7 Signs You Might Be A Pantser (Not a Plotter)
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- Опубликовано: 27 сен 2024
- What does it mean to be a pantser? Essentially it means you like to "fly by the seat of your pants" to write a novel. ie: not a plotter or outliner.
I'm covering 7 signs that might clue you into the fact that you are not meant to be an outliner or plotter. Join the dark side! Pantsing is fun!
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Reader: "What happens next?"
Me: "I don't know I'm making this up as I go along."
That should be my motto. XD
Only the characters know...
DreamBliss for me, the characters don't know either
George RR Martin is a panster😅 thats why Game of Thrones took decades to publish
I want that on a shirt 😂😂
The thing about being a discovery writer is that when you have a new idea for the next scene it feels like discovering a treasure.
Haha! You are much more positive on the process than I am. I feel like I'm keeping myself from drowning. Each new scene discovered, is just me staving off the great void little longer.
As an outliner, I have the same feeling when outlining the story
@@jamescouch979
Took the words outta my mouth! I'm brand new to making the commitment to write. So I really dont know what I am, as far as outliner/discovery/pantser. But.. the most comfortable feels like at least outlining where it goes before I dedicate myself.
And in doing that, I've gotten stuck a few times in outlining. And I'll sit there thinking, "ok these are the characters, they are HERE, dealing with THIS".
And then while imagining I'll suddenly jolt up in my seat think HOLY SHIT! I've discovered an amazing way forward!
But still not sure if I'm embracing my true nature, or hesitantly being safe.
i guess Im asking randomly but does anybody know a way to log back into an Instagram account..?
I was stupid forgot the account password. I would appreciate any tricks you can offer me!
@Khalil Christian instablaster ;)
I love being a "discovery writer". Sometimes my characters do things I totally didn't see coming and that's when I feel the magic is happening.
Me. *Writes the outline, knows everything that will happen.*
Character : "Nope, I'm not doing that, DOBBY IS A FREE ELF."
Me. "Sh*t."
Why aren't my characters OBEYING ME ?
Hahah this was the most relatable comment
"Discovery writer" fits perfectly for me, I love brainstorming and am doing it constantly to figure out what to write next.
Yeah, I have a doc full of notes on where the plot and characters are going, but my story has gotten so far off from my notes that I can't even look at them anymore.
I feel this...
I didn't have a real document but I had an idea... and the only thing I reall try no to move to is the character description. Cause at least this needs to be the same all the time (so this I actually wrote)
Honestly that's what outlines are suppose to do. Think of yourself as a scientist. You have a hypothesis (outline, character sheets, etc) then you test it out by writing the story. Then you come up with a new hypothesis as the characters and story come to life. Nobody sticks 100% to their outlines because that's be bad story telling, just in the same way no scientist sticks to a hypothesis when they're wrong. They try out new ones.
Have you ever thought of making a “how I pants (?)” video? A lot of outliners do “how I plan” videos, and I think it’d be interesting to see how you know when to stop brainstorming and how much you need to know before you start writing
People outlining stories for 5 years, vs instantly knowing the world the moment a character opens their mouth or introduces themselves.
I was once a pantser but I never got anything done. There needs to be SOME semblance of an outline.
That sounds like you're a plotter who didn't know it, not a pantser.
Ah! Now I get it, pantser means someone who flies by the seat of their pants.
I'll always be thankful for how Alexa made me feel validated as an intuitive writer (and also fanfic writer). It seems like every other voice out here is all about being a plotter and having a specific plan and that's great for some, but it makes pantser writers feel like they are bad writers.
IMO, a piece of writing advice is as good as the books it helps the writer create.
I always reach milestones and then realize "hm, okay, I should plan out what's coming up next"
And then...I don't. So I reach the next milestone, and think the same thing. Goes on forever.
