I am a "panster", meaning I write at the seat of my pants. I don't plan what I'm writing. I prefer this method although I have tried planning once.
I have a lot of writer friends who plan their stories ahead of time. Each one has her/his method of achieving this with their writing.
One writer uses her whole wall in her writing space, mapping the entire book with "post-it" notes. That way, if something changes, she can easily swap out the note with the new idea. When she writes the story, she just examines where she's at on the wall.
Another writer takes notes in a tablet, writing every detail down. She knows everything about the story before she begins writing it.
A third writer has a combination of notes and something written on the wall on a dry-erase board.
I also have a lot of writer friends who are like me--write at the seat of their pants. While their reasons may be different, many of them haven't tried planning out their stories nor do they intend trying it out. I can understand why--if something works, don't change it.
But if you're trying to decide which method to do before you pick up that pen or start typing, here are some ideas that could help with your decision...
Ask yourself, who's in control--you or the characters. If you want to give your characters control over what happens (basically, put your characters into a position and watch what they do), then being a panster might be for you. If you want to control every aspect of your story, then planning would be more suited to your needs.
Do you want to know the ending before you write the beginning? Planning the book would work better. If you prefer being surprised, then go ahead and just write that book and surprise yourself with being a pantser.
If you're up for it, go ahead and try both methods to see which works best for you. And each book could be different. Keeping your mind open for both methods can help you now or in the future.
Ask other writers why they prefer one over the other. If you agree to their reasons, you could be leaning more toward one over the other. Ask yourself for your personal reasons to see if they match up. Don't worry if they aren't. Everyone is different.
Timing is relevant too. Think about the time you want to invest in the story. For some, planning ahead would take more time for the story. There is nothing wrong with taking it slow or going fast. Be comfortable with how fast/slow you prepare your story and write it. Planning the story ahead of time could leave our unexpected surprises--though it doesn't work 100% of the time. Sometimes, things change and the plot takes you down a road you weren't planning. Stay open to these changes. Planning ahead could also make you write faster because you already know everything (it does for some writers) so put this into consideration.
This is what I've come up with. If you've been writing for some time, you already have an answer for how you're going to write. If you are one of these writers, and have something to add, please reply with your comments for writers just starting out. The more they know, they easier it will be when they start putting their story on paper (or on the screen).
