If you do decide to alter the plot halfway through your novel, just make the necessary changes to your outline and get back on track. It is yours to change whenever you need to.

If planning still seems daunting or you’re worried that you might box yourself into an idea, remember that your outline is never set in stone. Planning your novel can save you valuable time in the editing stage. With a clear plan, your novel will be more structured and require less work to get it ready for publishing. Outlining means you always know what you need to be working on, keeping you from the dreaded blank page panic. Planning beforehand helps you stay on track with your storyline and will keep you from having to go back and rearrange your structure later. It helps with natural pacing and story structure.Having a clear focus from the beginning will help you hyperfocus on what you research and save you time in the long run. No matter what your novel is about, odds are you’ll need to do research or at least check a few facts. With a clear direction, you’ll be producing quality work in less amount of time, since you aren’t wondering where to go. You’ll write with the end in mind and stay focused on your characters’ goals and motivations. You’ll have a better sense of direction.Some benefits include, but are not limited to: That being said, there are benefits to planning your novel. Whatever helps you write, go for it! If you find planning completely squelches your creativity, don’t force yourself to do it and remain true to your own style. There is no right or wrong in either approach. Pantsers enjoy the freedom not planning brings. The pantsers are just the opposite, sitting down to write with only a kernel of an idea to start, and following their creativity wherever it leads them. Some people are natural planners and organizers, and it comes through in their writing practice. The planners outline their novel’s premises, themes, and characters before ever typing “Chapter 1”. Many writers agree we are split into two camps: the planners and the pantsers. You have your premise, your main characters dominate your daydreams, and you’ve done extensive research - but taking it from your head to the page can be overwhelming, leaving some newbie novelists frozen, staring at a blank page as white and daunting as a bleak winter scene out of Fargo. Whether you still write the old-fashioned way on pen and paper or type your masterpiece on your laptop, the fact remains that beginning a novel is hard. Planning your novel is less daunting with the help of a template (or two!).

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