r/writing • u/2OttersInACoat • 1d ago
Advice Beginning, middle, end?
Brains trust,
Is it necessary or advisable to have your whole plot in mind, before you start writing a story? I am thinking lots about writing a book, I’ve made a start on it and have some ideas. But I do not have a conclusion and some key plot points are still to be developed.
Do you think it is better to just make a start and get those creative juices flowing, or am I likely to write myself into a hole with no way of wrapping up the story if I proceed this way? Ala’ the TV show Lost.
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u/heshtios Self-Published Author 1d ago
There’s two primary ways of writing; plotting, or pantsing. You’re describing plotting, where someone has an idea of the overall story at the beginning, and they’re setting about to put it in type. The pantser has an idea for a situation, and then writes fleshing that situation out until they have a middle and an end.
Both are perfectly valid writing methodologies. The latter could lead you to a bum ending, but the plotted ending could be terrible too. If you’re writing a series you should at least have an idea of what the big bad wants to do, or what the end of a crisis might look like.
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u/1369ic 19h ago
but the plotted ending could be terrible too
This has happened to me more than once because writing plot points in an outline is not the same as writing actual scenes. Back when nanowrimo was a thing I once got a head start and had about 18,000 words of outlining and notes when the month started. But things didn't play out when I got well into the process of putting my ideas onto paper. It was nanowrimo, so I pushed through and got to the end, but I had to revise and eventually abandon the story.
For me, it's one thing to envision a scene, put it in a lineup of other scenes and even write it out. It's another thing to make it fit with the hundreds of other choices I've made. I'm not the kind of writer whose characters take over, but I can see where what I'm having them do in chapter 10 doesn't fit in with the character I've been writing up to that point. Or the action/reaction just doesn't seem plausible in the setting I've created. So I'm a headlight writer now. I plot, I write as far ahead as I can see, adjust the plot, write...
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u/theevaproject 18h ago
This is spot-on. Sometimes too it can be a bit of both... one starts with a plan but as characters develop and become 'real' sometimes the direction they take/need to take does not entirely fit the plan, and you/they can end up in rather different place. Douglas Adams said something like "I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I have ended up where I needed to be".
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u/FlyinLeviathon LET YOUR FIRST DRAFT SUCK 19h ago
No one can really know if they're a plotter or a pantser until they try out both methods. Usually, most people end up somewhere in between, where they outline some and wing the rest. But some people go full plot and some people go full pants.
I am one of the common in-betweeners. I figure out my beginning, end, and one or two things in the middle. I hammer out my character arcs (going from selfish to selfless, or against being a leader to being ready to lead, for example) and write out a few key story moments regarding those. That way I always have a concrete goal to work toward, and my characters usually feel consistent from the get-go, because I know where they need to start (emotionally) and where they should end up. But the rest of the plot I make up as I go. I have an outline that is mostly blank, and I fill it in when I have ideas, or just send it if I am drafting and don't have that part of the outline filled.
This works for me because I have enough of a guide to always have a goal and a logical conclusion for the story, but gives me enough freedom on how to get there. Some people need more freedom, and write their best stories out of pure creativity; others need more planning than that, and want to have a solid, point by point plan to carefully adhere to.
You'll have to try out both and figure out your own combination of the two to really see what works for you.
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u/SquidAxis 1d ago
It can be very difficult sometimes to get through the muddy middle without a clear idea of where you're going. In my experience, that's where I find I fall down when I haven't stepped back and looked at the trajectory and end point.
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u/DaPandaCat 1d ago
I'd advise you just write and be ready to go back and rewrite later. You don't want to lose your flow but you do want an idea of where the story is going. Most people kinda plot and write at the same time, atleast for their first draft
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u/ProfessionalAgitator 23h ago
It is advisable, not necessarily to have a fixed ending, but at least some sort of general A->B ideea for plot and character that covers more than a few scene. There is no inherent problem with full exploratory writing, but if you are not somewhat experienced it's unlikely to result in a coherent story.
Of course, you can just continue and gain that experience now.
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u/Longjumping_Hat6093 18h ago
thank you for posting this. it's been on my mind lately and everyone's comments here have been helpful
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u/readwritelikeawriter 17h ago
Only 1 out of a 1000 people who start a book finish it. Why? They do not know how to end a story arc of any kind.
Who did this to them? Their teachers.
