Outlining or discovery writing: which suits you

Published on September 13, 2026 · Roberto Sirolo · 3 min read

Among novelists there's a distinction that keeps coming up: on one side those who plan everything before writing the first line, on the other those who sit down with an idea and discover the story by writing it. They're often called plotters and pantsers, from "writing by the seat of your pants". Both methods have produced great books, and the debate about which is better has no answer. It does, however, have a more useful question: which one works for you?

Writing with an outline

Planners prepare a map first: the main turning points, a chapter list, sometimes every scene with its purpose.

Strengths

you always know what to write when you sit down, and blank-page paralysis shrinks;
the structure holds: turns are set up, threads get tied off;
revision is usually lighter, because big problems are solved on paper.

Risks

the story can feel mechanical, with characters carrying out the plan instead of living;
some authors, having planned everything, lose the desire to write it: they've already "lived" the story;
you tend to ignore the best ideas that arrive during drafting, out of loyalty to the plan.

Writing without a plan

Discovery writers start from a character, a situation or an image, and follow the story where it goes.

Strengths

characters and dialogue are often livelier and more surprising, because they surprise the writer too;
discovery keeps motivation high: you write partly to find out what happens;
unexpected turns arise naturally.

Risks

you stall halfway, when the initial momentum runs out and you don't know where to go;
the first draft needs far more rewriting: chapters to cut, abandoned plotlines, endings to set up backwards;
it's easy to write for months without ever reaching the end.

The middle way

In practice, almost all authors use a combination. Some common forms:

tent poles: you decide the opening, the ending and two or three central turns, and write freely between them;
the rolling outline: you plan only the next three or four chapters, and update the map as you go;
write, then plan: you discovery-write the first part to get to know the characters, then stop to build a structure for the rest;
the outline after the draft: you write freely and build an outline of the finished book, to see what doesn't hold in revision.

How to find your method

A few questions help:

Have you ever stalled halfway through a project? You probably need more planning.
Have you lost interest in a story after planning it all? Then plan less, and leave room for discovery.
Do you enjoy building the map or exploring more? Enjoyment is a good guide: you won't keep up a method you hate for a whole novel.

Your method can also change from book to book. A mystery, with clues and red herrings to plant, often needs more planning than a quiet character-driven novel.

In NovLore

The book structure adapts to both ways of working: you can set up the list of parts and chapters in advance, or add them one at a time as you write and reorder them later by dragging. The map of the book is never locked.

Frequently asked questions

Do discovery writers need an outline anyway?

Sooner or later, yes, even if only in revision. Rebuilding the structure of the finished book is the quickest way to spot open plotlines, repetition and chapters with no function.

Should I follow the outline to the letter?

No. It's a map, not a contract. If a better idea arrives while drafting, change the map: what matters is updating it, so you can see what changes in the rest of the book.

How detailed should an outline be?

Detailed enough that you don't get stuck. For some, five lines for the whole book are enough; others want a card for every scene. If the outline takes away your desire to write, it's too detailed.