Some writers are heavy planners. They like to begin with an outline or at least a detailed understanding of where the writing will go and how it will get there. Others prefer to improvise, to follow their impulses and inspirations.

Most successful writers come to see that both planning and freewheeling are important, that even outlines don't just spring into being without some inspiration and improvisation.

Most successful writers come to see that both planning and freewheeling are important, that even outlines don't just spring into being without some inspiration and improvisation. And even the most original and expansive ideas eventually need to be shaped, evaluated, and prioritized.

As you organize your writing, then, think about your composing style. Are you more of a planner or an improviser? If you're a planner, try staying open to new possibilities that appear while you're writing. If you're a freewheeler, you might pause now and then to look at the big picture, to consider how the words you've just written could fit into an overall pattern.