How I Plan My Stories As A Discovery Drafter

Recently, I've been toying with another thriller idea. I told myself I'd take a break from writing since I was working on my previous thriller — working title: Project Puzzle — from the end of January to the end of August this year. That book was a huge undertaking, despite not being particularly long. I’d never written a straight thriller before and at times it wasn’t easy to navigate the story and find the way forward.

I figured a break would be nice before jumping into a final revision before I send it off to the editor in December.

Alas, my imagination didn't want to play ball.

Now, ideas have been circulating.

But how do discovery drafters (or pantsers) plan their stories? What does my process look like as someone who doesn’t like to plan too much in advance?

Before I dive into my process, it’s worth noting that this process can look different for every project. Sometimes, the hardest part is planning, sometimes it’s drafting, sometimes it’s revising. I’ve written many books in many genres, including fantasy, mystery, thriller, historical fiction, and adventure. But here is what my process generally looks like.

Phase 1:

The first phase is mulling over potential ideas. Despite being a character-driven writer, I usually think of the initial or overarching conflict first.

For example, in the case of Project Puzzle, the first idea seed was an inheritance available to strangers. For my current idea (TFPD), it’s a dinner party that goes terribly wrong.

Once I know the initial conflict, I start to tease out the plot and explore who the characters are and what’s really at stake.

For me, knowing that first or central conflict is really important, especially for anything within the crime genre. The whole book is usually centred around that initial conflict — whether it’s a murder, a missing person, a suspicious initiation, etc — so having that as a starting point for my planning is key to developing the rest of the story. My initial focus is always the main conflict (this could even just be the inciting incident). My second focus is discovering the characters who will drive the plot.

Phase 2:

Phase 2 is where I really start getting into the meat of the story. The ideas are forming and they’re starting to gel. Now I can properly investigate the characters and explore their motives and backstories and how this links to the central conflict or will add to the overall plot.

For TFPD, I knew I needed to make the central conflict bigger than what it appeared. I had the urge to write about a past crime cropping up and then I explored that idea and teased out possibilities of how a past crime could link to the current story.

For Project Puzzle, the biggest thing to consider was the why behind it all. Only by figuring that out could I start to learn more about the characters. I also had a really strong idea for one of the characters and their backstories and I needed a way to piece that together.

At this point in my brainstorming, I also have a clearer idea of the overall story trajectory. This means I can usually pinpoint the key plot points — like the opening scene, inciting incident and midpoint. Most things past the midpoint tend to be a bit hazy and I often discover that while I draft. (That's the pantser life for you!)

Phase 3:

No it’s time to start writing! I love writing the openings to stories. It’s always been my favourite part. I love introducing the characters and setting up the first seeds of conflict. As a discovery drafter, it’s also where I really come to know my characters. I find their voices and personalities and let them guide me. I also discover the tone and mood of the story.

Because openings are my favourite to write, I know that if I’m having trouble getting started then I’ve started in the wrong place.

For example, when I first started Project Puzzle, I opened it too early. There wasn’t as much of a hook and the POV character’s personal conflicts were too central rather than the larger conflict of the plot. I knew I needed to start somewhere else, so I brought the opening forward and started later and it clicked.

For TFPD, I began drafting in the wrong POV. I wrote a few hundred words and while I was enjoying the perspective and the narrative, it didn’t feel impactful or gripping enough. With that in mind, I now intend to write the first chapter from a different POV. Hopefully that will be the right one.

A lot of the writing process is trial and error, and as writers we need to be OK with not getting it right straightaway. It’s even more so the case for discovery writers, as we’re really flying by the seat of our pants and letting the plot and characters lead us. When I find myself heading somewhere I didn’t expect and aren’t sure how to navigate, I often have to pause writing and take some time to think through my options and the trajectory for the story to make sure I don’t write myself into any corners I can’t get out of.

At the end of the day, every writer’s process will be different. While I hope this has been insightful, there is no right or wrong way to plan a story.

If you’re thinking about planning and drafting something new, my 16-Week Planning & Drafting Coaching could be just what you need to help you explore your ideas and stay motivated to write. If getting your thoughts out on paper and staying accountable to a writing project has ever been a challenge for you, this could be the answer to make that easier.