: Re: How much planning should go on before beginning writing? I really want to begin my first novel, but I'm just not sure how clear of an outline I should have before I start. Is a detailed

@Speyer920

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I find that for longer works, it is a lot easier for me if I have an outline. I don't bother working up a full detailed synopsis, however. Instead, I just identify the key points of interest for each chapter. This usually helps me to think through the story line before I jump right in and start working on it. My epic fantasy novel ended up with 115,000 words, but the outline was only two pages (about 500 words).

For shorter work, such as a short story or novella, I may write down a couple of key points and perhaps some details about one or more specific characters. From there I just start writing. In fact, once I write down the general idea, I usually don't look at it again until I am done or nearly done with the whole thing. As I edit I may check to see if I missed anything from my initial notes, but not always.

Ultimately, as a writer you need to find what works for you. Everybody is different.

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