OMG I thought I was the only one who had NO IDEA how to structure the middle section of the book before writing XD XD I don't even know how to outline, all my ideas come while I'm actually writing XD
Always thought I was a pantser, still do, but trying outlining has helped me feel less anxiety about going off where I need to go. It also feels possible that I’ll finish my first novel because I have direction. I still end up changing the outline a lot and as I’m going but at least the beginning and ending are established.
Good luck. I have hardly idea how to finish my curren one :(
The characters lead me. Pantser forever!
Thank you for this. I was working myself into severe burnout trying to outline everything. I nosedived into my story after watching this and wrote 16 pages in one sitting. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I tried writing an outline. After struggling and fighting with it for several hours, I gave up and was so upset I didn't write for several days. I hated my story and wanted to give up on it.
I'm much happier now that I sit down and write wherever the muse takes me. It's been alot harder to work on my WIP since I wrote the ending though...did I mention I write out of sequence too?!
I did this style by accident and discovered there was a word for it.I became addicted to plotting over plotting but could never write.Then I wrote 2 characters talking without a plan.Thank you for this video.
I agree with you that outlining is murderous. I tried to sit down the other day to write a chapter by chapter outline, and it was a pain. :P I'd rather write a bunch of good scenes that appear in my mind while creating characters and a running plot, and see if I can thread them together.
Technically, it's also kind of outlining. You may find some authors having all kind of random ideas before writing and before they write, they try to connect. That looks so hard.
@@sharonefee1426 I literally went on a writing prompt site once, copied down ones that were interesting or could connect, and came up with some great little details and extra points and hows. You just go on and- oh, a hospital visit, sharp pain in stomach, lives eating apples and uses a specific knife? (All sperate prompts) GIRL U BEEN POISONED.
And then I have to figure out why she gets poisoned... Oof
Wow all those books in the background 😍😍😍
I've had a story in my head for the past 15 years, I could never get further than a few scenes and some character profiling. I always thought that I needed to have an outline before I started writing so I ended up never starting at all.
I am a mix of pantser and plotter
For short stories pantsing all the way!!
For novels I do a 3 act 9 block 27 step outline and basically pants from then on. I also manage to change my outline when the pantsing inspiration starts.
I find pantsing lovely because you never know what will happen and it is cool to just discover these plot twists as if you are reading yourself.
Preach girl. I abhor outlining. The murky middle is hard enough without outlining. I do a super rough outline/brainstorming session write it down then the characters take over and its carpe diem out with the outline! ❤😘😂
Linda Cobo fist bump to the sister!
So I found out after watching a few of your videos that the reason I never seem to be able to write is that I am a secret pantser. Thank you so much for pointing out what should've been obvious to me a very long time ago! I'm finally writing and having a ton of fun. Also, congrats on your new book, The Ivies! I can't wait for it to come out!
I feel like i swing both ways when i comes to that. Its nice to have an idea of where you want your book to go but its so dope when something spectacular comes from no where!
What i like about being a pantser is that you feel like an actual reader when you read back your book. I go, "wait where do I get this idea?" or "oh I didn't remember that..". Although this is rare occasion but sometimes it happens, where YOU yourself don't even remember the small details you've invented. Or am I just forgetful..haha
I absolutely LOVE outlining, but reason #5 speaks to me.... I feel attacked. I've suspected I'm secretly a pantser, so I'm pantsing a story for Camp Nanowrimo in April. Wish me luck!
Good luck!! I'm also struggling to find a project for Camp. I think I'm also going to be a pantser
Thank you, that's exactly what I needed to hear.
If you knew my personality, you'd think I'm a planner, but when I sit down to write, it never goes to plan. One little detail suddenly takes over the whole story.
The journey of descovering my characters and what's going to happen to them blow my mind, knowing everything in advance is so boring.
OMG! I got moist eyes and found myself nodding my head like crazy within first 2 minutes of this video. Now I know why I was feeling so anxious and panicked for last two days. All these videos of authors suggesting outlining, beat sheets and what not, made me feel so overwhelmed. I felt like crying.
Thank you for this video. I've been writing all my life. Only now I've started to look into professional aspects of it. So much to learn.
