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It wasn't intentional, but I have a feeling my
subconscious avoidance of the topic has to do with the fact that I don't have
one set way to plot. I've done everything from meticulously plotting with
flashcards, to pantsing the entire novel with only a vague idea of where it was
going, to hybrid techniques that fall somewhere in the middle.
As it happens (and as is the case with most
writing things), there isn't one set way to plot that is better than the
others— nor do I believe there is a "right" answer as to whether it's
better to plot a novel or just go with the flow and pants the entire thing.
There are, however, pros and cons to both
pantsing and plotting up for discussion right here.
So.
For the organized writer: Plotting
It goes without saying that plotting a novel
before you write it certainly has its merits. Having a destination before you
start the journey certainly saves you a lot of headaches while you're in the
midst of writing, and can help you avoid the dreaded writer's block, which
often comes from not knowing where the plot leads next.
Many published writers swear by meticulous
plotting: J.R.R. Tolkien wrote a twelve-volume History of Middle Earth
while writing The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings and it's
pretty common knowledge that J.K. Rowling most definitely worked out the
complicated plot of Harry Potter in advance.
Having a plot laid out early on can help
ensure that your story is well-structured right from the beginning, which in
turn saves a lot of time fixing gaping plot holes and unnecessary tangents
while revising later.
Some writers, however, find that knowing all
the details before the story begins sometimes stifles their characters— they
find they end up writing to the formula rather than letting the writing evolve
naturally, which then leads to...
Pantsing: for the adventurous writer
Pantsing a novel is a more light-hearted
approach to its left-brained relative. It usually begins with a spark of an
idea— an inciting incident that catapults the story forward, and the writer
discovers the plot along the way with the characters. Pantsers enjoy the thrill
of discovery while writing— every day is a new adventure, every writing session
delving them deeper into the story that unfolds with every word.
While plotters focus on structure and
planning, pantsers focus on discovery and the natural flow of events.
Sounds wonderful, right? Well, there is a
downside.
As these writers often have little idea as to
where the story is going, pantsing a novel can lead to more frequent writer's
block and many more unnecessary tangents and ramblings as the writer tries to
figure out what to do next. The story doesn't always have the strongest
structure, especially in the first draft, so more time needs to be dedicated to
fixing those plot holes and tying things together while revising.
As you can see, there are pros and cons to
each method, and I highly recommend experimenting with both throughout your
career as a writer.
What type of writer are you? Do you prefer
pantsing, plotting or something in between? Why?
25 comments:
Cons or not, I definitely swear by plotting. I did try that pantsing once, but even then I found myself thinking: 'What will be the next step? What will happen then? And after that?'Having said that, I quite like the proces of pantsing where you could write and make new events and characters up while writing.
Anyway, I think I would go crazy when I couldn't fall back on any background or plotting. It's freeing to start from scratch and go with the flow, as they say, but it's stressful as well, although maybe less for us, unpublished authors. However, if you have a deadline you're working towards to, it's seems scary to me if you haven't got a clue about the ending while writing.
What I try to do, is plot out the story, but leave some space for sudden inspiration. It's not always possible to insert spontaneous ideas into the novel, but if it is I shall do my very best to squeeze it into the well-planned novel.
By the way, is it just coincidence that you didn't give examples of famous works created through pantsing? ^^
Pantsing is definitely the scarier of the two options--especially if you're a purist and have absolutely no idea where the story is going at all until you sit down to write. I've found that whether I plot or pants depends on the WIP for me--some demand more planning in advance than others.
Also, it is entirely a coincidence that I didn't give examples of works created through pantsing. In fact, I didn't even think of it until you mentioned it. I'm sure there are some out there, I just forgot to include it. Actually, if I understand correctly, I think Tahereh Mafi had at least some degree of pantsing Shatter Me as it was at least initially based entirely off of Juliette's voice, though I'm not sure if she didn't plot after the initial spark so...can't say for sure.
I plot. I am a planner to the extreme. I have found that I am personally incapable of pantsing. Without a detailed plot my creativity dies.
But - I do allow for flexibility. I am not afraid to completely rework my plot so that a single spur of the moment scene works.
I make a road map but allow for detours :)
I have to know how a story is going to end if I'm going to make it to the ending. I've got there in various different ways, though. The more intensely character-driven the story, the more I find I have to think about outlining, because I need to work out the character's journey in detail or they'll just wander. Equally, sometimes I want to follow the more organic path, so I'll figure out the final scene, then the first scene, and maybe just outline a couple of scenes ahead of where I'm writing.
So I guess that's about as close to 'in the middle' as you can get... Helpful answer is helpful ;)
I am most certainly a pantser.
Every time I attempt to plot falls by the wayside shortly after I start writing in the first place, and the only time I even truly make gestures at things like separately plotting and outlining is pre NaNoWriMo, when I'm not allowed to just start writing.
I do frequently brainstorm separately, in my head if not on paper, if there are specific points I want to get across, specific bits of symbolism, that sort of thing. Other times, I get it down on the page, and then when I read back through, I add things like colors in significant spots, etc.
I tend to be more of a hybrid person myself (which is probably why I've done both the outlining and the pantsing, depending on the WIP). I certainly see your point about needing to know where the story is going to end. The biggest thing that bothers me about pantsing a WIP is just that--not knowing how the story is going to end.
