Comments on: pantser or plotter

By: abby mumford

abby mumford — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 13:00:56 +0000

this is very true. i’m still in the process of discovering what is most comfortable for me…

By: Kelly B

Kelly B — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 01:00:01 +0000

I think the best way to write is whatever way you are most comfortable with.

By: abby mumford

abby mumford — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 12:56:44 +0000

it’s not really relevant if i’m doing NaNo or not because, at some point, (hopefully sooner rather than later), i have to finish this draft and i’m going to be in this same position again as the word count needs to go up. and i’d prefer a long and narrow and forward moving first draft than a fat, wide, stationary draft…

so yes, i think what i need is a quick planning session. that seems to be what works best for me, so i should embrace it!

good luck yourself with your NaNo writings!

By: abby mumford

abby mumford — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 12:54:40 +0000

We’re all living in a gray world, or as Linda said on Twitter, we’re all “plotsers”.

By: jeanniemoon

jeanniemoon — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 22:31:18 +0000

I tend toward pantser, but if I don’t at least outline a bit, I write myself into a corner. So your shades of grey is right on for me. I think most of us glean the best from both.

By: adriana

adriana — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 22:11:08 +0000

I am definitely a pantser, in everything that I write. In life in general, actually. I’m messy and disorganized and I don’t do a lot of plotting. I believe that things are going to sort themselves out as they were meant to. Sometimes that reasoning works… sometimes not so well :)

But back to writing. I am also currently writing a lot of unnecessary boring dialogue and describing things that really nobody cares about, because I don’t know what’s supposed to happen next. But I keep thinking that sooner or later I’m going to hit something good — “I’ll know it when I see it,” in other words. Possibly I’m just deluding myself, but we’ll see. Maybe if you keep going you’ll get past the current road blocks and it’ll get easier?

But on the other hand, why not stop and do some quick planning? It sounds like it will help you. Or at least you’ll feel better that you’ve done it, so there’ll be less anxiety as you go forward, even if you decide to ignore your outline. If you aren’t doing NaNo, it doesn’t seem worth it to just go after the word count…

Good luck!

By: abby mumford

abby mumford — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:51:59 +0000

now there’s an interesting thought — if, at the beginning of each book, the author wrote a little “pantser” or “plotter” note so we, the audience, would know if your fast paced action scenes were well planned out in advance or if that slow, melodic passage was written on a whim.

i guess that’s the point though, their writing techniques shouldn’t be obvious. a good writer gives us a solid story, no matter how they write.

By: kmunsey

kmunsey — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 16:38:39 +0000

I don’t write fiction so I am useless here. I will forever write from the seat of my pants though. I will say that I seriously doubt that the fiction I enjoy most was written in this fashion.

By: abby mumford

abby mumford — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 12:56:46 +0000

hmm, that sounds a little bit like a “choose your own adventure” type thing. I LIKE IT. granted, the entire act of writing is a choose your own adventure, but having a few “what if” scenarios lined up would make me feel like a sleuth as well as a writer.

talk about multitasking!

now if only i could find that spare set of double A batteries for this flashlight.

By: Linda G.

Linda G. — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 12:47:55 +0000

I think you’re right about shades of gray. While I lean heavily toward being a pantser, I do pause now and then to sketch out “what if” scenarios, which I suppose could be taken as a form of plotting. Nothing too detailed–just a flashlight in the dark. Maybe something similar could work for you?