Ask Our Authors - Adult titles

Happy Publication Day everyone!

Our eighth Publication Day of 2026 brings a whole new collection of exciting stories, from a wonderful collective of talented authors!

To introduce them, we are continuing a fun feature for the year – Ask Our Authors – where we send all our newly published writers the same simple question to see how different each answer is…

For our August authors, we asked them: Are you a planner or a pantser? (Do you plan your story in detail or write more spontaneously?)

 

Here are the answers from our adult’s authors…

 

 

I am definitely a pantser. For me, every story begins with a spark—sometimes it's a single sentence, a character, a memory, or an emotion that won't let go. I don't create detailed outlines or chapter-by-chapter plans because I enjoy discovering the story as I write. It feels like taking a journey where I know the destination will be worthwhile, even if I don't know every turn along the way.

As I write, my characters often lead the story. They make choices I never expected, and those unexpected moments usually become my favourite parts of the book. I've learned to trust the creative process and allow the story to unfold naturally rather than trying to control every detail.

One habit that has transformed my writing is capturing ideas the moment they come to me. I keep a notebook or use the notes app on my phone because inspiration can strike anywhere. I also remind myself that the first draft isn't supposed to be perfect—it's meant to exist. Once the story is on the page, I can shape, refine, and strengthen it during editing.

My advice to aspiring writers is to stop waiting for the perfect plan or the perfect moment. Start writing. Trust your imagination, follow your curiosity, and let your characters surprise you. Every story has its own rhythm, and sometimes the best adventures begin without a map.

 

TAUG Creative, author of Before the Wave.

 

 

I'd describe myself as a mix of both a planner and a pantser, although I definitely lean more towards being a pantser.

Before I start writing, I usually have the big picture figured out. I know the main plot, the major character arcs, the ending I want to reach, and a handful of key scenes that I'm excited to write.

Once I actually begin writing, though, I give my characters a lot of freedom. Some of my favourite moments in my books have happened completely unplanned because I let the story unfold naturally instead of following an outline. The surprise factor is one of my favourite things about writing.

I've tried creating detailed chapter-by-chapter outlines before, but I've found that if I know every single thing that's going to happen, I lose some of the excitement of writing. I enjoy discovering the story as I go (it makes me feel more connected to my characters!)

My advice to aspiring writers is not to worry about fitting into the "planner" or "pantser" category. Every writer works differently, and your process might change over time. The most important thing is finding a method that keeps you excited and to continue writing, because you're much more likely to finish your story.

 

Audréane Leclercq, author of Elffay: The Rise of Evil.

 

 

I am a bit of both. I write out a roughly storyline and plan on my whiteboard and I think that im set. I then go about my day and find inspiration from everyday things, conversations, places, objects and tropes. I mean, writing this book, i got inspiration from a shadow!! Its crazy. I then go back to my whiteboard and try and fit the idea in somewhere.
For certain scenes and moments, i was inspired by tropes that i have read before. But when I get a spontaneous idea, I have to have it in the book and I reshuffle everything and change storylines just to fit the one idea in.

I write the pending title and initial ideas down and then I Market research and take ideas and tropes from other books, films, TV shows and music and change it. I found that music was also a huge help. It influences your mood and writing, i know it helped me.

 

Deanna-Marketa Dean, author of Cursed Dreams.

 

 

I am both. I have spontaneous ideas and  creative thoughts, but once I've had these I then plan my writing quite carefully. But as I write, I find even then my mind changes or has new ideas, which I quickly put down as they develop. But writing is creative and I constantly revise, edit and change until I am satisfied as far as possible with my efforts to convey just what I mean.

 

Tim Taylor, author of Dust in the Sunshine.

 

 

I thought it was Plotter or Pantser. Anyway, I’m totally a Pantser. I’ve tried plotting, like a storyboard, but it doesn’t work for me. An idea comes and I roll with it. I make up the characters as I go along. Not very scientific, I’m afraid.

   Soon the story begins to unfold and the backgrounds become more vivid. Some more characters pop into my head. I make up names on the spot. The protagonist has to be extraordinary and the rest of the cast, just as magnetic. I build on the momentum with excitement and a smooth, flowing storyline, all done off-the-cuff. Honestly, the excitement you feel as a reader, closing in on the last few chapters - I felt exactly the same way when I was writing it. I had no clue how it would finish until I got there.

    The key is to make your audience feel as though they’re in the story (like walking through a film set). The smells, sounds, tastes, sights and feel - all five senses. If you can make the characters believable and the plot real in the mind of the reader, then your job is done.

 

Jake Ridge, author of Space Renegades.

 

 

Definitely a pantser. Once I start writing, the ideas just come to me, as though I am watching a scene. What do I want to happen? What don’t I want to happen?  Ideas just flow.            

