Plotting Vs Pantsing Part 2

Plotters seem to have it made.
If they plan things right, which they probably will based on their wonderfully organized personalities, they'll have fewer revisions than a pantser. Plus, they have this great road map to follow.
Sometimes I get stuck and don't know what to write next, or I'll write myself into a hole. People who plot ahead most likely won't encounter this problem during the writing stage. Plus, plotters tend to do a synopsis first so that gets rid of one nasty chore right away.
I'm taking a synopsis class right now and as painful as it was, now that I've got one for my wip I'm actually feeling giddy.

If this is how being a plotter feels, then WOW.

Plotting, however, can have it's dark side. The characters may try to escape the beautiful plan you've made for them. Or you might get bored with your story, but now that you've sweated and plotted you may feel that you have to follow your own guidelines.

Ha, the only people who think writing a book is easy are the ones who've never done it.

By the way, apparently I'm not the only one with plotting on the mind. Check out this post. It's much more informative than mine!

So how about you? What's your style?

Comments

Anonymous said…
Hey Jessica! Thanks for mentioning me in part one of your post. :-) I LOVE the "Pantsing" term. Did you make that up? It's brilliant! I've never heard it called that before. I'd always heard "organic", or something of that ilk. But I really like pantser. It makes me smile.

You're so right about the dark side of plotting. Yes, the characters can and often do take you on a different route than you planned. As the writer, I have to fight the inclination to rein them in. I compromise instead, and let them take their little sidetrip in my mind, so I can see where it may lead before I write it out.

To me, the plot skeleton is meant to be lissome--flexible. Made of rubber bands, not bones. It's there, like you said, to keep characterization and motivation consistent and in sight; but it has to be able to bend for character growth and surprise twists that even the author, didn't anticipate.

That's the way to keep spontaneity alive. Without which, we would lose the magic of story telling.

Honestly, I think the best "system" is to try to incorporate a little bit of both. The ratios are contingent upon what works for each individual writer.
July 30, 2008 at 1:01 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My Booty Hurts

Too much information? LOL It hurts because I've been working out at the gym. I just started last week and I'm probably not as sore as I should be, but there is a twinge here and there, just enough to tell me something is getting exercise. Do I like to work out? NO WAY! But I do it because I want the end product: toned muscles and a strong inside (you know, whatever is supposed to get better because I'm exercising, lol). I read many, many blogs. Especially yours. One thing we all have in common is our frustration with fitting writing into our busy schedules. And sometimes, we just plain don't want to write. I'll confess: the other night I watched two shows on my computer instead of writing. No busy schedule there, just a lazy writer. :-) The thing is, if we want the end product, if we want to finish a manuscript and pursue publication, then we need to force ourselves to write. It's not always fun, passionate or exciting. It's work. And like work, when well-do
Read more

Why Being Unpublished is Like Being Single

Remember back in the day when you longed for a man, that one special man, who would fill your nights with warmth and smother you with spine-melting kisses? Remember how you'd see all the married couples and think "Where's my love?" And you'd look around and realize you were the only single person in the crowd. The loneliness got to you, drove you into the bookstore where, foggy-eyed and grief-stricken, you stumbled across a book titled (I'm guessing here) BEING HAPPY WHILE SINGLE. You bought it because it seemed like a good idea at the time. And then suddenly it seems all people want to talk about is how good it is to be single! The wives tell you to be relieved that you can stay up until three in the morning with the lights on. Be glad no one pees on your toilet rim. This is us, my dear writer friends. :-) We are the single folks. Yes, there are wonderful, beautiful thrills to being married (published). But there's also hard work, deadlines, interferences
Read more

Freaking Out, Just a Little Bit

You all may know that I and several other bloggers are going to the ACFW conference in three weeks. In preparation, I've been working on my pitch. There's a little problem though. I can write it fine, but when it comes to talking....my tongue messes up. When I'm nervous, I talk too fast, I talk too quiet, I use the wrong words or I *gasp* stutter over my syllables. Or worse, come off sounding as nervous as I am, maybe even arrogant. *cringe* Have you ever verbally pitched someone? Does trying your pitch out on friends/family help? My hair feels like it may turn gray (I know the day is coming, blech). Any advice for this pitching newbie?
Read more