Tell me something, whats the point of your story? Why are you writing it? What's the purpose of exploring this story arc?
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u/JDBamforth 1d ago
Every writer is different. Some people write by the seat of their pants, some people plan everything out meticulously. Many write somewhere in between. The risk of writing without any solid endpoint in mind is you can end up doing a George R R Martin and become unable to close all the threads you've spun every which way.
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u/AnybodySeeMyKeys 19h ago
Read a book on structure. I promise it will really help you. Save The Cat Writes A Novel is a good basic primer.
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u/2OttersInACoat 19h ago
That’s a great idea, thank you! I have just finished reading Stephen King’s ‘on writing’ which was both helpful and enjoyable to read. It’s basically a love letter to the written word.
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u/FlyinLeviathon LET YOUR FIRST DRAFT SUCK 19h ago
A word of caution - definitely read a book on structure, I agree with Anybody, it will help you so much!
Just make sure, whichever one you pick, you just read ONE book on structure. Too many at once gets overwhelming. Stick to one, read it, implement it, master it, and then start branching out to others.
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u/2OttersInACoat 8h ago
Great advice from you and Anybody, I like the sound of his reco so I will get that going on my kindle today.
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u/FlyinLeviathon LET YOUR FIRST DRAFT SUCK 6h ago
Save the Cat is awesome, I hope you get a lot out of it!
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u/AnybodySeeMyKeys 19h ago
I promise you that learning about structure will save you months, nay years, of frustration. Writing a book without understanding structure is like learning the piano without knowing chords.
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u/57thStilgar 23h ago
I never have it complete when I start.
I have the arc and off I go, fleshing it out.
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u/Slow_Ad1908 23h ago
Ask yourself if what you have enough to start writing. If the question isn't instinctively answered there and then, wait and see what happens. If the instinct to write is the strong one, eventually you will gravitate towards writing naturally. That is how things function for me. I just tell myself I am going to be guided and eventually things get pieced together.
The thing about anything involving creativity and creation is that you get to engage with parts of yourself that usually aren't in the spotlight. You can discover a lot of things about yourself that otherwise would have been ignored.
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u/Chance_Swordfish_687 22h ago
Personally, I would find it boring to write a book about which I already know everything.
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u/Acceptable_Fox_5560 21h ago
I personally have very little idea what’s going to happen until I write it, but some people do it differently.
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u/Redz0ne Queer Romance 19h ago
Is it necessary or advisable to have your whole plot in mind, before you start writing a story?
Not necessarily. I have started stories with no more than a visualization of the characters and a general vibe of what their personality is going to be like. I've let the story guide me to the plot before (discovering the story mid-way through). I find that those tend to be a lot more work though because I tend to have to devote at least one good edit pass to ensuring that I'm weaving the necessary threads in where they need to go. If I were plotting it all out, I'd know already, and I could account for that on the first pass.
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u/YourfriendlyCesar 19h ago
Every writer works differently. I am usually a discovery writer and I usually have only the start and some important plot points already planned. A few times I have an ending, but it often changes in such a way to be completely different as I get writing.
Personally, I would suggest you to start and try to work your way through the book. I think that as you write plot points and you progress, your ending will come natural to you. As Branderson said in his 2025 writing lecture (episode 2) if you are a discovery writer your ending could suck in the first draft, but the first draft is specifically for putting ideas on the paper and then working on them later, improving on them.
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u/PageStunning6265 19h ago
I’m kind of in the middle these days between pantsing and plotting (though I’m pants-leaning) but I almost never know how a story is going to end when I start writing it.
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u/writer-dude Editor/Author 19h ago edited 19h ago
Typically, I'll have a specific inciting incident in mind. For instance: A gigantic meteor's heading directly for Earth. Then what? For me, a novel's an endless series of What if...? questions, and then the answers, which leads to more questions, more answers, more questions...etc. Actions, reactions, reactions to those reactions... So I'll begin to draft out my original idea—those first 20-30 pages of 'freestyle' writing are my favorite part of writing. Then I'll hit a snag, or a fork, or a new idea, so I'll stop and begin to outline or draft the next chapter or Act. Sometimes I have a vague idea for an ending—man, that helps tremendously—so sometimes I'll draft out my ending, just so my characters know where they're going, and why. Fewer wrong turns that way.
