Pantsing vs Plotting
When I set out to write a book I had never heard the terms ‘Pantser’, Plotter’ or Plantser. It was only after I published, joined writing communities and started listening to podcasts around writing that these terms entered my vocabulary. What I learned was - I am 90% pantser and 10% plotter. Which means I am technically a planster. A combination of both which appears to be the most common writer type.
Plotter
A plotter is someone who has a detailed understanding of their story before they start to write it. There is a lot of upfront work that leads to a clarity around what the story is, and where it is going to go. This would be helpful when a pen is put to paper, or fingers to a keyboard, and could make a seamless transition of idea to written story. Detailed planning includes:
Sequence of events (chapters/incidents etc)
Character development (who are all of the people, where do they come from, what are their intricacies/habits)
The world the story occurs in.
This is particularly detailed when a fantastical world is being used.
Overall, the plotter knows what is going to happen, when, why, and how characters will act.
You might be a plotter if:
Not having a detailed plan keeps you up at night
You like to plan whatever you are doing down to the tiniest detail.
You thrive on the details and know your character's date of birth when it is never mentioned in the story.
Pros/Cons of Plotting
The pros of being a plotter include a better understanding of characters and story; less likely to become stuck or suffer from writer's block and fewer rewrites as there are less plot holes.
The cons include more time spent before the writing even begins, plans can unravel and suddenly nothing that was plotted would work for how the character turned out. This can then take the plotter back to the drawing board and spend more time plotting, rather than writing.
Pantser
A pantser is someone who sits down and writes without any sort of plan. They can sit and stare at a blank page and create magic. Generally, the characters that live in the pansers head drive the story, and out of those characters the world, incidents and character development sprout.
There is no written outline or plan. They fly by the seat of their pants.
I have not yet met a 100% pantser. However, it would not surprise me to learn that they mull over ideas in their heads for a bit prior to sitting down to write. In a way, planning a miniscule portion of their character or story.
You might be a pantser if:
A plan makes you feel restricted.
Time spent mapping out characters and scenes is daunting and feels like torture.
You like not knowing exactly where the story will lead and want to enjoy the ride, wherever it takes you.
Pros/Cons of Pantsing
The pros of pantsing include:
Creative freedom and just letting their voice speak.
They are not restricted to a plan.
Not wrapped up in ensuring certain plot points are hit.The story consumes the writing process.
There is an understanding that no draft is perfect, and grammatical and spelling mistakes stay on the page, to be corrected later.
Character/Plot surprises - what fun!
I love it when my characters do something I didn't see coming. That is a major reason I love to write. To see what happens next.
Plot flexibility - one does not feel compelled to stay within an outline.
The cons of pantsing include:
Writer's block.
Not knowing where the story is going could mean there is a dead end and the ideas stop flowing. Hopefully, this is only for a while but it could be frustrating.
Alternatively, a character gets written into a corner they cannot seem to get out of.
I did this the other day, however thankfully I slept on it and said “well let’s write her into an even tighter corner and then this is how I will get her out of it!”
More plot holes.
As a panster is winging it, correlations to past events/actions may not be made or motivations become unclear as a full understanding of the story has not been achieved.
More editing/rewrites.
To fix plot holes and fill out ideas, more rewriting is needed to make a cohesive story.
I personally enjoy this part as I get to grow my baby idea into something beautiful!
Plantser
A plantser may not have every single detail planned out, or know all of the intricacies of the characters, but they have an idea of where they want to go with the story.
When I wrote The Perilous Road to Her, I knew that it was about two sisters, both would be sexually exploited, there would be different houses that represented different levels of services provided and the houses were run by two brothers. I had vague ideas about characters and locations, but otherwise I sat down and just wrote whatever came out of my mind on that particular day.
For the sequel, I sat down with some index cards and tried to plan out everything that would happen. I already knew the main characters, created a couple of new ones, and set the location. I ended up with 37 cards. However, as I am progressing through the story what I had planned is getting thrown out the window. New ideas come to mind as I write and I go with it. I guess I have not got the plotter DNA - at least not yet.
You might be a planster if:
You have a vague idea where the story may lead.
You expect the unexpected and can pivot when the story takes a turn.
You do not mind going back and adding in details/ideas to previously written portions of the story.
You like to prepare just enough to get the creative juices flowing, but not so much that the fun of seeing what happens is lost.
Pros/Cons of Plantsing
These would all depend on what aspects of the plotter or pantser a writer takes on. Therefore, the pros and cons could be any of the above.
Whether you plot, pants or plants, writing should be joyful. To get the most out of creating I say embrace your process proudly. I would also encourage you to try another method, if you haven’t already, just to see what it might be like. Maybe you will find a new method, maybe you will recommit to your typical style, or maybe you will take a little from Column A and a little from Column B.
Happy writing!
N.L. Blandford
