Plotter or Pantser?
Do you have your story all planned out or are you a fly-by-the-seat kind of writer?
Authors come in two broad categories – plotters and pantsers. There’s also something called a plantser, which means a little of both but I stick to just the two main categories for now because otherwise you can end up with ploatser and palotters and it just gets exhausting.
Plotters are just that. The have the plot of their story or novel outlined, know exactly where things are going to go (although things can stray here and there, hence all the sub-categories) and are usually meticulously organized.
Pantsers are the opposite. No outline and no idea where the story is going. Just thoughts and the freedom to create whatever they want.
I’ve always envied plotters because my writing style is a squiggly line intercrossed with a multitude of rudimentary crayon colors spewing forth from a volcano of misdirected thought.
And I know that image from Always Sunny is overused but yes, that looks like me when I try and actually plot a story. Hint: It doesn’t work. But look at me making detours like I’m writing a story here. Without further ado, presenting Plotters vs Pantsers – some differences:
Plotter: I have seventeen different sheets of traits for my character and a whole backstory that won’t make its way into my story, but is essential.
Pantser: Hmm..I think I’ll name this character Harvey. And now he has three legs for no reason.
Plotter: Oh no – the murder is coming up. I dread killing off my creation. I love him so much.
Pantser: Ha! Behold characters – I AM YOUR GOD. You die, and you die and you get sick but don’t die and you..live but I’m going to make you eat a cat. (This actually happened in a novel I wrote during Nano.)
Plotter: In chapter six we will find out the big secret Lady Monica’s been hiding from her husband and in chapter seven, I will write the consequences of that secret.
Pantser: Oh hey, it’s halfway through the story and I just learned that Lady Monica is married! Neat. I guess I should have added that back in Chapter 1, huh?
Plotter: Oh dear, I just thought of an interesting plot twist now I have to go back and change my entire outline.
Pantser: Oh dear, I just thought of an interesting plot twist. I’ll just add it in here and then go back and re-write the 37 scenes I already wrote out of sequence and see where I can squeeze it in.
Now the truth is, most of us do a little bit of both, but there’s no wrong way to write. After all, if you’re getting words down you’re already doing great. Now if you’ll excuse him, I have to go make someone eat a cat – and after that I’ll probably write a story.