Writing.Com General Discussion

I usually start with an idea that is pitifully vague, yet somehow suggests the type of world the story will be set in. I do world-building first because (a) I like it, and (b) people are products of the world they inhabit, so it makes sense to understand the world first.

I'm not getting opinionated here, there's nothing wrong with creating characters first, but it makes sense to me so I do world-building first.

As I create characters, I start to look for the underlying story, and keep going until I find it. Sometimes I find it in the wrong character - my intended MC gets demoted and the supporting character gets the promotion they deserve. Once I know what the underlying story is, I can create a plot that drives the story forward.

At that point, I can then begin doing any general or specifi research, and that can usually throw up things I want to use, so my plot can be adjusted here. Once I have all this, I can recheck my plot to make sure it does what it's supposed to, then begin drawing up an outline. The outline is a key tool to help identify plot holes, and ensure the action is rising and falling where it ought to be. It's easier to fix an outline than 100k words.