How I Write Novels, Part 1: Prepping for the First Draft

Kicking off a summer series on how I write books, from idea to finished draft.

There’s a popular idea in the writing world that you’re either a “plotter” or a “pantser.”

Plotters outline everything in advance. They create detailed character sheets, map out scenes, and know exactly where their story is headed before they write a single word.

Pantsers, on the other hand, write by the seat of their pants. They start with a loose idea, maybe a scene or a character, and figure things out as they go.

I’ve been both.

I’ve written with elaborate outlines, and I’ve also started with nothing more than a character and a question. These days, I’ve found that I land somewhere in the middle. I like having a general sense of where I’m going, but if I plan too much, I lose the magic of discovery. And that’s one of my favorite parts of writing the first draft.

I think most writers fall somewhere on that spectrum. Plot too tightly and you might feel boxed in. Plan too little and you might stall out midway. So here’s what my version of middle-ground prep looks like:

1. I start with genre.
Genre gives me a framework. Since I usually write mysteries, there are some beats I know I’ll hit—an amateur sleuth, a murder, a set of suspects, clues, and ultimately, a showdown with the killer & a resolution. Knowing the general shape helps me brainstorm not just the plot, but the emotional journey of the book. If I’m writing a romance or fantasy, I’ll adjust the lens but still look for the core beats and tropes that make that genre satisfying.

2. I think about the protagonist’s arc.
Before I write, I like to get to know my main character—not in exhaustive detail, but enough to understand her internal and external journeys. In a mystery, the external arc is straightforward: solve the crime. But there’s also an inner arc: maybe she starts out unsure of herself and ends up trusting her instincts. I sketch out that growth, even if it changes later. These arcs often connect to subplots, like a love interest, that bring depth and heart to the story.

3. I list major scenes and beats.
With genre and character in mind, I brainstorm scenes, especially the ones I know I want to write. I think about the opening, the inciting incident (usually the discovery of the body for my mysteries), the first confrontation with a suspect, a threat from the killer, and the final scene. I don’t plan every scene (I like to leave room for surprises) but I try to identify key moments that act like signposts as I draft.

Sometimes I know who the killer is when I start. Sometimes I find out halfway through the first part. That’s part of the fun. I’ve learned to trust the process and follow the threads that show up along the way.

In the next newsletter, I’ll share how I actually start the draft and what my writing days look like once the prep is done.

For now, I’d love to know: are you more of a plotter, a pantser, or somewhere in between?

Head to the comments (or hit reply) and tell me where you fall on the spectrum, or how your own prep process looks.