Hopefully you weren’t expecting anything too sexy with that title. Unless your idea of sexiness includes a lot of text. This post is all about Pantsing vs. Plotting.
When I first started writing, I was what was referred to as a “Pantser”.
If you’re unfamiliar with terminology from the writing community, that refers to when a writer takes an unorganized approach to drafting their stories where they “write by the seat of their pants”. They have an idea and flesh it out as they go along, caught up in the storm of their imagination.
This was a fun approach for me as a preteen. I had endless freedom and could explore a story naturally. Not that I was writing great epics back then. Mostly they were fun little short stories, or stories that started, rambled on, and never had an ending.
That didn’t bother me until my late teens, when I realized I was never going to finish anything beyond a short story if I didn’t get myself more organized. Not only that, but stories that rambled on didn’t have properly organized character arcs, or poignant reveals, or a proper climax with a satisfying resolution. They were a mess. And worse: they never felt like they were going to end.
As I’ve matured, I’ve come to learn that while I am a creative person, I am also highly organized and prefer structure and routine. There is a stereotype that writers (or creative types in general) are Mad Hatters of their respective crafts. And some are. Stephen King is arguably one of the most famous and prolific writers of all time, and he’s a renown Pantser. It just works for some people.
But not me.
Why?
I need a proper roadmap to help me see my story’s journey. Sure, I get a rough idea in my head of what I want to happen. But if I have character outlines and detail my novel from the inciting incident to the resolution in my trusty notebook, I have an overall tighter and more rewarding story. Not only that, my characters aren’t left meandering for the plot to find them. They’re on the path I’ve laid out for them.
Often I’m surprised by how the characters will get a life of their own and do whatever they want. I actually love that. It shows the story is coming alive. If what my characters do fit the story better, then I go with it. Things change all of the time during the creative process, so when something organically unfolds, I see where it goes. Usually, the characters moving outside of the reins of my plot is beneficial. But if it isn’t, I know how to steer them back on course.
Not only that, but I roughly know when my story will end. Stories have a beginning, middle, and end, but once you divide them further into a narrative arc, you suddenly have checkpoints. There’s Exposition, Inciting Incident, Rising Action, Crisis, Climax, Falling Action (Denouement), and then Resolution. If I track my story’s progress, I can stay focused on working towards the ending. It’s not some bumpy ride until I eventually reach the ending. An outline is what I need to finish what I start.
So, yes. I am now a proud “Plotter”.
And that’s not all.
A huge part of finishing a novel is making the time for it. That means writing with a routine. Waiting when you’re only inspired is, to me, the cringiest damn thing a “writer” can do if they want to be taken seriously. Years ago, I told a co-worker that I write pretty much every day. They were surprised. After all, there’s a lot of people out there who want to write a book but never do. To have that kind of consistency is rare.
That said, today my goal is to take less of a tunnel-vision approach to my writing. Meaning I don’t have to write every day in a frenzy to finish a novel so I can query a list of well-researched literary agents to achieve my dreams AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!!! anymore. My goal is to fall in love with the process again, because the other mindset is toxic and places way too much self-worth and validation from a fickle industry.
Regardless, my writing routine will still be consistent. In order for me to work healthily toward my goals, I use a day planner. I use the same one for writing down my appointments, shift schedules, and workouts. With the addition of my writing time slots, I have everything in one spot for me to have handy. Because I need that. Like the character and plot outlines, it helps me have focus on my goals and dreams. More importantly, it helps me have balance.
I can finish a book. I’ve done it a couple of times before. But I need to do it in a way that’s sustainable for my mental and physical health. Juggling my physical fitness, writing, and time for those important to me is what matters most. I know I can achieve whatever I set my mind to. For me, it’s a matter of quite literally plotting the course.
Thanks for reading!
Disclaimer: The jeans aren’t mine. The picture of them isn’t mine. But they sure are nice, aren’t they?
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