 

Beverly Thompson, author of Avenging Lorna Rose.

 

 

I'm definitely a pantser. There are all sorts of triggers that set me off on a creative trail, it could be a line from a poem, something I saw on television, it might only be one word or perhaps a phrase. From then on I write an opening sentence, expand it into a paragraph, then move onto a final brief paragraph that ends the story, that way I have a target to aim for. As the story develops in my head, and on paper, I may change or vary the final paragraph but generally I keep the same ending. The middle, well, that depends, but it's generally never planned, the little sub-plots tend to be spontaneous. I seem to be lucky, I'm never stuck with writers block, the stories just seem to flow. I think this is number fifteen now, most I have publish, some not.             

 

David E. Collins, author of The End of Days.

 

 

I am honestly a bit of both I have a set story with specific arcs or moments but how I get there can change depending on the flow of the story.       

 

Stuart Gebbie, author of The Blade of Vengeance.

 

 

Hi, I write poetry not novels. I generate an idea that gives me the thrust of my poem and like an aeroplane taking off I must rapidly get my thoughts to paper quickly before I lose the momentum. Of course use of symbolism and nature then are carefully used like a painter with his brushstrokes finding the precise word in the appropriate line and space. It is like building a house with good craftsmanship. Each word has its place and too many or too few words can damage the architecture of the poem and make it second rate. Rereading it several times to ensure the cadence and tone is just so is also important and by the end if the work has been well accomplished one is delightedly happy and sublime like after having a satisfying meal where balance and flavours work perfectly. This for me is the architecture of my poetry and often a good poem comes easily and fast without too much expiration and a bad poem can take a long time and never really finds its rhythm and its home.

 

Patricia Cahill-Rinn, author of Insights/A Poetry Collection.

 

 

Irredeemably a pantser. My stories start with the main characters and a theme. I have to know my characters names and how they speak before I can start writing, but not necessarily the plot. The plot arises organically from the characters. I also do a lot of planning and plotting in my head before I start the actual writing.     

 

Emma Lee, author of Stalling an Ambush.

 

 

I begin with a destination rather than a detailed map. I know the themes I want to explore, but the story grows through the emotional challenges I put my characters through. In many ways, writing is a constructive way of exploring resilience, loss and purpose—not just for the characters, but for me as the writer. 

 

Chris Cox, author of Soldiers and Shadows and Back Again.

 

 

I wish I was a planer, my life would have been a lot easier.

I'm from Egypt, a country that creativity is strangled by religious censorship, (Alazhr) and political intolerance. So basically to satisfy  them you have to write what they want not what you like.

I will give a small example as an answer to weather I am a planer or a pantser.

My sister is an actress, (Lubna Wanas). When she was studying at the Academy of Theatre, I was in the UK and she missed me. She went through my writings and found a story called; “ A Jew in Nasser’s  time. She liked it and asked if she can make it a play for the contest of the universities theatre.

I agreed. Her partner a writer and a director in theatre, wrote the scenario and sent it to me to get my approval.

I replayed; “ you don't need my permission for this it has nothing to do with what I wrote.

She laughed and said; “ your version will put us in prison.”

The play won the award of the year.

That’s me, Hopeless Case was wrote when I was 19, in Arabic. I only decided to publish it when I was comfy with my English and present it to the right people. 

M Wanas, author of Hopeless Case.

 

 

 

I am definitely a pantser! I think if I had to plan it all the way through I don’t think I could have done it , I’m too impatient. I love to write when it flows. Someone told me you just need an idea and a good first line. I would walk for hours with my dog with a tiny pen and notebook in my jeans pocket and use the things I could see in the park to give me thoughts which I write down and make sense of later , or not as the case may be ! When I get stuck I stop, sometimes for days, until something unlocks in my mind. Losing myself in the story is the best feeling. I didn’t even know what to call the first book and the series until it was finished. I didn’t plan the ending , it just felt right to end it there. I already had the first line for the second book, just as I finished  the first and I couldn’t wait to get started. I think holding tight to what the essence of the book is about, which is friendship, nature and adventure in a world touched by magic far from our own, helped keep me focused. One tip that really helped me was getting it printed when I was about a third of the way through and reading it from the beginning. I did the same at half way through and again at three quarters. This always boosted me into the next part of the story to write. I also made notes in a notebook by my computer so there wouldn’t be any unintended loose ends or half told bits as I was less planned and structured than I am sure many authors are. I have never written a novel before, only had a one day course on creative writing but it worked for me. The course inspired me , not so much the course actually but the author who led it. He made me feel I could do it. When people cheer you on you believe it too. Here’s to life’s natural cheerleaders!      

 

B M Youngs, author of Tales of an Unlikely Kinship- The Portal and the Petal.