I'm so relieved to know that pantsing is not really the incorrect way. Thanks for putting my worries to rest by making this video. I truly loved it. 😍😘
No matter how hard I try I just can't manage to outline my story. I find it too tedious and nerve wracking. 😥😥
Oh, I resemble the tendency to outline a novel I never write so hard! I have no problem actually outlining as a form of brainstorming, but as soon as I do it, I am bored to tears with the story. I've set up structure for at least four different books that I can't even think about without experiencing anxiety. I think my process is destined to be 1. Discovery write an awful book, 2. Forget said book for about a decade, 3.Rediscover book and suddenly have all the fixes for the structural issues, 4. Rewrite the heck out of it, 5. mumble mumble, something publish *shrug*.
Holy moly, I was thought to be a planner and although I notebook after notebook full of ideas and structures I never started writing I just couldn’t. Last week an idea popped up into my head and the first idea was to start plotting again, yet I decided to just write and let them tell me the story.. I have never been so excited and on a story high. No idea where it’s going but I am liking it. Guess I am a pantser after all
I love what GRRM used which is "architect" and "gardener." Blueprints for the architect and seeds for the gardener.
I gotta say, I really like the term "discovery writer" over "pantser" 😂 Discovery writers are much braver than I. As a plotter it's nice to remember that it's good to leave wiggle room and let yourself be spontaneous sometimes.
Just bloody brilliant. Thank you so much for posting it.
Love your content! I think the most fun part of discovery writing is you never know which characters are going to stick around or become massively important to plot progression in the second act. In the project I’m working on now, a character that didn’t even appear in brainstorming became a main character and it was the best thing that could have happened to my book!
I'm a definite plantser. I imagine certain scenes in detail before I start writing, and make notes of what I've planned out, such as about characters, locations and events. But everything else I have to discover as I write.
Characters' personalities, quirks, backgrounds. The connective tissue between the major scenes. Subplots.
I watched some Jenna Moreci videos where she bangs on about the importance of a good outline. I tried to make one before I started writing. Didn't work, it got sparse in the middle and I decided to just write. I did struggle after act 1 so I skipped ahead to the climax. Best thing I could have done, for me.
After writing the climax somehow I had a much clearer idea of what I needed in the middle. I wrote a checklist of scenes for the middle and went back to it. I shuffled the order around slightly from the checklist to have the emotion and rising and falling tension how I felt it'd work best. But I was writing in a great flow state again, like I had before. When I finish the middle then I can reward myself by writing the end haha
I think this just made realize that I’m a pantser/ discovery writer. For my novel, the only plot planning I did ahead of time was a sentence summarizing each chapter. This really worked for me, because I am able to skip around to different parts of my novel, because I’m very much a mood writer. I’ve found out so much about my plot by writing myself into new discoveries.
I'm happy I found this video! Yesterday I spent 12 hours staring at my outline with no inspiration. I thought I was doing this wrong.
SO I guess I'm a pantser. I just go with the idea and outline in my head. My characters will lead me!
I’ve stand up all night watching your videos. You’re perfect! Thank you ☺️
Been an outliner for awhile. Worked in the beginning but keept fizzling out. I literally know the entire story in my head but I can't physically plot it out. But I know as soon as I write it, everything will be there. I think I may have more panster traits than a plotter so mabey this is my turning point. Thanks for such an insightful video.
okay this timing is wild, because i just recently tried pantsing after being a hardcore outliner for several years and it's been *so* much easier and actually enjoyable. so thank you!! because this video is a really helpful confirmation that outlining too much has been my problem all along, and that's really comforting after struggling with writing so hard the past year. i also love the term 'discovery writer' much more than pantsing, it sounds much nicer hahah
Pantsing for me is when I just start typing what I see in the movie of the story, all right there in my imagination, as it's happening. It's simple and easy as that. And instead of outlining, I write down miscellaneous blurbs as they come to me at any given moment, even at 3AM!
I will never outline, but I do write out character history/background and personality traits.
