Plotting vs Pantsing: How Do You Know What’s Right For You?
When it comes to the writing world there are plotters and there are pantsers. I’ve been a pantser for most of my writing career but that’s definitely not how I started out, just what has worked best for me. One of the biggest problems is figuring out which one is going to do your work the most justice. Just keep in mind there are many different ways to write, and there is no right or wrong answer, just different methods.
What is a plotter?
A plotter is the type of writer who plots every single detail out before they write a story. They are the type of person who does a lot of research, takes notes, does outlines and characters sheets before they ever write the first word of their book. Every single action of every single character is planned out in great detail before it all comes together in the story.
What is a pantser?
A pantser is someone who just kind of starts writing and sees where it goes. They have characters in mind and they have vague ideas but they don’t have the details. A pantser will develop the characters and the story as it’s written. The finer aspects of the plot will come to them as they go along and it’s not entirely known before it’s on the page.
How do you decide between the two?
If you are a person who likes to know the finer details and have a plan to follow then being a plotter is definitely for you. Do you like taking notes? Do you like having a little cheatsheet next to you for every character? Then this is something that will work very well for you. Writing an entire book can be a very daunting task. This is why, for a lot of people, they like to plan out the finer details and timeline before they start.
I can imagine that not everyone can look at a blank page and just start writing. Some people don’t know where to start, how, or when. If you have everything written out in a timeline first then you know exactly what to do and when to do it. This may also help people with shorter attention spans stay on track. There will always be a guideline to keep you on track, even down to how many words you want to write per day.
If you’re the type of person who loves to plan out and schedule every aspect of their life then this is the writing method for you.
On the flip side if you’re a person who doesn’t like to know what’s going to happen and be just as surprised as your readers, then you want to be a pantser. This is the type of person who looks at a blank page and sees a million different possibilities. A person who is invested in their characters in a more internal way and can feel them as they write. Someone who enjoys chaos and just setting events off to see how they play out.
This is one of the better ways to let the characters write the story for you. Sometimes you won’t even know what’s going to happen until it happens but that’s the best part of it. You may have a point A and a point B but you don’t have a solid road map of getting there. It could take 10 pages it could take 100 but you know you’ll get there eventually and however you do it will be enthralling.
This isn’t to say that someone who plans every detail can’t pull off plot twists and turns. Some of the best and most famous writers out there are plotters and that’s okay. Some of the best and most famous writers are pantsers and that’s okay too. Some people are a combination of both. They plot out some aspects of the story but wing it on the rest.
The only real way to know which one you are, and what will work best for you is to practice, practice, practice. Remember, learning to write a great story (and complete an entire novel) takes time. It takes work. Just like creating any other type of art you aren’t going to do it in five minutes and if you do it’s probably not going to be very good. There is no harm in trying many different methods or making mistakes. There’s no shame in writing 100 pages and deciding to delete it and start over again (and I speak from experience on this one because I’ve done it).
Remember, what is right for you may not be right for everyone else and that’s okay. The important thing is that you keep writing, keep creating, and keep making your voice heard.
