Are you a Plotter or Pantser?
In my years of attending writer’s conferences and staying in touch with fellow writers, I have learned about the curious phenomenon of “plotters” and “pantsers.”
Plotters are detail-oriented, organized writers who plan out their novels, making elaborate charts of each scene, before starting the actual novel writing. I’ve even seen pictures of charts plastered to a writer’s office wall.
Pantsers are writers fuelled by spontaneity who dive into the story and learn about characters in scenes that appear as they write.
“There’s no right or wrong way to approach your writing,” wrote Christina Strasbourg of Agents helping Writers in her Write/Bites newsletter.
Then I wonder about the carefully planned novel. What if the characters in it want to do something different, like real humans? Do characters evolve as the plotter writes the novel?
I’m a pantser. That is, I jump right in and write with no more than an idea of where I’m going. Whether it’s about a girl going to camp for the first time, or a boy who loves trees, I like to discover the story as I go. I might take my characters down rabbit paths, and then have to sort it out afterwards, but I’ve enjoyed the journey. Perhaps not the most efficient way to write, but that’s how it goes for me. I have to get into the story to learn about my characters and what they choose to do. It’s how my children’s stories and poetry develop too; I have to see what the outcome will be. Then I revise and refine.
Christina writes further about a curious mix of the two. She adds, “It’s all about figuring out what gets you excited to write and what keeps you going.”
That’s good to know.
In your process of writing, are you a Plotter or a Pantser?
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An additional response from last month’s question, “What do curious people ask writers?”
Lana Button replies:
1. How did you pick your illustrator? (Short answer is, I didn’t.) That’s the job of the publisher and I’m thrilled to hand that piece over to them. I’ve been privileged to be partnered with fantastic illustrators!
2. Are you going to write a longer story? (Short answer is yes.) I am in the middle of writing a funny 3-book chapter book series for Orca about a grade 3 girl named Brianna Banana. The first book comes out in February.
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