 

 

 

Most of the time, I'm a pantser. I do set out some outlines for chapters to see how many I can get away with and set up a skeletal structure. However, when it comes to the actual meat of the story, I just write the story out. Then I come back to it later and think about any logic or flow to the story that I might be missing. For example, I try to make sure I add consistency to my magic system, otherwise, the situations my characters are in wouldn't have as much impact.

               

Erin Tunney, author of Beast Heart Series Book #2: Wolf Warrior.

 

 

I am a reformed pantser. For my first novel, Eclipse of Empires, I was definitely a pantser. It was my first experience writing a novel. Each day, I would sit down at my computer and just let the words pour from me. I had no idea where my story would go, so I discovered it as the characters did. For my second and third, I made outlines. I liked the outlines because they made me pick an ending. They helped me stay consistent with voice and ensure there was proper development in my characters. I didn’t lay out every scene; rather, I chose plot points to lay the foundation of my story. For anyone interested, I would recommend Take Off Your Pants! by Libbie Hawker and Refuse to Be Done by Matt Bell.

               

Stephanie N Young, author of Eclipse of Empires.

 

 

Oh, I want so badly to be a planner. I try. Really, I do.

I keep notebooks full of ideas. I sketch out characters, write down who they are, where they've been, where I think they're going, and even map out major plot points. Every new story starts with the best intentions and a plan.

Then I sit down at the keyboard.

That's when the voices in my head decide they've got better ideas.

Characters refuse to say the lines I've written for them. They wander into scenes they weren't invited to, make decisions I never saw coming, and occasionally hijack the entire story. More often than not, I end up following them instead of the outline.

So I guess I'd call myself a romanticizing planner turned pantser. I love the idea of having everything neatly organized, but the stories that end up on the page are always better than the ones I planned.

The biggest lesson I've learned is not to fight that process. Some of my favorite scenes—and the ones readers seem to connect with most—were never outlined. They happened because I trusted the characters enough to let them surprise me.

My advice to new writers is simple: don't be afraid if your story veers off course. Sometimes your outline knows where you want to go, but your characters know where the story needs to go. Learning the difference has made me a much happier writer.        

 

Lynda Riggers, author of Beneath The Canopy.

 

 

I write spontaneously. I get an idea in my head for a story line or situation and then kind of map out the story. From there, I’ll just write and pull from personal experience or things that I may have come across in day-to-day life. I think the best thing any writer can do is write about what you know or right about something you personally experienced. It makes your story relatable unbelievable.          

Kristin Skurla, author of Only After the Damage.

 

 

I would probably describe myself as somewhere between a planner and a pantser.

I usually begin with the main idea, the key moments I want the reader to experience, and where I want the story to end. After that, I let the characters guide me.

One thing that really helped me while writing was putting myself completely in my protagonist’s shoes. Rather than asking, “What should happen next?” I ask, “What would she genuinely do next?” I think about everything she has experienced, how those experiences have shaped her, and how she would realistically react in that moment.

For me, that is what makes a character feel real. If I understand my protagonist well enough, the reader will begin to understand her too. They will start thinking the way she thinks and feeling what she feels. Eventually, when she makes an important decision, the reader should be able to say, “Yes, that’s exactly what she would do.” When that happens, the story almost begins to write itself.

My biggest piece of advice to aspiring writers is to know your characters better than anyone else. Learn what they fear, what they love, what motivates them, and what they would never do. Once you truly understand your characters, the plot becomes much easier because every decision grows naturally from who they are, rather than simply serving the story.            

 

Dean Spencer, author of Camille monfort: shadows of the heart.

 

 

I'm a planner, but with interludes of being a pantser.  I planned Winners completely from start to finish, but then the characters decided to go in different directions than I had thought, so I had to follow their lead for a little while until they came back to where they were supposed to be.  I definitely wrote key scenes that I had thought about in advance, and then dealt with the connections between those scenes!  I use an outline when I am writing, which absolutely helps keep me focused.        

 

Marie Louise Stevens, author of Winners.

 

 

I am a planner but leave room for inspiration. So, I start with character sketches for all the main characters in which I ask myself a series of questions about the character including what they would do in certain situations. Then I write a Three Act Story outline (3 columns) consisting of 9 rows of plot points for a total of 27 chapters. This way I can work from the hook, the inciting incident, and all the way to the resolution in one or two writing sessions without wondering of track as the story fleshes out. I believe this still leaves plenty of room within the chapter for creativity and sometimes leads to great breakthroughs as I try and figure out his to get from point A to point B or from chapter to chapter. When writing mystery/Suspense I think you need a clear plan or otherwise important plot points can be missed. Another way I keep the writing from becoming too mechanical is by adding work from impromptu writing prompts. I’ll look at an image and imagine my character in the scene and tell a story about why they are there. Many times these become one of the plot points in the over arching story.

