#pantsers

So as I'm sorting out my book I don't have a lot to say in my daily writing updates, mostly because I'm not actually writing

I've been thinking about making a few posts about my discovery writing techniques, but lol it all kinda comes back to one thing, which is effective outlines.

So idk if anyone is interested in a bit of a deep dive into how to outline when you're making it up as you go, and you like things that way

(This is not a way to 'fix' pantsers, it's how you refine the process)

When it comes to differentiating between Plotters and Pantsers, which would you say is the “best” way to write? Is it more important to have a good idea of where your story is going, or to actually write the story?

By the Seat of Your Pants: Secrets of Discovery Writing delves into the uncharted waters of a writing technique often shrouded in mystery and skepticism.

It demystifies the concept of discovery writing, illustrating how some of the most engaging and captivating narratives are born from spontaneity and intuition, and offers guidance to those looking to explore discovery writing techniques. More than just a craft guide, it’s an affirmation for every writer who has ever felt constrained by the rigid frameworks of traditional writing methods.

Plotting for Pantsers and Pantsing for Plotters

For those of you who don't already know, when it comes to beginning a new project, the writing world consists of two very different groups of people: plotters and pansters.

Plotters meticulously outline their stories from start to finish, and although they benefit from cohesive, streamlined work, they often hit a wall of writer's block and lose creativity from over-plotting.

Pansters just go with the flow, and despite the freedom that allows them to write whatever they want and boosts writing motivation, their stories often suffer from lack of cohesion and can take a while to get to the point.

In order to make a long project, such as a fanfic or a novel, as successful as it can be, you need to be a mix of both.

You need to plot in order to make sure you don't over/underwrite and can optimize your narrative, while also leaving room for flexibility that allows you to make your own creative decisions and prevent writer's block.

Here's how to do it. It's all in the outline.

Unfortunately for pantsers, all long works should have an outline so you know what points you have to hit along the way.

Unfortunately for plotters, it's restricting and unnecessary to have every single detail planned to a T.

A simple "here's whats going to happen in this chapter" should be enough. It doesn't have to be long. Hell, it can just be one bullet point! But as long as you have a general idea of what needs to happen, you can make the rest.

This leaves enough structure for plotters but enough wiggle room for pantsers!

An example:

Chapter 1

Bar scene

Introduce Character A

Talk with Character B

Foreshadow Character B's betrayal

See? This is a very, very loose idea of what's going to happen in this chapter.

In fact, this is just a list of all the things that HAVE TO happen to make the story go forward; you can still add your own things to it to make it your own!

Even pantsers need to plot, but what do you do if outlining isn’t your forte? My new favourite resource, Story Grid, might have just given me the answer.

Pantsers, where are you? Hooray for having no idea what we’re doing! That’s what I always thought being a pantser meant. When I penned books in my younger years, I never even touched an outline. I thought I simply didn’t need one – I could write a book from beginning to end flawlessly. But I’ve come to realise recently that I did have an outline in those days – in my head. I had the time and…

Not everyone works well with an outline.

An outline can be a great tool if it motivates you to write the story and keeps you on track.

It can also be a great hindrance if it stops you from writing your story.

Hey anon,

This is definitely something I experience, and can feel challenging.

In my own personal instance, I have two types of stories; ones where writing it feels like a necessary step in the process (the thing you seem to want), and the ones where I have the exact experience you describe above. In the second case, I've discovered that I'm a lot happier leaving them in daydreaming mode. It lets me explore all the angles of a story while leaving it fluid.

But since saying "I don't actually write those stories" isn't super helpful to your question, I have some other things you may be interested in trying.

1) experiment with flash fiction

When I write flash fiction (and I genuinely have no idea what others do), I start off with a few words, a vibe I'm going for, and maybe a character or two. The next 700 words or so are things that I write in the moment, they flow out of me until I feel like the story's reached a conclusion. At that point I may go back and edit (or I may not, I do these for fun, so it depends on how I'm feeling). The idea here is that the story doesn't feel done since I've written it, because the story doesn't exist until I've written it.

2) you may be a discovery writer or "plantser"

A "plantser" is someone who plans some parts of their stories, but leaves other parts unexplored until they're in the thick of it. It's the middle ground between a "pantser" which is about just making it up as you go with minimal planning, and a "planner" which is about planning everything about the story beforehand. A discovery writer is someone who falls somewhere on the pantser-plantser end of the range. See what happens if you spend less time developing a story and jump into it sooner, when there are still some gaps to solve. It may make the story feel more dynamic when you write it.

3) try out different types of stories

If you primarily write fanfic, try your hand at original stories. If you generally write original work, see what it's like writing fanfic. I personally find I run into your problem a lot more with fanfic, but not with original work, so it's possible that could be your problem as well (or vice versa). They're similar enough mediums, but are different enough that it might react differently with your thought process.