A Plotter’s Guide to Pantsing

Oct
07
2009

: Image by Sonja_the_strange via Flickr

In the fiction writing world, we tend to divide ourselves up into two distinct groups: the plotters and the pantsers. The plotters, well, plot. They outline, they plan, they do all the anal-retentive things you might expect. The pantsers write by the seat of their pants, hence the term. They often say, “If I know how the book ends, I’m not interested in writing it anymore.”

Nanowrimo cometh. Inherently, Nanowrimo tends to foster the pantsing school of thought. Chris Baty’s guide to all things Nanowrimo is even called No Plot? No Problem! It’s a great book, and pantsing really does work for some people… but not all of us.

I am, by nature, a plotter. I plan pretty much every aspect of my life, including what I write. That’s not to say that everything always goes according to plan, but I’m paralyzed without some idea of where to go and what to do. So how do I swing Nanowrimo?

I plot like a pantser.

If you’re a plotter, too, and the idea of Nanowrimo scares you crapless, here are my tips for getting started:

1. Outline in October. It’s not cheating to start your outline early. In fact, it’s encouraged! You can plan as much as you want, as long as you’re not writing.

2. If you happen to get to November without a plot, go day by day. Plan what you’re going to write in the morning when you start, or plan the next day’s writing the evening before.

3. Decide how serious you’re going to be about this. If you’re doing it just for fun, give pantsing a try! You might find that you like it, and that the freedom produces an altogether different (maybe better) result. If you know you’re a plotter, and you can’t stand the thought of not having a well-plotted novel done at the end of the month, you’ll have to be more proactive about plotting ahead of time.

4. Don’t be afraid to deviate from your plot. In the fast and furious pace of banging out 50,000 words in 30 days, you will find that you don’t have time to sit and mull things over as soon as you hit a plot snag. Be creative, get through it, and get writing again! You can always modify your outline.

5. Engage the community. Nano-ers are great at helping each other out with plot problems. Try the forums or the chat room.

Are you doing Nanowrimo this year? If so, friend me up. I’m streetmouse there. And, if you’re in too, tell me your best pantsing tips!

Written by Sonja in: NaNoWriMo, On Writing |

merindab

I'm a pantser who has to plot, just a little. I have to have an idea where I'm going, otherwise I fail miserably. I learned that my very first nano.

Sonja

I'm a plotter who has to pants a little, I think. ;) I have to leave a LITTLE mystery, or I get bored!

Beth C.

Heck no. If I tried to plan for NaNo, I'd probably end up dead given all that's befallen me since I said I wanted to finish two novella's be the end of October. I'm not sure that I'll make one of them at this rate. Good thing at least....I'll have two releases in October. :)

Sonja

Look at you and your double-release October! Rock on, will ya? ;) Good luck on your other projects and here's hoping your run of bad luck has run out.

Glowbird

Yay for panting and plotting. PantSing. Are they pantsTers or pantsers. Somebody slap me quick.

Last year I stumbled on Nano on Nov 2, and decided I could probably put together enuf goods to fill a book, but NOT in a MONTH. Those people are nuts. Hehe.

These are the numbers I decided on:
250 words on a page x 12 pages in a chapter = 3000 words, or about 5 of my blog posts. If Nanowrimo says that 50k is a book, then 50k divided by 3k = a 16 chapter book, or about 80 blog posts.

I gave myself a year to write 80 posts on boxing, just to see if I could. As of today I have 67. Cool, huh?

And embarrassing. You Nano people write that much in a month. Sigh.

Sonja

Do you know what impresses me? Anyone who can write anywhere close to 50,000 words of nonfiction. I don't know 50,000 words worth of stuff about ANYTHING. :) So you get on with your bad self, girl.