One problem I have with not outlining, which is easily fixable, is writing linearly. I may have to rearrange the order of chapters.
I suppose I’m somewhere in the middle. I prepare scene cards for my chapter but I don’t outline my entire story. The scene cards help keep the main events I want in the scene but I try not to plan out my dialogue.
Your advice always seems to comfort me, so thank you! Binging some of your vids is helping to boost my productivity as I outline/discover my way through a new story! Happy Spring!
Another big sign: You do plot what is going to happen, but as you write your novel, your characters end up doing whatever they want and you have to adjust the plotting to the novel instead XD
When I'm outlining stuff and I get bored, I go and write short but sweet moments I might want to put in a longer book, and that keeps me going. It also helps me think of plot ideas, especially when the mini story runs away from me.
Okay yeah I think I'm a panster :/
I am a DEFINITE PANTSER!! I felt so ashamed saying it but now I don’t. I just GO- if I don’t like it I’ll change it- The only time I outline is if I’m away from my laptop and ideas pop into my head or if I don’t want to forget something before I reach the part in my book where I want to put it. This is my first novel though and I’m really new to this whole writing thing. So praying that this works for me!! Because outlining is not where it’s at!! At ALL!! 😂
I outlined once. I figured out the bad guy early. Then I got bored and put the story away.
You can always try to rewrite it.
@@sharonefee1426 I think I just found out that I'm a plotser. I leaned into he bad guy and it worked!
I hate outlining but the creation of crazy in depth character sheets is almost therapeutic to me.
It's just remembering what you wrote on your character sheets that is a nightmare
i don't know why, but writing outlines physically pains me to the point that when i actually do it, i quit after i write one simple paragraph on the paper. :>
So it’s not just me?
I am definitely a pantser! I've tried outlining a couple of times and every time I got bored with my story because now I knew everything about it-it wasn't fun anymore! Definitely love the Discovery part of pantsing! Also, it's weird, but you mentioned editing and some times, even as I am writing a scene I think to myself, 'I can't wait to get rid of most of this scene when I go back and edit!' It's strange, but it excites me! In the moment I need the scene to learn about the story, but even as I write it I know it won't stay. Anyway, love your videos!
Love brainstorming! I do write a few scenes first, but the rest is a journey. Outline my podcasts but stories, nope. I'll twitch.
I can't stand outlining stories, it bores me. The entire reason I love to write is because I only know the first few steps and I want to experience the journey as the reader does. Plotting comes after the first draft is done. Editing is my favorite part so this works for me.
I know my character murders another character but how to start is difficult and i try outlining and by the time i get to writing im like ill start it later
I made an outline, probably won't stick to it.
I prefer combining outlining and "discovery writing". Seems I'm incapable of completely outlining a story no matter the length because there reaches a point I just can't get farther without writing up to the point where the outline stops and discovering what happens next on my own. I have completely pantsed an entire short story once but really didn't enjoy it, nor do I feel the story was up to my usual standards. Combining is definitely best for me. :)
I am 100% a discovery writer. It's so much fun! I'm currently barely 3,000 words into a new story and it's already shocked me multiple times! I do also underwrite. I always have to add descriptions later.
I'm a "plantser", aka a pantser/plotter hybrid for my novels. I hate outlining, but I put down a VERY basic one-paragraph info line per chapter. It keeps me from shooting myself in the foot or losing steam, but I also don't overwhelm myself by filling out a bajillion worksheets. My very basic outlines are also only a guideline, and the middle portion usually changes quite a bit from the initial idea to the book.
I'm totally a pantser though, for my short stories.
Definitely a mix of the two but more a discovery writer!
Thank you, I needed this
That's me! Amazing writing ability, cool story idea, first chapter or two flies by, then i fizzle! I have an outline, but i keep it loose. Never studied story structure to my knowledge. Just sat down with an idea, outlined as best i could and used the outline as a guide. Kept it flexible. And my stories died every time. But no issues with short stories!
