Pantsers Unite!
Are You a Plotter or a Pantser?
If you’ve been part of the writing culture long, you’ve probably heard these terms. Plotter and Pantser are categories used to describe a writers approach to their craft. Plotters plot. Pantsers fly by the seat of theirs.
Plotters are methodical and intensely bent on the layout of their story. Some plotters have told me that they will not begin a story unless they already know how it ends. These writers get a solid concept in mind and begin to lay it out. They chose the characters who will tell their story, both main and minor. They round and develop them until they can tell you every character’s favorite color, meal and song. It’s a long and involved process to be a plotter.
Next, plotters begin to wind the characters into their story. Outlining begins. A rough schedule of events will become a tentative table of contents with chapter summaries, and subplots. Emotional arcs, story arcs and pacing are all etched in stone before the opening line is ever crafted.
The result is a stunning work of highly detailed art. The story is well planned, the plot is well developed, and the characters are well behaved. It is one very popular way to create a manuscript.
There are also a whole lot of pantsers out there. Pantsers are the wide-eyed, discipline deficient, idea attackers. A pantser will often write chapter after chapter, in a complete frenzy, having no idea where the story is headed. Once an intriguing idea flits into a pantsers stream of consciousness, they will begin to scribble it onto anything, sales receipts, napkins, arms, doesn’t matter. Pantsers do not plan. They allow the characters to evolve and reveal themselves. The plot unfolds to the pantser as they tell the story. The ending is a surprise. This is another fully effective way to tell your story.
I am a pantser. I have been known to write 85,000 words based upon a 750 word maximum contest entry. My last novel came after a funny thought hit me in the shower. For this reason, I normally have several manuscripts going at once, and I tend to the one whose characters pester me the loudest, and yes, I do hear voices. To me they are practically tangible beings. I love them all, even those I just love to hate. My characters are wild and unruly, somewhat unpredictable, but always interesting. You see plotting, to me, would steal the fun. My writing process feels like reading a fabulous book, and I don’t want to put it down. I fall asleep and I wake up thinking about it, while coffee and adrenaline carry me through to the end, and then the editing begins. Editing is a lot less fun, but the ride is well worth the work. Meanwhile, I have to tell new ideas to wait their turn, and I pass on contests and online article submission more than I want to, but even an over-caffeinated, under-disciplined panster needs a little limitation.
Now that I’ve confessed my maniacal approach to the craft, I have to wonder… Are you a plotter or a pantser?
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I’m a pantser, too! And I am so glad to hear someone else has severals manuscripts going at once. I just wrote about this on my blog — it’s very similar to my reading habits since I always read several books at once. I just pick up whatever fits my mood. Now, it’s the same with writing. I work on whatever I’m in the mood for.
Oh that is so true! I switch from day to day too. One day I can’t get enough of something and the next day I’m over it. LOL. It keeps my mind very busy trying to figure what’s going on everywhere!
I’m a pantser through and through
Everything I do is totally off-the-cuff. I think of a great hook beginning, and rough storyline for the middle, and an awesome closing scene to die for, then off I go! I totally agree with you, the adventure is far more exciting if it unfolds in front of you as you write. No offence to the plotters, you are equally awesome 
but in my humble opinion, it’s like watching a movie more than once. The first time is always the best!
Great post Julie
Kurt, This is exactly how I work! Writing can be such a thrill when you get that first glimpse of where the story will go and then you can’t get enough time in a day to write it!
I’ve tried to be a total pantser, but I can’t do it. I always reach a point where I flounder. It’s not pretty. Then again, I’m not a hard-core plotter either. What happened with my current WiP is a great example.
We were on vacation at Myrtle Beach when a storm hit. Lightning on the water, churning waves, absolutely gorgeous and frightening. From there I had this image of a woman standing on the beach in a storm like that and stepping into the surf. I took that and just started writing. I was about 8-10k in when I stalled because I didn’t have any clue where the story was going or how to get there. I’d started rambling and it wasn’t pretty. So I took the afternoon and hammered out some plot points and basic character pages. Rather than an line drawn on a map from point A to point B, what I do allows me to roam between points as I see fit so the story comes out more organically than it would otherwise.
It’s taken me a long time to figure out that loose plotting is what works best for me, but now, I’m completely okay with it.
Seleste,Thanks for your reply. This is a great example of a happy marriage! Your pantser got your story flying out of your mind instead of stalled out in the slow grind of plotting. I think many a story has never been written because a plotter was discouraged with the lack of details in the plotting process and they abandoned the project. On the other hand, you went to the drawing board when the story came more slowly, allowing you to really flesh out where the story was headed. I’m so glad you posted this example. The two really can live happily together