: Re: Should I write my story if I haven't established a plot? I'm in the process of start writing my story and I'm not sure if I should do it if I'm not done with the main plot of the story.

@Sue2132873

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I would say yes, start writing. My pieces are more character driven and end up going in directions I did not anticipate. I have a good grasp of my characters and watch them interact with each other, writing what occurs. Mine has a plot, but is more weighted towards character than plot.

Some novels are almost pure character studies where little seems to happen. The great Thomas Mann wrote what should be one of the dullest books in history as Magic Mountain has a man go visit a sick friend in a hospital, becoming ill himself and meeting characters that you don’t really need to like. It is life in a hospital, time stretching on and patients competing with each other to see who has the highest fever. Tiny things happen, then the main character leaves. It is a masterwork and purely enthralling.

Most are a balance of plot and character, but which came first, only the author knows. Coming up with a general plot and then creating characters to suit it an enact it - casting it - works very well for many. Others create characters and imagine them doing something and start there.

What kind of writer you are, only you know.

Mysteries are often written starting at the end, but begin yours where you are most confident, where it feels right and go on from there.

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