I'm a pantser, really big one. And it works better for my adhd 😊😊 outlining just makes me want to sleep 😊😊
@@batzcult420 very likely ☺ find a way that works for you instead of trying to force a way that doesn't just because you are told by people without adhd that it's the "right" way 😊😊
@@batzcult420 it made more sense than I'd like to admit hehe :P
I'm a planster. I can't not have an outline, but I never follow it well.
I guess it's kind of safety netץ Nothing wrong with that.
I am a Pantser. Had no idea, until each and every point you made applied to me. Kind of scary but happy to know!
I'm what I would call a "light" outliner: I usually actually couple scenes and notes out, then sit down an make a list of all the scenes I think I need to write the story. If I don't have a scene list for that first draft, it just never happens >.> I end up with whole new plots and ideas to incorporate in the next draft, but without that outline, I never get to that point. I'm very impressed by people who can pants!
I write my stories like I am running a dnd game. Literally imagining characters rolling dice and getting good or bad results and I go with it.
sign number 6 made me widen my eyes XD I didn't realize that was a thing for other people. may start seriously considering pantsing then haha
I love all of your videos!!
Now that I think about it, I’m always brainstorming new ideas for my books on accident 😂
I can plan the beginning of a novel but so often I end up pants-ing the middle portion. It's really making me thinking I'm a pantser deep down. Maybe someday I'll be brave enough to try from the start of a story.
It's okay to feel like you have a start. In a way, despite the fact that my outline didn't last long, it did give me a great opening point. If you don't plan your characters from A to Z, you can see how it works. It surely can change, but still, it give some relaxtion.
I feel I'm leaning toward the plotting side, but with a twist: I make bucket lists of scenes with specific things, places, character types, etc. that I want to incorporate somewhere in the book, so I put them in the "unsorted" category of my outline.
im personally a half plotter half pantser - i create an outline, character profiles, plan every chapter, then while writing, i follow most of the plan but add more things i havent planned
Great video. I think I spend too much time in character development, I even go down to the characters blood type for some reason, it is irrelevant to everything.
I already have a book out that I outlined, and now I’m trying pantsing for the first time. We’ll see how this goes!
During this first book I found I’m a blend. I loosely planned/outlined which was so easy to follow. But then I got to the third act and realized I hadn’t set everything up properly and had to go back and add 2 chapters in the middle and add things throughout. It took some discovery to make sure the reader will care about the characters and outcome. That’s not as clear at first when outlining. I’m an underwriter with the outline and then discover pants on top to fill out. I guess. Ha! Writing is fun guys :)
My character likes tea...
That’s it so far.
I feel very called out on the Act 2 bit.
I always know what I'm going to write that day, because I watch little movies in my mind beforehand.
My process is usually that I'll start with a few characters, a general notion of the plot, and maybe a few scenes that fit in there somewhere. Then I'll pants the hell out of draft one, and see where it takes me. Then, if I decide I want to do something more with it, I'll outline draft two, because I have all these scenes written out, and I just need to figure out the best place for them. So I can't outline from nothing. I can only organize what I already have.
Pantser to the end!
This makes sense. I am very fond of strategic thinking and being methodical and plans. But when I tried in writing, it just turned me off. So I stopped writing. Then I just said I will simply make it up as I go. And discover the story for myself. And not think as deeply on the first draft. And now I am much more productive. I guess it is only natural that different styles suit different people.
Omg, Alexa, literally 60 seconds in, and YES, I have felt inspired to try to write my very first novel ever. I've had this idea for an entire book, and while doing research, I've learned that I should outline, right? Well, I am trying, and I feel my ideas are falling apart as I try. Nothing coming out of me trying to outline feels as good as what I had felt for my story. I have great characters I've already fleshed out, but I feel like trying to outline my story has changed who my characters are to better fit a formula. Does that make sense? I don't like it, and I'm getting incredibly frustrated to the point where I feel defeated immediately. I do NOT like the feel of outlining at all.
Anyway, going to continue watching. :)
haha I love the term "discovery" writer instead of panster! all those signs point to my process and had no idea =) super fun topic, thanks!
