Date Posted:13:37:57 01/15/10 Fri Author:susiej Subject: I'm definitely a pantzer- that's how my darn manuscript got so big. I just sat down and wrote whatever came out. It was totally fun- no stress. It made for a ms too long for a unproven author by current industry standards, but I like big books and I enjoyed meeting all those crazy side characters. I've tried to be more of a planner with the next book, and it just doesn't flow as well, I don't lose myself and slip into the character's world as easily. In reply to:
Debi
's message, "Pantser or Plotter?" on 21:06:05 01/14/10 Thu
I start with a basic outline, one page long. I also have a notebook for character sketches; for example, so I can keep track of inherited characteristics like eye colour, or know how old a character is at a particular date.
Then I write the scenes, and one of the following happens:
- The scene starts playing itself out in my head before I even start, as as I write my pen is on fire. My characters do and say things I don't expect, or secondary characters appear out of nowhere, or interesting side plots introduce themselves. Sometimes this pushes the boundaries of the outline, but I let it go and figure I'll work it out in the next draft.
- I'm not particularly inspired and not sure what to write. I look at the outline and research notes, pick out somewhere I need a scene, and write until I reach at least 500 words. Sometimes the process of writing will inspire me and it will turn into a "pantser" scene, but in any case I'll have progress.
As a pure plotter I'd get bored, and as a pure pantser I'd be crippled by writer's block. An in-between strategy works for me.
susiej