Starting a new book: to plan or not to plan?

February 8, 2011

Well, I’ve started a new book. I got the idea on a trip back from the Lake District ten days ago – and of course, it wasn’t an idea I’d planned, it was one that just slipped into my mind and grabbed me, somewhere around Lancaster!

It helped that Mr and Ms B were in the car and as they were a captive audience, I got to bounce some ideas off them.

In the past, I’ve started books with everything from complete panstering to an 8-page outline. I keep telling myself I’ll only end up rewriting anyway, so why bother with an outline?

At the moment my ‘plan’ is a few hundred words of notes at the end of the wip. I’ve written the first chapter and keep meaning to write down a detailed outline but find I don’t want to stop the flow at the moment -and in some ways, not having fixed ideas about the characters is fun, because they’re finding their own voices and telling me about themselves as I go along.

On the other hand, maybe it would be better to get those thoughts on paper so I can have a better idea of the conflicts and turning points.

There’s no right or wrong answer – or is there? Do you outline a book at the start or just go with the flow?

Comments

1. On February 8th, 2011 at 11:43 am
   Sue Roebuck Says:
   

   Love the Lake District and it’s just the place for inspiration. Lucky you getting grabbed by the muse (even if it was near Lancaster 🙂 )
   What a beautiful picture of Ambleside. Now I’m homesick…
   Good luck with the writing.

2. On February 8th, 2011 at 1:12 pm
   Nell Dixon Says:
   

   I know the ending and the beginning but the middle bit is where the magic happens so I can’t plan it. If I try to plan it when I look back later I’ve usually written a completely different book to the one in the plan.

3. On February 8th, 2011 at 1:20 pm
   Phillipa Says:
   

   Sue – the irony is this book is set in Cornwall but I often get ideas as a passenger on long car journeys – especially when chilled out after a weekend in the Lakes. 🙂

   Nell – you’d never know you were panstering; your books are always so tightly constructed and developed. Maybe I should just go with the flow…

4. On February 8th, 2011 at 5:42 pm
   Debs Says:
   

   I tend to write notes and a various ideas that I have for the characters, but then let them develope as I go along.

5. On February 9th, 2011 at 12:12 am
   liz Says:
   

   Love the pic…’nother Cornwall book 🙂

   I’m like Nell…I tend to know the end and the beginning but not much else … write the first draft as an explore….

   Good luck and enjoy.

   lx

6. On February 10th, 2011 at 5:05 am
   Helen Says:
   

   I am a reader from HK who just happened to come across your book decent exposure in kindle. and i absolutely adored it. in the end, i finished all your books within this week (and your last book It should have been me kept me up to 4am =))

   look forward to your new book in july!!

7. On February 10th, 2011 at 5:29 am
   Phillipa Says:
   

   @Liz – yes, (blush) another Cornwall book. I love it there but funds won’t stretch to another bolthole! Glad you explore too.:)

   Helen – wow, thanks for the kind words. I love the idea of you reading my books in Hong Kong.