 

Beau K Hurley, author of Somm Killer.

 

 

I plan - writing spontaneously leads to writers block. Creating a map first gives you your own base points to jump off of if you’re creating your own world.              

 

E M Avyns, author of Elvyria Kings of Dragons.

 

 

I write spontaneously, with little planning. Each chapter is developed individually. Then I link the topics and chapters together within an overarching theme. I have the theme for the book developed first, so that I know what I will be talking about, and the topics within the theme are generated from experience, media or surroundings. Creativity comes alight with external stimuli. 

 

Simone Opie, author of Nazi Dystopia.

 

 

I think about the sci-fi storyline; I plan out the plotline & I proceed to write w/ some spontaneity mix.

For example: I think about those cryogenically frozen cases, I plot the storyline from there, & proceed to write it like this opening quote from the first paragraph of my novella

The Gaian House swung into session with their Andromedan counterparts, whilst onboard the Saxon station’s court-house, two cryogenics cases were busy proceeding, with one being an assassin and the other a medical case!

 

Xen Ovid-Sophron-Naso, author of Inceptum Incubus.

 

 

I'm somewhere between a planner and a pantser. A plantser?

I usually start with a rough idea of where the story begins, a few important twists, and how it might end. Then the characters politely ignore my plans and head off in their own direction.

The best days are when I tell myself, ""Just one more chapter,"" and suddenly it's midnight because I have to know what happens next. If my characters can surprise me, hopefully they'll surprise my readers too!

So, start writing and enjoy that lovely feeling of being surprised.

 

Catarina Hansson, author of Tiger tracks.

 

 

I have to start by saying that I am somewhat in-between the two suggested 'titles': I tend to have a basic, and flexible, plan of the direction my story may be going but circumstances, or characters, may cause the story to evolve differently.

For example in my second book- 'Election: Return to Gradh'-  the character of David Tait is an almost different person to the local newspaperman we first meet in the short story 'Gradh'. Having had a glimpse into the world of tabloid journalism, he becomes much more decisive and determined to be faithful and truthful to his readers and himself. At first, I had him as someone on the outside looking in, rather nervously and without conviction. However, as the story progresses, the character rather led me to show that people can change, for good as well as bad.  Hardly an original observation but when I was first writing him, he was a rather weak character, not by the end.

My third book- 'Walking Shadows'- followed a group of disparate characters, desperately trying to negotiate life. This time I was fairly sure of the direction they would take and, despite some diversions, got them to their destinations that I had originally planned for them. As I said before, despite the plan being followed it was still important to have flexibility to develop the characters and allow them to breathe.

Like my first story Gradh, which was partly inspired by the poet Carol Ann Duffy and her work  'Model Village', my new novel 'The Same Box' was partly inspired by a book called 'A Lie Too Big to Fail' by  Lisa Pease. It concerns the assassination of Robert Kennedy. I've always enjoyed conspiracy theories and thought that the 'Now' and 'Then' structure of a crime novel would work well. I should also say that at the end of Ms. Pease's book she asks the reader to act in some way: protest, film, write- I have chosen to write.

I required a bit more planning in terms of background for this one and was fortunate to have a serving policeman keep me right on some matters.

From my point of view, it is important to have an idea of what I am trying to say. I need to have a clear vision. At the same time, I believe that you have to be flexible: characters do not always behave as you would expect.

Thank you for spending some time with me.

 

JD Maguire, author of The Same Box.

 

 

I am a visionary. All I need to start is a vision of my book. Then words flow into an amazing journey of writing.                

 

Louiza Chabane, author of Lost in the mind.

 

 

I'm usually inspired to write by a setting—an old house, a wood, a secluded beach. Because I want these settings to come alive, and because I want my writing in general to be as detailed and vivid as possible, I do a lot of research. At the moment, for instance, I'm writing a short story that takes place in the Peruvian Andes, so I'm learning everything I can about the trees, the plants, the weather, the houses, the vehicles, the clothes, the crops, the livestock, etc. I want to know everything. That's part of the fun. I've also enjoyed creating little worlds—much of my childhood was spent creating toy villages, cities, temples, etc.—and writing allows me, despite my age, to continue doing that. To do that effectively, however, you have to devote a lot of time to planning and researching. And these things don't get in the way of writing, by any means. They often inspire the writing that follows.               

 

Dylan Lee Henderson, author of The Man Unking.

 

 

I'm a big bit of a pantser and a smaller degree of a planner. I have an idea of how the story should go, plan the first five or six chapters, start writing them and then rearrange each one to read completely different to how I'd initially planned them. Usually, I then continue to pantser the rest of the book, based and continued on from, the initial few chapters. During the writing process when I've hit a block, i will quite randomly develop hints and twists to the story and will jot them down on a postit, sticking them all over the house until i begin another chapter or two.