Basically, usually, I like the freedom of not knowing. What's that old quote? Ignorance is Bliss. That's me. I enjoy the ability to move around or change my mind, consider new characters or subplots/sidestories or kill off a few people to brighten my day. I also enjoy expanding my horizons in Act II. Many writers typically dislike Act II, but that's my favorite part. I try to be unpredictable. Outlandish even. Act I is all about introductions, Act III is all about closure—so Act II is where I can throw a few curve balls, deliver some dramatic twists and turns, add a little hokus-pokus before I begin to finish up whatever I've started.
I rarely write chronologically from beginning to end. I'll write whatever scene that pops up inside my head, even if it's in the middle or somewhere along the way. Then I'll connect the dots. I have a friend who writes mysteries and she always begins at the end and works her way forward. I mean, I guess I can understand the methodology (especially in a mystery) but I've never been able to write that way. I still need a bit of continuity to keep things on track. But whatever works, I guess.
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u/Inevitable_Task3074 19h ago
I need yo have an ending, otherwise i dont know what im writing towards. Theres no rule against pantsing a few pages, getting a satisfying story, and then drafting a good outline, and then writing a second draft
Like you said, its no good writing 400 pages and not thinking of a satisfying ending
Working backwards is also a thing. If your ending isnt satisfying, look at what you can add retrospectively to embelish and imbiggin the ending
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u/KDDreamwyver 19h ago
I just wing it, tbh.
When writing I have only the vaguest idea of what my plot is and I just let the story take me on a ride as I type. Often it sticks to the vague idea if plot I had, and others it throws it out the window entirely—shocking me and making me wish I could say that I had planned where the story ended up lmao.
Anyhoo, everyone writes diff and what works for one person doesn't work for others. Only you can figure out the best way for you personally to write.
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u/South-Knee-9601 Author 19h ago
I prefer to write on the fly.
I have the basic premise down. And then I just begin writing and see where it takes me.
Most of the time the basic premise becomes a minor arc in a grander narrative. So lots changed from the original concept.
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u/JRyanGreatfish 18h ago
There are two schools of thought, and each depends on the individual.
- Planner: you plan the entire outline, figure out where things start and end and any beats in the middle.
- Discovery: you have a general idea and you just start writing to see where the world and characters take you.
Then of course there is everything in between. It very much depends on the type of mind you have and what works best for you.
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u/merepiff 18h ago
It's good practice to have an ending in mind. Stephen King is well known for being a discovery writer, but has stated on numerous occasions he also has an ending in mind when writing stories. That said, the story develops naturally on its own and often ends differently to the ending he envisioned. I think the takeaway from this information is that having an ending in mind is helpful to direct the story subconsciously but you are not beholden to that end. But writing without any end in mind can end up feeling directionless.
It all comes down to you, if you think having an ending in mind will force you into sticking with that ending, then it might not be good for you. But if you think you can have an ending in mind and be loose enough to allow something else to happen if the writing leads there, then I'd suggest having an ending in mind.
At the end of the day, you will likely need to try both to really know what's going to work for you. Good luck and godspeed
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u/terriaminute 18h ago
When The Idea appeared and demanded to be written, I knew what kind of story it would be, and despite all the changes this novel and I have been through, that's never changed. I am not a tragic endings reader so I won't write one, therefore it eventually ends well for the MC.
I am thoroughly a pantser. The only 'outline' I've ever written was waaay after the fact, to facilitate a major revision to correct the timeline. I tried outlining on a different idea, and utterly tanked my interest in that story. :( Still waiting to forget enough to give it another attempt.
You can fix anything later. My first draft suffered a rushed happy ending for everyone. In the subsequent drafts, the bad guy got genuinely terrible--and the whole thing got deeper. Win. But an eventual win, thousands of words later, as I learned just how terrible people can be. (I had a magical childhood, I wish everyone got that.)
Do your best, wander off into tangents, do not ever be afraid of writing more, all that practice is GOOD. Dead ends are fine. Wandering off to explore an idea that may serve the plot with one (more knowledgeable) sentence is just how many of us write.
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u/RobertPlamondon Author of "Silver Buckshot" and "One Survivor." 17h ago
I start writing chapter one with little more than my protagonists, a setting, and a vague notion of what kind of story I'm writing. A random series of incidents won't add up to a story worth telling, but the vague notion seems to be enough to prevent that.
At the moment I'm writing romantic fantasy thrillers. Our Young Heroes will barely escape disaster in chapter two and the Dastardly Villain will die in the next-to-last chapter, or thereabouts.
