So I'm writing my first novel and I've completed the first two chapters, currently working on the third. I know what's going to happen in my story up until around the middle just have no idea what I'm going to make happen after that. Is this okay or do I have to have my complete plot laid out before I start?
I feel really sorry for you because I always come up with an awesome start, than don't know how to end it. I suggest you try and plan it, but when I try to plan things, I always stuff up and stray of from it whilst writing. So I suggest you have a go, and if you do well than great! Hellomoto,
It really depends. Sometimes I find I can not have a clue, and I just sit down and it comes out. Other times I plan and plan until I know every word of the story before I've written anything My suggestion would be to keep writing, and see where it takes you, but all the time try and think where you could take it, just so you have some clue.
AnonymousWriter, Now that you've started your novel, have an idea for the setting and characters, it probably would behoove you to sit down and decide not only the direction of the novel, but the ending. Might it change a bit by the time you get there? Sure, it might. But without a plan or an idea, you're likely to go off on tangents, muddle around in the plot without direction, stifle character growth, weaken your ability to add secondary storylines, plot twists and foreshadowing, etc. Knowing the upcoming conflicts, climaxes, resolution help to make it a smoother write and a smoother read. If you do complete the novel writing from the seat of your pants, and don't bog down, it is likely that you'll have left yourself with far more time spent in editing and revision than you would if you had a direction/plan/goal for the novel. While there are writers out there who can just sit down without a plan and write, and turn out a good novel, those individuals are not common. And most often those that can do it successfully have been around a while and have completed several novels. Just my opinion. Good luck. Terry
I am one of those people who can just sit down and start a story without really planning it out , but the catch is, that's because I've usually been thinking about the story for a good long while, for as long as several months or years, so by the time I get around to writing it a lot is planned out, just mentally. You can just keep writing and see where it takes you, or you can stop and mull things over (which I recommend if you're really not sure). But don't be worried that you don't know what's going to happen next. If you can manage to keep a story going without having it all planned out ahead of time, that's just fine; likewise if you find you have to stop and come up with an outline or some such. Everybody writes in different ways.
Well, one thing you can do now is point out all the pivitol events in your story then just fill in the gaps with impromptu stuff. Since your plans will practically never go as layed out, you might as well do that.
Make a list of events... add that to what's been said and you should be alright. Make sure you know your ending as well.
I used to just write, hoping my story would "write itself". But now I've realized I need at least an outline.
In my personal experience, I always have to have the whole plot sorted before I begin writing. I have started 2 novels before the one I'm doing now and both times I just started writing without knowing where it was going. Halfway through both of them I realised it wasn't going to work, and had to discard the projects. This time, I am planning the whole thing out first!
I never plan out everything from the start. I have a general idea of where the story is going, but a lot of ideas come together as I write, and add and develop characters.
My advice is... Write until you reach the middle, and if you still don't know what's next (which I doubt), revise the story, characters and plot until now and something will pop in your mind.