 

Marian Smith, author of All Of That

 

 

I struggle to see myself fitting into the mould of either a pantser or a planner. I think I’d call myself a true hybrid model — and a bit short-sighted at that.

Do I know where my stories will end? Absolutely not.

Can I just sit down and write for hours and see where it leads me? Again, a resounding no.

My process is more like deciding to paint a portrait, with the main feature being, say, an elephant. The elephant is my vague story idea. It is a bit like a clumsy elevator pitch, or an out-of-focus cover blurb. I know roughly what the picture is going to contain. I just don’t know what it will eventually look like.

I don’t sit down in front of the canvas, brush at the ready, and say, ‘Where will I start?’

 

Ther first thing I do is....

I think.

And I run, because that is when I think at my best.

I think about the next chapter only. Why do I write it? What is the main reason for the chapter? And then, how do I turn that reason into a story? And where do I start?

I think a lot about where to start each chapter.

In that mode, I am a planner.

But then I take a shower after my run and dry myself, and instead of sitting down to write, I have a coffee and play with my Jack Russell, because I am also a procrastinator.

While I play, I interview my possible characters in my head. I fire the redundant ones and interrogate the leading candidates. I ask them questions. I listen to their answers. Sometimes they surprise me.

So, when my Jack Russell’s tongue is hanging out and my coffee is cold, I sit down and visualise my opening scene, almost like one of those 360-degree videos.

I look at what my chosen character is wearing. How he touches his nose. How he glances at the girl walking past or pulls at his sleeve.

And I look at where they are. I notice things.

The bare winter trees.

The rickety coffee table with the beautiful teacups. One has a small, barely noticeable chip in its saucer.

The threatening clouds.

The man in the car across the street. And I wonder, 'where did he come from?'

But I see the gun he holds in his hand.

And his eyes.

Those eyes…

And then…

 

Then I write.

 

Sometimes I hold my breath, because I honestly don’t know what will happen next.

Other times, I feel laser-focused on following my plan, or my instinct, or my inner voice — or whatever it is that my stories come from.

But mostly, I just describe what I see in my head.

I love the thinking. The figuring out. The getting from here to there.

The writing itself is often slower, and sometimes it threatens to steal my attention and focus away from the story. But I keep writing.

It is a bit like storming into a thick mist at full speed.

I can’t see very far ahead.

But I know I’ll be safe.

Because I have a plan.

At least for the next few steps.

 

Deon Heyns, author of Blackridge

 

 

I have travelled to 47 countries including every location referred to in my books. Living many of the scenes makes both planning and flying by the seat of my pants, second nature. My first book was entirely a pantser. Since writing The Medusa Image I have planned to some extent, to clarify the sequence in my mind, to link certain events and characters from earlier instalments in the espionage thriller series, and to accurately reflect the geopolitical texture and cultural detail. To ensure authenticity. The bigger picture in a prepared synopsis is useful, but scribbling the outline and some detail of the next chapters – that is, jumping several scenes ahead using a notebook and pen – helps focus and lay a foundation for the next chapters before committing them to the computer. The beauty of that process is that it stimulates thinking and makes it easy to add 'meat' to the story or change direction.          

Gordon d'Venables, author of One Percent.

 

 

I'm a pantser at heart who keeps trying to be a planner.

I usually begin with a general idea of where the story is going. I know the central conflict, the major turning points, and at least a rough version of the ending. I may outline chapters, write out important scenes, and carefully arrange the story into something resembling order.

Then my characters get involved.

Once I begin writing, they have the unfortunate habit of changing my plans. A character refuses to make the choice I expected. A conversation reveals something I'd never considered. Or there's a character I don't like and desperately want to remove, but they're determined to stay and the story starts to unravel if I say otherwise.

Before long, my carefully constructed outline is lying in pieces and I've no idea what's going to happen next.

At that point, I create another plan.

The characters ignore that one too.

I've learned to balance planning with discovery. An outline gives me direction, but I try not to treat it as a contract.

Of course, that doesn't mean every spontaneous idea belongs in the book. Sometimes the characters need to be lovingly escorted back toward the plot before they wander into an entirely different novel.

So, am I a planner or a pantser?

I'm a pantser with an outline, several backup outlines, and a cast of characters who consider all of them optional.

 

Gally Jones, author of Legends Among Realms

 

 

"A little of both, actually. I like to have my stories mostly framed out, with a basic idea of the main beats, twists, reveals and character moments. But I also like to leave enough space within that structure for unexpected surprises and discoveries.