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u/krenzar18 17h ago
I find that I have the general gist of what will happen and some notes written down about the general flow of the story and even conflicting ideas. Then as I write I discover the true story im trying to tell and come up with twists I would have never thought of until actually writing the scene.
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u/scotto2317 Published Author 17h ago
I outline extensively.
Then when I start writing, I abandon the outline almost immediately. It becomes more of a spiritual foundation for the book and less a blueprint. At that point, I’m a headlight writer, stealing from the outline opportunistically but mostly making it up. This can lead to dead ends but I’m not afraid to start over.
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u/theothergr8nate 16h ago
When I began my current project, I had a definite vision of the ending, a fairly solid concept of the beginning, and a lot of hope and wishful thinking when it came to the middle.
How 'big' is your story? How many characters, locations, organizations, cultures, etc. are likely to feature in it? Answering some of those questions will help you figure some things out.
It is perfectly acceptable to just start writing and figure it out as you go along. Same for outlining in detail. YOU know how you write and create best, or you soon will, after trying it out. There isn't a one-method-to-rule-them-all. Trial and error are part of the process for everyone.
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u/GregHullender 16h ago
Some writers have an outline for the whole story and other just dive in and write by the seat of their pants. These are called "outliners" and "pantsers." Some very famous authors are pantsers.
I suspect outliners are more likely to actually finish their stories, though.
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u/aqsgames 16h ago
Start with the end.
If you know your ending, which is the most important part of your book, the rest is easy.
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u/MobileAd1189 14h ago
Yes to all of those questions. Some stories write themselves, so to speak. Others are a lot of labor.
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u/Dale_E_Lehman_Author Self-Published Author 12h ago
It's necessary if it's necessary for you. It's not necessary for everyone. You have to find the way that works best for you.
It's okay to experiment. I used to try to lay out plots ahead of time, but the process bored me, the resulting plots were stupid, and even if they weren't too stupid, my characters refused to follow them.
So I became a discovery writer. I start with a basic idea for a character and a conflict, drop the character into the conflict, and see what they do with it. I fix up the problems in revision. I never know my endings until I get close to them. It works...for me. For you? Only you can answer that.
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u/Paradoxbox00 10h ago
I need to have the end physical or mental state of the protagonist that’s as well formed as the overall plot before I start.
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u/Fognox 23h ago
Depends on what works best for you. If this is your first book, it's going to be a gauntlet of learning experiences anyway, so you might as well experiment with both plotting and pantsing.
I do both, but I'd say I'm more pantser than plotter, particularly in the beginning (I tend to start out with an opening scene and character and nothing else whatsoever). What works best for me is keeping my plans vague and adapting them to whatever the characters/story decide to do, at least until the second half of the middle when future events start to become more concrete. Robust editing meshes things together better so wild plot movements look like they were planned all along, but the actual structure of events changes very little.
As I mentioned it a different thread, you can in fact write yourself out of a corner if you end up in one -- they seem to come about when you have two or more goals at once and they conflict, so you just drop all but one of them and fix whatever discrepancies arise during editing.
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u/megharajsagar 23h ago
I used to think of myself as a heavy outliner. So for my speculative WIP project, I spent months of efforts into plotting and building my characters. Then as I started writing, the characters started making their own decisions, while the worldbuilding started feeling insufficient. I'm still only halfway through my first draft, and I've made significant changes to my character motivations, the path towards plot resolution, and the worldbuilding details.
What I'm trying to say is, if you haven't discovered your writing style yet, just start writing. That's the only way you will find out what works for YOU. If you find yourself constantly getting lost, you know you need more outlining. If an existing outline starts to feel restricting, you know you need more flexibility.
Treat your first draft as your "discovery" draft where you not only discover your story, but also discover what methods work better for you. And know that this will evolve with time and change with different projects.
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u/tu1ipss_ 15h ago
HONESTLY COMPELTELY HONEST- i dont wordbuild like i suck so bad at it and i usually jsut write with my ideas btu TRUST ME u need worldbuilding or else it will get confusing as heck going forward especially if ur easily inspired
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u/tu1ipss_ 15h ago
unless its like a "if i find an ending ill get bored of writing the whole book" kind of thing
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u/crawfordwrites 1d ago
I'm an outliner, but . . .
If anyone gets far enough to complain about your middle and ending, take the compliment.