Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Chapter planning, whether it be a lot or none at all, is different for each individual writer but nonetheless, it can make or break your story. My lovely admins have suggested that I write this chapter and I'm here to do so!! I'm gonna give you a few different methods for planning below
MY WAY (or the highway)
I plan my chapters by summarizing what I want to happen. It's very very messy, with notes and quote ideas etc, but it gets the job done. I typically set up my chapters into two parts and give my word goals per part. Below is an example. As I come up with more or different ideas, I can easily just add them in.
CHAPTER ONE
(I usually put some title ideas that relate to what happens or significant quotes.)
Word Goal: Typically this is anywhere between 1-3k words, but a chapter about reaching a high word count will be up soon!
Like I said earlier, I just write what's going to happen. You can either be quite detailed with this or vague, typically I fall somewhere in the middle. Add specific dialogue ideas or something a character does. Not only will this help you write but you can kind of keep track of what you've written. Put things that you're unsure of, things that you know you can write well, and have fun with it!! Think of it as a big brainstorm for the chapter.
BRAINSTORM (Kinda like my way but less messy, oops?)
This one is kind of self-explanatory, but I'll explain anyways. Sit down and just brainstorm ideas for the chapter, sometimes I'll use this method if I'm vaguer than usual. Below, is a brainstorm of ideas for a chapter of my fic Devil's Backbone. Shameless self-promo, go check it out on my page!!!
- Verona leaves New York after Milana pisses her off, she leaves without telling her siblings.
- She arrives in New Orleans, she's on her way to a bar or something when Marcel stops her and asks her what a Ciavano vampire is doing in his city and he eludes to some past arguments between him and her family. She kicks his ass, then Klaus steps in.
- Klaus asks Verona who she is, then says that he's heard of her family.
I'm not gonna put anymore bc I'm still writing Devil's Backbone and I don't want to spoil anything!!