When I started working on Post-Apocalypse Pete, I gave Pete, the hero of the story, a distinctive scar over his right eye. I didn’t reference the scar or give it much thought beyond the fact that it gave Pete a bit of an edge. But by the time I arrived at the end of the story I realized that I could use the scar to symbolize the rift between Pete and his sister - and it’s that very rift that’s driving his quest to reconnect with her. So I added a brief flashback, where we see that an argument caused Pat to give Pete that scar. I was able to show that that the scar was the result of a mistake that Pete had made and later regretted.

I hadn’t planned to explain the origin of the scar but in an organic way it helped to better define the character and the choices he makes moving forward. By leaving myself open creatively, I was able to make the story stronger.

 

Eric Fogel, author of Post-Apocalypse Pete.

 

 

Though I tend to be more of a pantser,  I do start off with a rough idea of the beginning of a story and how exactly I want it to end. Then I just let the ideas flow. I'll do a character bio before I get started on at least two main characters,  but those details are not always written in stone and can change.  Many writers that I have been blessed to know or interact with keep themselves regimented to an outline and a certain number of words per day that they write. Ive never been able to do that. I will go on writing binges for several weeks then not be able to write a thing for a month. The end of this came to me while I was at work and I finished the book while on my break.  

 

Danielle Doerfler, author of Angels Among Us.

 

I dive right into my original inspiration, and pants it for a while, writing for a good long time to get to know my characters, and to see where the story takes them. Then I do outline, with post-its, a timeline spreadsheet, and a presentation board which lives in my writing room until I get the whole story out!         

 

Vicki French-Sanches, author of The Time It Takes to Drown.

 

I'm a pantser, but my moon is in planner. At first, I loosely plan what I want to write about, and then I write a first draft all pantser-y, based on my artistic instinct—even if I feel that that instinct is weird. Weird usually works, somehow. Following the first draft, I see what I've got, and then I plan for how to develop it and tease out the dominant themes that have emerged. Following that, I do multiple drafts. Editing is planning, and I love to edit.                

 

Franny French , author of The Time It Takes to Drown.

 

I’m a planner who is inspired by retro sci -fi tv and film.

               

C.D.Saitch, author of Octavia Raspopova space agent : Valiant.

 

 

I used to be a pantser, but I struggled finishing first drafts, so I started to plan. I like to work out my characters in more detail. For example, I write out their background story: who are their parents; where did they grow up; did they have friends; which events shaped them. I also write down their habits, their hopes, dreams, goals, and their fears. Something else I've found very helpful is writing a diary entry in the character's voice. It helps to understand their way of speaking; it gives them personality.

I do some worldbuilding to give myself a general idea of the world. But I have no problems to also create as I write and add worldbuilding to my story later on. Although I am fond of drawing maps.

I like to write down the main plot points, but I generally don't go into too much detail on how to get from one plot point to the next. Sometimes a character develops in such a way that I let them decide how to get to the next part, but having a clear idea of where I'm going with my story has really helped me to not get stuck. And when I do get stuck, I check if there may be a plot point that isn't working. To help myself with story structure and planning, I read Save The Cat Writes a Novel, and I have to say, it's been very helpful. I would definitely recommend reading it.           

Merel Schreurs, author in The Great In-Between.

 

 

I served in the Royal Navy for twenty-two years, fought in the Falkands and First Gulf Wars and reached the rank of Warrant Officer, so I'm a dedicated planner of everything to do with my personal life and various self-employment work.  The same approach applies to when I'm writing material for a non-fiction book.  However, when it comes to writing poems I tend to react to inspiration wherever it occurs.  I always carry three short pencils and bits of scrap paper in my mobile phone case and I quickly scribble ideas whenever they occur - sometimes backing them up with photographs of actual events or scenes.  I then play around with different words until I get the right sort of sound and feeling, and then test them on my wife - who will eventually illustrate any that may be worth producing.         

 

David Yates, author of Maggie the Farmyard Cat.

 

 

I’d say I’m definitely both a planner and a pantser.

When it comes to the murder itself, the chronology of the investigation, and the clues I give the reader, I try to plan everything as meticulously as possible before I start writing. I like to have a solid framework in place so I always know where the story is heading.

I also have a general plan for my characters, their relationships, and how they interact with one another. But that’s also the most enjoyable part of writing because it’s the part that often changes. Their relationships can develop in ways I hadn’t anticipated, and the story can take unexpected turns. I’m never entirely sure where my characters will lead me. What they say, what they do, and how they react in different situations often reveals itself as I’m writing, which makes the process both surprising and rewarding.

This may sound like simple advice, but it can be incredibly helpful as you set out to write your own book. Before you start writing, take the time to develop your characters. Understand who they are as people, what motivates them, and how they would respond in different situations. Having a clear sense of your characters from the outset makes the writing process much easier. When obstacles arise in the story, you’ll already know how each character is likely to react, allowing their actions and decisions to feel natural and consistent.

