Writing a Book: Step 5.5 - Plan your Chapters

Okay, I promise that this mini step is the last step to accomplish before we actually get to the writing; planning your chapters.

As with the previous mini step, this one may not be for everyone. Some of you might already have your story outline, others - or both - may have followed Step 4.5 and written general paragraphs outlining each chapter.

For this step, you could take it that bit further if you feel the need/want to or like being organised and planning things out before you start writing. Personally, I absolutely love this step as it allows me to delve into the chapter before I begin writing and ensures that I can meet my word count goal.

Now, the way that I find the most helpful to plan out my chapters in detail is by using bullet points and writing down either individual scenes or dialogue that takes place within the chapter. Mine tend to be quite long and can take 2 - 3 days to actually write out, so this step might not work for every writer out there. However, I find that it keeps me focused on the important events of each scene and each chapter and I always end up reaching my word count goal from the chapter.

Depending on your preference, you can either plan out every chapter first, before you start writing, or you can do what I do: plan out one chapter, write said chapter, and then go on to plan the next chapter. I swear by this step - it's what keeps me going and avoids writer's block (or at least it has so far).

Don't quote me on that; everybody encounters writer's block at some stage, but I feel that doing this has really really helped me remain stress free and willing to write.

So, if this is for you, give this a try! If it isn't, have your pens and/or keyboards at the ready to start writing that first chapter!