I admit it, I’m a planner. I will plan every scene of my book. I outline it. I write out in paragraph form, then sometimes I’ll put the scenes on note cards and arrange them on the floor to make sure the story arc works. Interestingly, enough this process is what often leads to wonderful changes in the story when I actually get down to writing it. Because I’ve spent the time with my story and exploring the possibilities, it stays with me. It becomes part of me. I’ll dream about my characters and imagine them in various scenarios. This daydreaming contributes to what happens when pen hits paper. The planning process is often the most exciting time of the writing process for me.

However, I fully realize that many other writers simply sit down and write. They’re called “pantsters” because they write by the seat of their pants. I believe, actually I know, that many of them spend countless hours daydreaming about their story too. It’s a sort of unstructured planning process.

Dreaming is an important part of the book planning process. Do you daydream about your story before or during the writing process? How do you plan your book?