I've found that the battle plan never survives past the start of the writing battle. lol

Same holds true in RPG Gaming, and Military Engagements. "The best laid plans, don't survive the first encounter."

 

I'm the same, even when I write stuff as an outline. Where I start from, is rarely where I end up. Lately I've been keeping my notes fairly simple.

[mogwhy]

6 minutes ago, BHopper2 said:

Same holds true in RPG Gaming, and Military Engagements. "The best laid plans, don't survive the first encounter."

 

 

how to frustrate the DM to no end 

[Superpride]

For me, I write my stories without having any structure, but that does not mean I do not already have several ideas that I hope to incorporate into my story instead of just writing and hoping I get inspired.  What works for me is instead of structuring my story before I begin writing it, I record all of my ideas, so I can refer back to it and build characters based on those ideas which are usually the lore of the world that the story takes place.

[Myr]

Playing Dungeons & Dragons for years as both player and DM probably contributes to my seat-of-my-pants writing style.

 

[Hudson Bartholomew]

I like to plan out the story ahead of time because I find that I can't write if I don't know where I'm going. That's not to say that things won't change part way through. In fact, I'm often revising the outline as I go because sometimes characters surprise me! 

 

I use beat sheets to help with plotting and pacing so I know where to place "crisis" moments and keep things moving along. 

[Former Member]

I have no structure to my writing, I just go with the flow. I give props to authors who write Fantasy, and Science Fiction. Building worlds takes a ton of thought, and time. I can't imagine my addled brain trying to focus on creating something so complex. Not that my stories are filled with cardboard characters, or dull settings. 

 

The reason why I don't use outlines, or plotting diagrams, is because I have an issue maintaining focus. Structuring only leads to frustration for me. The downside to going with the flow is that it takes me forever to finish a project.  

[Defiance19]

18 minutes ago, R J Drew said:

Structuring only leads to frustration for me. The downside to going with the flow is that it takes me forever to finish a project

I’m quickly finding I have that same problem.. yet, I am super organised with my work. 

[Former Member]

Just now, Defiance19 said:

I’m quickly finding I have that same problem.. yet, I am super organised with my work. 

Right? My bills are organized, but I can't focus long enough to create a freaking diagram. 

[Valkyrie]

I do a combination of both.  My first story was not outlined at all.  I don't tend to outline shorter works, although I will make notes.  I find I don't tend to follow my outlines. 

[lomax61]

3 hours ago, Hudson Bartholomew said:

I like to plan out the story ahead of time because I find that I can't write if I don't know where I'm going. That's not to say that things won't change part way through. In fact, I'm often revising the outline as I go because sometimes characters surprise me! 

I'm with you there, Hudson. I used to chase an idea but found I had so many unfinished stories because I'd run out of steam. A bit like heading off down the branch of a tree only to find yourself dangling off the end. I find a soft structure to be a good solution because as you say, characters can surprise you (and fresh ideas can better be absorbed).

 

Myr, I am totally in awe of anyone who creates their own fantasy world. Now that's what I call preparation and structure, even before the plot has begun. I know this was on another post, but how on earth to you explain the world without it coming across as info-dump?

[Brayon]

This is nothing against the previous poster, or anyone else.

After reading that article about 10 Rules we wish Fantasy/SciFi Writers WOULD Break (see my blog), among other articles on worldbuilding and story writing, I am now firmly in the camp, there is nothing wrong with InfoDumps. InfoDumps are practically needed in SciFi and Fantasy in order to get world info across. I keep reading here on GA and other sites now, "No InfoDumps," and I'm really starting to ask "Why? Who started this Anti-Dump movement?" Rules are made to be broken.

 

Back on topic.

[Myr]

For fantasy and Sci-Fi, the world needs consistent rules you follow. You don't have to share those rules with the reader but the reader must feel them there. If you read my short stories, I haven't told you everything about the world.  Only enough to move the story and show that there is a world. 

The trick is getting the information out without being too cliche or boring. Infodumps have a bad reputation because most people can't pull it off well. It is easier to say avoid that, then dive into details. 

[Sam Wyer]

I definitely use both approaches, however, just because I start in one way doesn’t mean anything at all.  I often find that something (often imagined to be shorter) pieces can become surprisingly complex so I step back from ‘let’s see where this goes’ and back-fill a plan, so that I can at least keep track of what’s happening.  Conversely, sometimes no matter how much I think I’ve planned out what’s going to happen and when, the damn characters just seem to take over and so plans change, sometimes a lot.

[CassieQ]

When I start writing, I usually have a good idea of what I'm going to write about and where I want the story to go, and just go from there.  I sometimes need outlines for larger, more complex works, but I hate using them.  If I know every single detail of the story before I write it, it loses the fun for me, and I get bored.  Part of what I enjoy when writing is seeing what the characters decide to do.      

[William King]

Structure very much depends on what you are writing. Graeme already said the same thing regarding withholding info. You could not write a crime thriller if you didn't structure the story plot.

 

That's why I don't write (yet) crime thrillers. I find with an unstructured approach you can avoid getting stuck into a corner if you have several strands to the story. I do make notes and jot down plot lines about what is going to happen. These notes come from thinking about the story and being inspired, they mostly get included in one way or another and they help me to write the story knowing where it's going.

 

I make notes on the characters and frequently check back to make sure there is consistency in the story. There is the downside to the unstructured serial publishing of making a mistake - making a plot statement you could wish later that you could change, but it's already published. I approach those occasions by turning it into a challenge as to how I will reconcile that with the plot and rest of the story. There is always a way out without being ridiculously outrageous.