To Plan Or Not to Plan

When it comes to writing, fiction or scripts, I am a planner. I don't plan everything, but enough for me to go by as I am in the process of writing. In other words, I know where my story will go. For me, it's like driving. If we know our destination, we can take as many detours as we want and will get back to where we want to go. Otherwise, once we are sidetracked, we'll get lost, wondering whether we should continue on the current route or we should return to where we come from and keep on going. That's where a writer's block sets in.

As far as I am concerned, I have not run into such a problem: because I know where my story will go and how to get to the endpoint. That's right: endpoint. While writing, I have made some changes here and there as I see fit; however, I have never lost sight of my story's endpoint taking a detour or detours.

I have come across quite a few articles in writing journals about how to cope with a writer's block. Fortunately, I haven't had any since I started writing. The reason? I always plan my story, but just enough. Planning too much would stifle our creativity and spontaneity.

My conclusion: know thy endpoint. That is my "weapon" to ward off a writer's block.