There's something freeing--if not slightly terrifying--about pantsing a WIP. It's pure, 100% discovery through the writing that can be really exciting. :)
Haha! Thank you Ava Jae! This actually helped me a lot. Once again I thank you for writing these, I always look forward to them. :) And I can't thank you enough for writing this at my suggestion (if indeed it was). And to keep with the general comments I'm seeing I think I tend to be a planner but I think it takes some of the fun out of it if you plot everything to where you can't bend with the story and to where there are no surprises and detours in store for you.
~Author Steven
I wrote the plot before i started writing my book. Then i started writing the book, i thought i had the plot worked out but it was to vague. I ended up getting writer's block and worrying my novel would never work. Then i got inspired and.......i started revising and changing huge problems with my novel :D
oh and i love editing so i write a lot then edit :P
You're very welcome! This post was indeed written per your suggestion (it was a good suggestion), so I'm glad it helped. :)
As for being a plotter/pantser--have you ever tried something in-between? (Loose plotting, for example, rather than first-this-then-this plotting).
So you deviated from your original plot? Sometimes that's necessary and it's great that you were able to do that--some people occasionally find that difficult after they've sat down and plotted everything out--and judging by your smiley face, I'd say in your case it probably helped quite a bit. :)
Do you mean you edit while you're still writing?
I think it's good to have some structure to your story so you know exactly where it's going. Otherwise, you may never get there. Still, I think that when you sit down to write, your characters may often take you on a different journey, and when that happens, you never want to restrain them. But you do need to be able to keep them on the right path, hence why it's important to have at least a basic outline of where things are going to go. So, I guess for me, it's a little bit of both! :)
A little of both seems to be a popular answer, and I can certainly understand why considering I tend to use a little of both myself. Just enough structure with a dose of discovery can be a perfect combination for a WIP. :)
The last time I Wore Pants it was terrible - worthy of a Victor Hugo novel wrapped in spinached bread, like the kind you would order at Subway. Did Edward Gibbonsberg have to plot out "The Rise and Fowl of the Roman Umpire"? Absolutely not! He was a keen and observant man who took what ALREADY HAD HAPPENED and bracketed it into a commercially viable blogsplurt aka a book.
I think your main problem is that you lack the dedication and eyesight needed to recontextualize events occurring in the physical frame. Much like Glaucon, you are far too busy mincing around bullet holes and flog charts and spilling relish on your raiment. Who Do You Think You Are? ... lol
As a Matter of Fact, after publishing this gem of a cyberpearl, I was offered a thirty-eight digit advance from Amazon HyperWorld Dot Info, an unwieldy yet wealthy propeller that powers my flying train for you see planes are but bulbous-typewriters that have grown up. Bulbosity is one of Plato's most administered forms and it is often manifested as an adroit application of Reason and Wordcraft.
Ergo, you see, it is not a matter of Plotting or Planting, but rather SUPplanting the viscosity of one's surroundings, for what is it to sup at the teat of The Muses? :/
I'm half and half. When I have an idea for a story I think about what needs to happen for that idea (how the character is, how they will develop, what the world must be like for them to be as they are) and then I work out what will happen at the start and what will happen at the end. Then I come up with some key events that must happen along the way....
Then the other part of my brain takes over and I pants it from A to B to C. things change and grow as I write and I change the plan as needed, but the ultimate destination stays the same. It's kind of like making a cake in a mould. You put all the ingredients in and bake as per the plan but when you take the mould off, it swells and flops a bit, yet it's still delicious.
... Now I want cake.
Sounds like you do a hybrid approach--which I think is really great. A mix of structure and free creativity can be a fantastic approach (and it sounds like you've found a good balance that works well for you).
Also, cake sounds like a marvelous idea.
Great post XD
Which one do you do, by the way? I'm still deciding between plotting and pantsing. Rachel Aaron, author of the Eli Monpress series (it's actually not bad), swears by meticulous plotting. She wrote a post on how she does it. It gets kinda scary, what with all the timelines, maps, character sheets - but then again, she wrote a novel in 12 days. Whatever works, right :D
Thank you! As I mentioned in the post, I do both--for me it depends on the WIP. I've completely pantsed novels from start to finish and I've also plotted them from the first scene to the last. Most times I usually fall somewhere in the middle--I'll plot important points along the line and try to experiment a little in between. In the end, however, it all comes down to the WIP.
If you want to write quickly, however, (like 12 days...wow!) plotting definitely helps. :)
I would say that I am in between. I have to plan out character backstories, appearances and ages...the technicalities basically before I write. Then I do a bit of planning if there's too many things going on at once. And finally, I write. I sometimes stick to the original plan and then sneak some extras here and there if I feel like it.
In-between is a good place to be. I think I'm a bit of an in-betweener, too (although I've been leaning more towards being an outliner as of late). Some aspects I allow to develop organically or through revisions, while the plot I tend to figure out in advance. At least, now I do.
I plot, but I do it randomly. I'm a bit of both. Using your journey example, my stories are more of a road trip: I don't have a clue where I'll end up but I have some places I want to visit. Also when I plan my stories I do things like build a replica of a location in Minecraft or draw my characters in chibi
I really like that analogy of the road trip—I can totally visualize that! I used to kind of be like that too, way back when. Sounds like you're probably a hybrid pantser/plotter, which is pretty great. :)
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