Eyes on Final Fantasy Forums > General > Writer's Corner > To the writers of original stories...

[Jojee]

Do you usually have your plot all figured out in your head before you start writing or do you make it up as you go along?

[Goldenboko]

Combination. I usually have a very clear beginning and end. I also usually end up making very specific events that must take place. I always have a vague idea of what is going to take place, but sometimes I need to improvise and make up details as I go along.

A great example of that would be originally in my Story Shades of Life, I was going to touch briefly on Akio teaching a class, but as I got into writing it I thought it was going well so I made up a way to make the students more important to the storyline.

[Odaisé Gaelach]

Usually I'd have a fair idea of the plot worked out beforehand. If there are gaps in it, I'd fill them in as I go. I try not to get too obsessed with getting the plot picture perfect before I start, because then I never start. And if there's plot holes in the story, I leave them and come back to them when I redraft my story.

One time I was writing a story where this girl was supposed to reveal her secret right at the very end of the story. Of course she didn't: she confessed half-way through. Damn. So I said, "Sod it, let's see what she does next," and the story still worked out all right.

[McLovin']

I have an idea of the plot in my head with all the twists then I write it and make up what the gaps as I go but when I feel it is the right time I'll drop an event. Till the end.

[Twilight Edge]

Most of the time I will get some inspiration out of nowhere and I will sketch out the storyline in my head and bridge up the gaps as I go along. I don't really put THAT much thought of what happens in between.

--Aegis.

[Strider]

I take a pretty fair amount of time to flesh out a general idea of what I want to do. Everything's got to have a beginning, middle and end, after all. I usually come up with character names pretty quickly, too, I suggest the phone book and movie credits for ideas in that department.

[Ashley Schovitz]

Originally Posted by Goldenboko ^

Combination. I usually have a very clear beginning and end. I also usually end up making very specific events that must take place. I always have a vague idea of what is going to take place, but sometimes I need to improvise and make up details as I go along.

A great example of that would be originally in my Story Shades of Life, I was going to touch briefly on Akio teaching a class, but as I got into writing it I thought it was going well so I made up a way to make the students more important to the storyline.

Basically what he/she said.

[Rase]

Like some other have said, I do a mix of both. I often think of a basic plot, characters, and various events I want to happen, and then go from there. What happens between those events is made up as I go along to accommodate them.