Pantser or Plotter

Gorge RR Martin talks about Gardener and architect, NaNoWriMo talks about pantser and plotters.

What are all these?

I have my own definitions because I’ve gone through my experiences in all of these categories.

You see, I thought all novel writers were pantsers when I was much younger. Silly me, right?

That’s what I thought because that’s what I have been doing since my first attempt at a novel, back in the dark ages of the 1980s.

That novel never made it beyond getting printed and read by family and friends.

Now I am aware that there are many (many, many, many) ways to write, to plot, to prepare the story, the characters arc, the story arc, the three-act structure, and so many (see the other multiple many aside) ways to optimize the story.

The big huge question is: should you? Should I?

I think, you should try it, like I did. I’ve written whole novels where I followed, carefully, and thoughtfully all the planning stages.

I’ve also pantsed novels.

I confess: I enjoy pantsing. It’s exciting, it’s fun, it’s rewarding.

I confess: It’s really hard to edit a novel I’ve pantsed. I always like what I wrote and, beyond the necessary corrections of grammar and spelling, the necessary filling of plot holes and making sure there’s consistency in character and setting descriptions, I don’t want to change anything. However, when I send it to editors, they always find a lot wrong with those novels. Beta readers usually like them. They, those pantsed novels, are far (very far) from perfect, but Betas do like them.

I confess: Plotting is hard work. It’s heavy on technique, in attention to detail, is very rule-heavy.

I confess: It’s really easy to edit. I don’t feel as much of a connection to the story or the characters. Correcting and fixing is just the final tweaks, as it were, and they do not bother me at all. I don’t feel I owe the characters, the settings, or the situations anything. They are components to be assembled according to rules and regulations. “Novel writing: some assembly required.”

So, for today, this is my post. Please, let me know what you think. Do you agree? Disagree? Are you a pantser? A plotter?

I will, in a later post, talk about the types of pantsers, because, of course, I happen to think there are different kinds of pantsers. And I think you can tell, from their writing.

We’ll see. Have a fantastic day, and thank you for reading.