I know there's a lot of debate about using those terms anyway, and that many writers are somewhere between the two, but I was just wondering if anyone has ever tried changing their method to the opposite, and if so- did it work out for you?
In the past I've always started with a basic idea + a character, and then dove straight in to writing, but inevitably, sooner or later I hit a wall, either when my character does something entirely unexpected, or I fall into a gaping plot hole, and then I do have to take a step back and do some rough on-the-go planning to get things back on track. Sometimes it's a quick fix but a lot of the time it's a real pain in the ass, and I end up questioning the story, the characters, my ability to write, and when I'm feeling particularly dramatic- the entire point of my existence. After which, I often find myself wishing I'd just plotted things out properly from the start.
I'm just embarking on a new WIP (eek!) and this time I've done entirely the opposite to usual- I've spent weeks kicking the idea around in my head, done character profiles, and written chapter-by-chapter outlines with excerpts of dialogue etc, so the whole thing is pretty much planned out from start to finish, which is...different!
Now literally the 'only' thing I have to do is write it, but I'm aware that this is going to be a very different process and experience to usual, and I'm wondering what drawbacks (if any) I might find to having done it this way.
Does anyone have any thoughts or experiences they'd like to share?
In the past I've always started with a basic idea + a character, and then dove straight in to writing, but inevitably, sooner or later I hit a wall, either when my character does something entirely unexpected, or I fall into a gaping plot hole, and then I do have to take a step back and do some rough on-the-go planning to get things back on track. Sometimes it's a quick fix but a lot of the time it's a real pain in the ass, and I end up questioning the story, the characters, my ability to write, and when I'm feeling particularly dramatic- the entire point of my existence. After which, I often find myself wishing I'd just plotted things out properly from the start.
I'm just embarking on a new WIP (eek!) and this time I've done entirely the opposite to usual- I've spent weeks kicking the idea around in my head, done character profiles, and written chapter-by-chapter outlines with excerpts of dialogue etc, so the whole thing is pretty much planned out from start to finish, which is...different!
Now literally the 'only' thing I have to do is write it, but I'm aware that this is going to be a very different process and experience to usual, and I'm wondering what drawbacks (if any) I might find to having done it this way.
Does anyone have any thoughts or experiences they'd like to share?