#i'm not an expert but this is what works for me

[juju-on-that-yeet]

Hey JuJu! I have a question for ya. I have a ton and half of ideas of fanfics I want write so my question is. Do you have any tips or advice on planning a fic? I'm absolute terrible and I'll admit I'm more of a "Write As I Go/Post When Inspiration Hits" kinda writer. But with me trying to branch out. I want to actually finish the stories! Any ideas?

Omg sure!! :D

First thing, “write as you go and post whenever” is totally cool if you’re writing something short, like something you anticipate only needing a chapter or two. I never plan my one-shots, even if they take me more than one session, but they always just work out. If you plan out your one-shots you’re mostly just wasting time you could use to just write the thing XD

But for longer, multi-chapter works, yeah, planning is good. I tend to make outlines for my multi-chapter stories, basically saying in plain, summarized terms what I want to happen in each scene/chapter. I’d recommend that, but don’t feel a need to make it super-detailed. Give each scene/chapter a few sentences at most. For example, here’s the section of my outline I wrote for Chapter 7 of Worse Things (idk if you’ve read it, but even if not, hopefully this is still helpful ^^”):

“Over the next few days, the egos think they see signs of Yancy in security cameras and other things, but the trails always go cold and no investigation turns anything up. Lio is beside himself with worry and begins to truly understand how much Yancy means to him. He still fears commitment, though, and is afraid it’s too late to go back on his inaction.”

Pretty short and pretty vague, but that’s the point! It’s got the plot stuff I want to get across and the emotional stuff I want to get across. As to how I make that happen, that’s up to me when I write it! If there was something specific I wanted to include (like, if I had thought up the part at where Lio eavesdrops on Dark and Yandere’s conversation back when I was writing the outline and not when I was in the middle of writing the chapter :p), then I would mention it so I didn’t forget. But otherwise, it should be pretty simple, especially if you’ve got a bunch of chapters to plan. Writing the outline shouldn’t be as arduous as writing the fic, otherwise you’ll finish neither XD

Also: It’s better to use your outline as a guide, and not as an instruction manual. If you end up wanting to add/take away/change something? Do it! If you think this chapter would work better if it was split in two/combined with the next/previous chapter? Do it! Outlines are helpful for organization but don’t feel beholden to them. And it’s easier not to feel that pressure if your outlines are vague and simple in the first place. It’s all connected, very big brain stuff here XDDD

TL;DR, use outlines for multi-chapter works, but don’t reinvent the wheel with them, and let your story evolve past them if it so happens! Hope this helps and good luck with your writing! :D