I’m a hybrid. Discovery write for awhile, then panic because it confuses the plot, then re-outline, then fill in the holes with discovery writing. Discovery leads to more interesting stuff but outlining is necessary at some point so the story makes sense.
From what I have learned, I have a lot of troulbe when it comes to writing; either I just don’t have the drive or inspiration strikes and the drive can be fleeting or last for a while.
Though when ideas for writings come, I definitely revel with brain storming characters. Ranging from appearence, to personality to traits and potential interactions with other character ideas that I have created. I have a lot of trouble sitting down and writing any of it down outside character information. I think part of that is due to not wanting the first draft to sound like crap. Lol
Aw man! I'm like such a plotter! Not knowing what happens in each and every chapter gives me major anxiety 😅
I always thought you were saying Prancing. As in jumping to new ideas and going with the flow. As opposed to sitting down and focusing.
But Pantsing makes sense too lmao
Me: so story is going this way.
Story: haha you're funny...
I have no plans anymore.
I thought i would be a plotter and i was happy i got some of the main ideas down. The first time i started writing on the book i felt pure bliss, to the point where there are some chapters that still impress me even after rereading multiple times.
Then i started searching online tips on how to write / plot and my writing experience has decreased, i spent more time struggling on learning things i should know that i didn't know i have to know - you get the idea.
Even today i tried to plan the main scenes for my story and i realised i wasted a few hours in which i kept reading back and forth between things i have already written in previous attempts.
Lately i ended up trying to plot more than actually writing and created a lot of anxiety for me, that I'm never going to be able to write this book because i can't get over plotting (though i have many scenes ideas, a direction, a few plot twists, some logic put in place and i imagined my characters through and through)
Sadly, now i feel paralysed to write without plotting because i automatically assume it's going to be full of errors or a weak story
Pantsing didn’t make sense to me until I found out there are people who actually enjoy the revision process. For me, the outline is the savior who turns rewrite hell into mere purgatory.
Another sighn: you break of contradict the outline because you think of something cooler mid way through
Excellent video! This really helps me too. I like the term "discovery writer". It allows room to change. I'm the kind of person who will loosely outline a story and then come up with something even better halfway through and throw out my entire outline because it no longer fits thanks to this great new idea. *headdesk* Because of this, I've always considered myself a plotser, somewhere in between. The middle is MOST DEFINITELY the hardest part for me to outline and write, and I think it's safe to say I'm more of a pantser, a discovery writer, than a plotter.
i’ve always written outlines for stories because i thought i was supposed to, but even loose outlines made me get super bored while writing. i think i might be a pantser so i’m trying to work on a project and to not plan it, but just write.
I'm finding that I am more of a discovery writer... but I'm trying to plan things a bit by just planning the next part... which still makes it fun...
Plotting is a nightmare for me, I am a pantser... Everyday I come across other writers who swear by plotting and try to convince me that plotting would help me move the story to the end. I just can’t do it captain, I don’t have the power to plot. My power is pantsing
Alexa, this seven tips kinda set me free, i felt wrong not planing everything ahead, now i know that to be a pantser is normal 😎😚😊
This is great to know! I am very much a "Discovery Writer" and thought this was a problem. On the plus side, which is also a downside, I'm a habitual editor (to the point I officially banned myself from doing major edits until I finish my current draft).
I've outlined before. I've never stuck to them. Certain events from outlines show up in my stories often, sure, but I've always had a "pantser" personality. I've always been very impulsive.
I’m a pantser. I had an idea of the plot for my novel, because it was originally a play I wrote. (That I outlined!)
The play itself has ended up as one of the final chapters, and the ending is different. I wanted to keep the original ending but my characters are strong willed and chose their own ending. It’s been so much fun seeing what twists and turns the story could take as I typed.
Discovery writer. I like that. I hate outlining and I know for a fact I'm a panster. The one time I did an outline, I outlined the heart of the story and couldn't write it.