Have you ever written a story out of order? There’s actually no rule that says you have to write in chronological order, or write scenes in the order that they’ll be read. Many writers – both plotters and pantsers – write a story in the order that it happens, either because they’re following their outline, or because they’re discovering how the story goes as they’re writing. 

I’m a plotter – I always have at least a rough outline before I start, and I have at least a vague idea of how I want the story to end. But that’s still a lot of “muddle in the middle” that has to get written, and I’ve found that writing scenes out of order can help keep me moving on a project, even if I’m feeling stuck. 

Here are three benefits I’ve found to writing out of sequence: