I am a pantser on short stories, sort of a plotter on longer ones, BUT, even within the plot, there's room for putting on some pants -- I generally control that to finish things, but this is also why I tend to write series of things and am a long-form writer consistently ... plots get extended and side elements get their own plots!
I also can HIGHLY recommend @freewritehouse, @mariannewest, and all the great members of the Freewriters Community -- they will nourish your inner pantser AND leave you room to develop the plotter as well: the weekend freewrite can be chosen from all the prompts of the previous week, so if you want to "plot" a weekend freewrite, you can!
Great perspective, @deeandmathews! Thank you for sharing some insights from the world of the published author. Taking different approaches depending upon the length of the work makes perfect sense.
You and I will get our interview piece done soon. 😄
This is putting SOOO many things in perspective for me. I think I go between the two, I plot the philosophy or the idea I am trying to convey. So I am a plotter, but then throughout the story itself I am sort of a pantser. I set the destination from the start but then be willing to change it a little bit or even entirely if the characters don't seem to be able to get there in a way that makes sense.
I also look at philosophy of writers and filmmakers, mainly filmmakers because it my passion. Christopher Nolan's and philosophy of the self, society and the universe, maybe mix it with Dan Harmon's 8 steps of telling a story. Add a motif or two, and then hope for the best.
Thank you for such informative posts. Writing in English is difficult and there are plenty of terms to writers that don't exist in Arabic AT ALL that I learn everyday. I love this series.
I'm glad you're enjoying the series, @amirtheawesome1. Thank you for your efforts to write in English. I'm sure that must be a challenge, writing in a second language.
I like that description - going between the two as it suits you. It seems like an effective approach, since you can "put down the bones" as a plotter and write as a pantser, using the different creative processes that work best for each!
Is a good idea to write without a plan, because the writer itself won't know where the story will end. I think most time, laziness affect me a lot and low payout discourage me of writing long stories. At times I ask myself, is there people reading it?
I will just save my long stories post and drop short.
I understand your dilemma, @deyinka. Here at The Ink Well, we believe that our efforts here are first and foremost about building a creative community that is devoted to the art of fiction and poetry.
I consider the "payout" to be a lovely bonus, when it happens. This is one of the only places where that is even possible for new and emerging writers.
We are structuring The Ink Well so that those who shake off that inner laziness and really put effort into producing good work will be the ones to receive the best rewards. So ultimately, if your goal is quality, it will benefit you.
Actually, I'm a plotter but there are times maybe that I'm a pantser. Especially when I just want to write and when I feel lazy. I'll just let my emotions flow and just write what it says. Being plotter is so tiring because I need to think more about the concept of the story. Anyway, this is a helpful post for writers. Thanks
That makes sense, and there's certainly no reason to go with just one method, if both work for you at different times! I do think plotting takes more work, but for longer projects, it is probably necessary. 😄
Good luck with your process! Becoming a plotter, when you are innately a pantser, is an undertaking. Be sure to have a look at the resource I provided in the article about that. See the "From Pantser to Plotter" section.
I'm interested in hearing more about that, @saulos. Are you saying that the ideas seem to come from somewhere in your sub-conscious mind? The reason I'm asking is that is what happens to me. I often write a story that seems to already exist somewhere, and I am merely being the scribe.
Well, I dream everyday, many of my ideas come from dreams, besides sometimes I can manipulate my dreams. Also, some times when I write I reach a degree of abstraction so deep that it seems that I am dreaming.
That is really amazing and I have to say I am envious. I think that means you have a truly creative mind. I have been writing since I was about 8 years old, but I have never been certain whether it is because I have some innate creative ability, or if I have a lifelong thirst to write... or perhaps a desire to achieve immortality by producing creative works that will outlast my time on this earth.
Nice introduction to the plotter / pantser topic! :)
I'm working on a novel at the moment, and it started very similar as to what you describe as your own process of a story evolving. With first a character and a setting and then a theme. I wrote the first draft just sitting and typing and enjoying the process of following the flow of ideas and expressing them in words.
After that first draft, I felt the storyline had potential, and wanted to improve on it. And found Jessica Brody's 15 beat story structure, and put it next to my own story arc. Having a more detailed framework on what to have where is now really helping me to get rhythm into my story. And in reorganising things, I feel things are improving big time. It's something I could recommend to other pantsers! :)
This is great direction, @amritadeva. I think writing a novel really does take that kind of orchestration. Evidently Faulkner wrote As I Lay Dying in a period of six weeks, with no edits. The reason that's so famous is because it's so rare!
👋 Hi @theinkwell, I was flipping through the blockchain and stumbled on your work! You've been upvoted by Sketchbook / a community for design and creativity. Looking forward to crossing paths again soon.
Hi,
I always start with a clear idea of where I'm going, whether I'm writing fiction or nonfiction. However, as I write it is often the case that my concept doesn't work. The writing takes over and I let that happen. It's kind of like starting a road trip in New York with a plan to end up in LA. However, the scenery is so interesting that I end up New Orleans, or the Colorado Rockies.
I like the advice that we shouldn't let the process be our enemy, but should sit down and do whatever works for us.
I am a pantser on short stories, sort of a plotter on longer ones, BUT, even within the plot, there's room for putting on some pants -- I generally control that to finish things, but this is also why I tend to write series of things and am a long-form writer consistently ... plots get extended and side elements get their own plots!