 

P.M. Vahlström, author of Force of Hearts - Illicit Affairs.

 

 

I usually begin with an original concept and a general sense of where I want the story to go. I do not plan chapter by chapter; instead, I prefer to let the characters develop as I write and allow the story to reveal itself.

Sometimes I write scences before they occur in the main sequence of the story. This particular idea began with a colleague's comment: ""There should be a licence to parent."" That made me start thinking about what such a world might look like.

My main writing tip is simple: just start. Put pen to paper, fingers to keys, and begin writing.

Reading is essential to my writing process. I draw a lot of inspiration from other authors.         

 

Katri Sallinen, author of Nala.

 

 

My story evolved in my brain for quite a while, even before I put pen to paper, although I had never quite decided on the ending. However, once I had created my characters, although I kept to the main thread in the beginning, ideas came thick and fast as I got into the rhythm of my book and, weirdly, I found myself creating different scenes in my head in bed at night, and then hurriedly adding them to the narrative the next day! Often I changed the events because I felt that the characters I had created would not act in the way I had at first imagined. This gave an unexpected dimension to the whole writing experience, once I had come to terms with not being completely in control. For me, a rigid plan would never have worked and I found 'pantsing' both enjoyable and liberating!          

 

Jane Dimmick, author of The Apple of My Eye.

 

 

Initially, I was a pantser. After the wife and I retired, we've spent our winters in Florida...me fishing, she soaking up the sun...then the fish quit biting.

"So what are you going to do now?" she asked.

"I think I'll write a book", I said after the tiniest bit of thought.

"Got a title?"

"Yes," I replied." but that’s as far as it goes.

 I got out my old laptop and went at it. The book grew like an amoeba, in every direction at once. Eventually, I concocted an ending, sat back and asked the all important question...what in-hell is this story about? I mean, if you don't really know where you are going, how could you know when you've gotten there? In answering those questions (with the help of a developmental editor) half the text ended up--as they say in the movie business--on the cutting room floor.

I avoided this confusion in my next book by asking the key question...What's this story about?...right up front. I approached the story as a mental exercise, laying out the book beginning to end. Then I divided the story into scenes, the scenes into chapters, and the chapters into a series of bullet points. The story now had guard rails, an outline to help keep it heading in the right direction.

But once the outline was complete and I begin writing, the story and the characters took on lives of their own. World Heavy Weight Boxer and Champion Mike Tyson once said...""Everyone has a plan until they get hit in the mouth."" My perfectly planned tale went off in new directions...bullet points be damned!   NFL coaches call it 'situational football.' They change their game plan to reflect the facts on the ground. And I did the same. When the ""writing fever"" broke, I examined the new direction the story had taken and asked...Can this be incorporated into the arch of the narrative as it was originally conceived? If not, can it be modified to fit or should the plan be altered to reflect this new direction?

The object of a plan is to save time while making the story coherent beginning to end,  So I guess you could say mine is currently a hybrid approach: I plan, but never let the plan get in the way of a better story.

An example of this may best be demonstrated in a book I am currently working on called The Contessa, a cozy mystery. The 'killer' is a foreign national who flees to Italy after the shooting. He is an Italian living in Sardinia. One of the two women who are the heroines of the story, suggests that they should assist in the capture of the killer because the weather in Italy is so nice that time of year. Dumb idea, right? Humm...the two women going abroad to help catch the killer is not part of the story line...but why not? My word count is short and a few chapters with my leading ladies taking in the sights, smells and tastes of Italy and Sardinia could be perfect additions to the story. I thought about it. And right now, in the book, the two women are enjoying drinks and a meal in a four star hotel in Rome.

 

Merrill James Shepard, author of Ile des Morts And Three Related Tales.

 

 

The answer is a little of both. I have an outline plan for the general direction of the story and the characters involved, but this does not go into great detail. The details of each chapter tend to be developed as the writing progresses. I like the excitement of being unsure myself of what will happen next. An example of this is when I decided that Arja, Pirjo's colleague in the mayor's office would betray her. This was not in the original plan.  

 

Andrew Bramwell, author of Pirjo and her Colours.

 

 

When it comes to poetry, I am definitely a “panster.” I don’t have a time or place where I must sit down and write specific cadences or syllables, I just kind of start writing and see what happens. Sometimes I’ll start writing a poem and I think it will be about something I desperately have wanted to write about for a good while, and by the end I’ve found myself exploring a completely different concept or feeling. I love how spontaneous it can be. But sometimes writing can also be something that needs organization, structure and planning. I think the best writing I do has a mix of both. The planning assures you write consistently and makes you actually sit down to do it, but being spontaneous makes the work genuine and unexpected. I love being surprised by the thoughts and words I have swirling around my own head. I just have to make sure I actually sit down to write them.              

