To plan or not to plan?

Hello again. When it comes to novel writing, should you plan in detail or just get on with it the moment an idea strikes? The latter rarely works - if you ever get to the end it will be an overblown incoherent mass the best use for which is to warn yourself never to not plan again! Many writing experts advise all writers, and especially those starting out, to plan in some detail, but too much detail and you will end up taking for ever to write some weighty outline you will never stick to, or you will get bored of the story before you ever write it. The best way is to find a happy medium. the way I try to operate is to make sure I know my characters, their relationships and motivations, and when, where and how the story starts. You also have to have your ending. An ending, not necessarily the ending - at least have something to work towards. Also, make sure you have a few events (encounters, disasters, arguments etc) that get in the way of you viewpoint characters and that must occur in the story. That way, your end is connected to your beginning by a series of milestones, but what goes in between is up to you. It is not pre-cast. The journey will be an exciting adventure for character and author alike, but the result will be far more coherent than having no plan at all. Jack Orchison, December 1, 2013.