I also can HIGHLY recommend @freewritehouse, @mariannewest, and all the great members of the Freewriters Community -- they will nourish your inner pantser AND leave you room to develop the plotter as well: the weekend freewrite can be chosen from all the prompts of the previous week, so if you want to "plot" a weekend freewrite, you can!
Great perspective, @deeandmathews! Thank you for sharing some insights from the world of the published author. Taking different approaches depending upon the length of the work makes perfect sense.
You and I will get our interview piece done soon. 😄
This is putting SOOO many things in perspective for me. I think I go between the two, I plot the philosophy or the idea I am trying to convey. So I am a plotter, but then throughout the story itself I am sort of a pantser. I set the destination from the start but then be willing to change it a little bit or even entirely if the characters don't seem to be able to get there in a way that makes sense.
I also look at philosophy of writers and filmmakers, mainly filmmakers because it my passion. Christopher Nolan's and philosophy of the self, society and the universe, maybe mix it with Dan Harmon's 8 steps of telling a story. Add a motif or two, and then hope for the best.
Thank you for such informative posts. Writing in English is difficult and there are plenty of terms to writers that don't exist in Arabic AT ALL that I learn everyday. I love this series.
I touched on something similar in parts in my post About stuff I learned from Christopher Nolan and cinema in general.
I'm glad you're enjoying the series, @amirtheawesome1. Thank you for your efforts to write in English. I'm sure that must be a challenge, writing in a second language.
I like that description - going between the two as it suits you. It seems like an effective approach, since you can "put down the bones" as a plotter and write as a pantser, using the different creative processes that work best for each!
I enjoy writing as a pantser; letting the ideas flow first before i review them. That way i don't get stuck and i have something good to start with.
That's a great approach, @tea-said. It's so easy to get stuck (particularly for some of us) if the initial effort is structural, vs. creative.
Thank you, I'm glad you identify with me on this.
Is a good idea to write without a plan, because the writer itself won't know where the story will end. I think most time, laziness affect me a lot and low payout discourage me of writing long stories. At times I ask myself, is there people reading it?
I will just save my long stories post and drop short.
I understand your dilemma, @deyinka. Here at The Ink Well, we believe that our efforts here are first and foremost about building a creative community that is devoted to the art of fiction and poetry.
I consider the "payout" to be a lovely bonus, when it happens. This is one of the only places where that is even possible for new and emerging writers.
We are structuring The Ink Well so that those who shake off that inner laziness and really put effort into producing good work will be the ones to receive the best rewards. So ultimately, if your goal is quality, it will benefit you.
Actually, I'm a plotter but there are times maybe that I'm a pantser. Especially when I just want to write and when I feel lazy. I'll just let my emotions flow and just write what it says. Being plotter is so tiring because I need to think more about the concept of the story. Anyway, this is a helpful post for writers. Thanks
That makes sense, and there's certainly no reason to go with just one method, if both work for you at different times! I do think plotting takes more work, but for longer projects, it is probably necessary. 😄
I started as a pantser working towards a lose ploter. Good write up on the subject.
Good luck with your process! Becoming a plotter, when you are innately a pantser, is an undertaking. Be sure to have a look at the resource I provided in the article about that. See the "From Pantser to Plotter" section.
Most of the times I write as a pantser, ideas flow freely, but I feel that somehow I have already thought them but are still evolving as I write.
I'm interested in hearing more about that, @saulos. Are you saying that the ideas seem to come from somewhere in your sub-conscious mind? The reason I'm asking is that is what happens to me. I often write a story that seems to already exist somewhere, and I am merely being the scribe.
Well, I dream everyday, many of my ideas come from dreams, besides sometimes I can manipulate my dreams. Also, some times when I write I reach a degree of abstraction so deep that it seems that I am dreaming.
That is really amazing and I have to say I am envious. I think that means you have a truly creative mind. I have been writing since I was about 8 years old, but I have never been certain whether it is because I have some innate creative ability, or if I have a lifelong thirst to write... or perhaps a desire to achieve immortality by producing creative works that will outlast my time on this earth.
Nice introduction to the plotter / pantser topic! :)
I'm working on a novel at the moment, and it started very similar as to what you describe as your own process of a story evolving. With first a character and a setting and then a theme. I wrote the first draft just sitting and typing and enjoying the process of following the flow of ideas and expressing them in words.
After that first draft, I felt the storyline had potential, and wanted to improve on it. And found Jessica Brody's 15 beat story structure, and put it next to my own story arc. Having a more detailed framework on what to have where is now really helping me to get rhythm into my story. And in reorganising things, I feel things are improving big time. It's something I could recommend to other pantsers! :)
This is great direction, @amritadeva. I think writing a novel really does take that kind of orchestration. Evidently Faulkner wrote As I Lay Dying in a period of six weeks, with no edits. The reason that's so famous is because it's so rare!
I found the Jane Brody resource you mentioned - How to Outline Your Novel with the Save the Cat Beat Sheet. Thanks for sharing that info! What a gem!
👋 Hi @theinkwell, I was flipping through the blockchain and stumbled on your work! You've been upvoted by Sketchbook / a community for design and creativity. Looking forward to crossing paths again soon.
✅ Join the Sketchbook Community
Hi,
I always start with a clear idea of where I'm going, whether I'm writing fiction or nonfiction. However, as I write it is often the case that my concept doesn't work. The writing takes over and I let that happen. It's kind of like starting a road trip in New York with a plan to end up in LA. However, the scenery is so interesting that I end up New Orleans, or the Colorado Rockies.
I like the advice that we shouldn't let the process be our enemy, but should sit down and do whatever works for us.