 

Violet Binczewski, author of Lower Valley Road.

 

 

Both. At the beginning, definitely pantsy. The start of the writing process is a gloriously imaginative period, where ideas come too thick and fast to form a coherent story. So my tool of choice to funnel this stream of consciousness? A smartphone using voice recognition, where I could quickly capture ideas as they came. WARNING: not too good if out with friends at a restaurant, where instead 2 surreptitious thumbs under the table has to suffice.

Best place? Out alone on an hour long walk, where one can rekindle the imagination process and capture a deluge of ideas that can then be uploaded into Word, to begin the elements of a story arc.

Eventually, you’ll find the mist disappears to reveal your creation, which can then be shaped with some judicious editing so that it’s ready to be transformed into a fully fledged book.

At this stage then, I definitely became a planner, adopting an approach I’d learned when doing a Warwick Uni Masters Degree by distance learning. The Uni was adamant: people who don’t set out a weekly study plan, perpetually feel anxious, stressed and ineffective in their home learning. So for ‘study’, read ‘writing’. I followed their advice and set out half-day writing slots for the 7-day week ahead. I’d ensure there were no diary clashes and that my partner knew and supported the plan.

Quiz question. My plan had a slot on Thursday from 5pm to 10pm. When Thursday came what did I do?:

A) I was desperate to watch the end of Season 2 House of the Dragon, so finished a bit early at 9pm.

B) I felt that I should first have a run to clear my head, so started at 6:30.

C) I started at 5pm and finished at 10pm

Correct answer? C. Of course. Make a plan, stick to the plan, savour the progress and feel in control.

That’s not to say having a plan is akin to a straitjacket. It still allows complete freedom to move away from the story arc if that makes sense. For example, in my book, One Last Chance, I initially had 3 parts. At the end of part 2 several of the characters discover something so incredible that it questions the fabric of human existence. Part 3 then divulges to the reader the consequences of their discovery. I realised as I was writing, that it would be better to insert a new part immediately after part 2, so that these characters could wrestle with the conundrum of whether something so incredible could be true? So I now had 4 parts to my book and had to revert to being pantsy to develop the new part 3, and augment my story arc in a way that it still held together.

I will leave it to you to see if I was successful!

 

T.L.Bridge, author of One Last Chance.

 

 

Like Mike Tyson once said. "Everybody has a plan until they're punched in the face." The arc of my book plot-line took a direct hit as I realized I hadn't delivered an effective ending.  That's where fellow writers helped. My creative writing professor at University of Toronto had some great suggestions. Other speculative fiction novels offered inspiration. I hope you approve of how I stuck the landing.       

Rodney Blair, author of Future State.

 

 

I'm not going to lie now, i do have a frame of an Idea, that I honestly don't follow when i start writing. I guess i freestyle.im not the kind of person that mke some kind of maps or bulleting where the story will go. Im mostly storytelling in my head. For example, i love swimming and i find peace in it and almost meditative like serenity which is perfect time for me to think about writing, to shift yourself into the books world. At least it is for me.. it happens that whole trajectory of the book resembles nothing it was supposed to be in the beginning. So, my advice is start thinking about books realm as your reality.. granted its not the healthiest advice, but it works for me. And if you do it, do not try to do it while you're driving, crossing the street or having conversations with someone.          

 

Leah Pavlov, author of Sealed with a kiss.

 

 

Definitely a pantser!

I wrote 'The Ghost' in the same manner as I approach all my writing, with very minimal planning. My writing style consists of forming an idea, which I usually play over in my head for a day or two, sometimes longer. If it's still rattling about in my head after that then I'll head out to my little allocated writing space behind a curtain at the back of my garage and begin putting pen to paper. I always do my initial writing with pen and paper as I find it far more liberating than sitting at my laptop. The ideas seem to flow better in ink for me than in key tapping.

I'll disappear in my writing sometimes long into the early hours. I'm definitely a late night writer! I often won't return to continue my writing for a day or two and when I do I always need to re-read my last few paragraphs just to jog my memory of where I'm at before I can slip back into the mindset to keep writing. Each time I sit down to write I'm entirely oblivious to what is going to come out next and indeed never know which direction my writing will take. Through writing a lot in spontaneous prose there is no way my writing could be restricted by a lot of planning.

 

Donald Baptie , author of The Ghost.

 

 

I think things through on by a beginning, middle and end model and then in those categories I plan in my head what to write and in detail review each chapter and category to make sure it is informative and easy to read, detailed and yet easy to follow                

 

Zekeria Yakup, author of Eastern Illyria.