Do you ever write scenes (or chapters, or parts) out of order?
I’ve always written from the start to the finish in the past, however I’m contemplating skipping Part III of my current WIP and writing Part IV first. The reason being, Part IV directly relates to events in the previous Book, and I intend to publish the previous Book shortly. So, if I end up writing something in Part IV that requires a small change in Book 1, I’ll still have time to change it before Book 1 is published.
This fills me with fear however, as I haven’t yet committed the events of Part III to paper. Sure, I have them outlined, but I’m a bit of a panster – a lot of my character and plot stuff happens as I’m writing (forks in the road, deviations etc). I worry that I’ll write Part IV then go back to Part III, get an epic idea which will involve a major rewrite of Part IV. I suppose that’s not the end of the world though. Better rewrite a draft than not be able to change published Book 1 eh?
What about you? Do you write in order? If you jump around, how does that work for you? Love to hear from the planners and pansters both!
Jessica Bakkers 
I’m a bit of both in that I write between key events on my outline. How I get there is kind of like being a pantser. I write all of mine in order, every time.
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That’s how I’ve always done it too.
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Good question! I don’t release the first book in a series until the whole thing is written for that very reason. Even though I’m not a pantser, I’m constantly going back to revise and foreshadow. But I’m weird and I’ve never heard of anyone else doing it my way. I do write in order, but there’s no right or wrong approach, Jess. Happy Writing!
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I am a planner, my mind is wired to go in order. However, I do go back and change bits when I feel the need.
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Now I’m leaning toward doing part iii first, then IV, and THEN release book 1… which will push the release out to next year but is that such a big deal?
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I think we all have to do that, even the meticulous planners. We have to make room for inspiration, for insight, and for our characters to be themselves. Happy Writing.
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Yeah I know you’re weird but…. 😁
Truly though? You write the whole series first? There’s a certain safety in that that definitely appeals, but with my sloooooow writing record, it’s take me another 5 years to release this series! Maybe I’ll just get a few more integral chapters in this WIP done before releasing Guns….
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I know. I’m a nut. And I don’t recommend that everyone hold up their whole series for their last book. Please don’t! It’s just what works for me. And I do it for exactly the reason you wrote this post.
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I don’t think I will even though it makes the best sense… I’m just too impatient to do that 😁
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No it’s not a big deal. I say whatever works for you, do it!
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Good philosophy!
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I have to write in order. I’ve got too much of the panster in me to hop around.
For me, I’d be worried about those rewrites you mentioned when something happens to change what you’ve already written.
There are authors who hop around, so I guess it comes down to whatever works best for you.
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Exactly. I’d only be doing it out of necessity. I worry about making continuity errors by hopping around.
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I’ve always written in order, but I read somewhere that if you get stuck, you can hop around so you don’t just sit there and waste time. I’ll remember that for Nanowrimo!
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Best of luck with it!
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I usually write in order, but on one of my short stories a great scene popped into my head and I was not ready for it. I wrote it anyway. Then I went back and wrote the events before it, inserted that scene, then went on to finish. It made writing the story so much easier.
There were a couple other times I got an idea and wasn’t ready for it, but did not bother to write it down. By the time I wanted to write it I could not remember it. After that I decided to write it down while it was fresh.
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Good point! I’ve done that with small scenes but never a multiple chapter ‘part’… I’m still not sure if I will this time 😁
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I have been know to hop about, Jessica. As I often feature more than one character, I sometimes write something happening in a character’s life that catches my fancy and which I know is coming, out of order, because it inspires me to write that scene at the time.
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That makes good sense actually.
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My first and third books I wrote in a linear fashion. My second book was done completely out of order and I had two POVs. This sequel I’m getting ready to write is calling me to write out of sequence again. Each book for me demands its own technique, I guess. And I’m in between a planner and a panster.
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Thanks for weighing in Teri! Makes me feel a bit more comfortable about writing out of order 😁
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