Preplanning a novel

Hey guys, so I will be talking to you about the preplanning aspects of writing a fantasy/ sci-fi novel. This will mainly be about how I preplan for writing a novel. I will also be making many mentions to a program called Scrivener, which I use to make the outlines and character sheets for my writing projects. I will be going over Outlining and Characters in this article.

-Outlining-

The way I do my outlines is that I write out the pain points of each chapter. I use it as a guidance system of sorts. I like it on Scrivener that I have the option of doing it how I did it for my current WIP (Work In Progress) where it is all one document or I can be more anal retentive and have it divided up per chapter and then per scene. I do actually do that last part when typing up the novel to make it easier to edit later on. Below is a screenshot of part of the Outline as a example. As you can see I also color code a bit.

If I haven't gotten to a chapter yet I leave it in ordinary black text color. If I am currently working on a chapter, I highlight it in my favorite color, green, so it very eye catching if I have to scroll a ways through the outline. If I am done working on that chapter it looked like a mauve color.

Before using Scrivener, I was using index cards held together by two binder rings. I use to also write the character's name in a different color ink when they are first mentioned so I know when and what order they first show up in the story.

When writing out the outline I make sure that I mention the characters by name if there are going to be several people in that scene. I also try to keeps my summaries a clear as I can without planning out every single last detail so I have a bit of wiggle room to write and not feel like I am chained to an idea and not be able to expand on it in anyway.

Things you want to remember when doing an outline:

1) Know you characters to some extent- You don't have to know every single detail when you first start writing unless you plan it that way. You can just start out with a basic physical description and a name, or you can jot down every detail like how they look, favorite things, mannerisms, flaws, families/ relationships. It is up to you how much you want to know about them before you start. I'll go into characters a bit more in a minute.

2) Have a setting in mind- You at least need to know where your story is happening. You can't have a story without a setting. I will go into this more in a later article about world building.

3)Know you conflict- What is the main issue? What is you main character having to overcome? I at least have a main conflict in mind and then if I think of any side conflicts I write them down to keep track of them.

Now onto Characters...

You can have as many or as few characters as you want in a story. Hell in my first 3 novels I have planned out for my Draena (just realized it was misspelled on the Arrest of Serethiel story) there are 41 characters (main and side characters) that I making out character worksheets for.

A Character Worksheet as I do them has a couple different sections:

+Name, Race, Location of birth, gender, occupation, faction/ allegiance (this is all one section)

+Physical Description- This part has you standard, hair, eye, and skin tone, and then it also has tattoos, markings, scars, do they have facial hair?

+Habits and Mannerisms- This goes into personality, strengths, weaknesses, fears, darkest secret, greatest joy in life.

+Background- Family, Friends, Enemies, Rivals, what conflicts do they have (internal or external).

+Other Information- Do they have pets? do they use a weapon? What do they like to wear? What Hobbies do they like to do? Favorite Entertainment? Likes? Dislikes? And then to fill out as I write the story : How do they grow in the storyline?

I know it seems like a lot, but I like to describe my characters in great detail to where you can feel like you can see them and know them from reading their worksheet. It also helps me on how I write them during writing the novel.

I think I spend the most time on my character for this reason.

Well happy writing people. I hope this has helped you.