Plotster-Panster Combo Revisited

Here is a quote that I would like to share from Noah Lukeman:

…writers are often unwilling to sketch out the action or events of their work in advance; instead they progress by instinct, relying on either vague plot ideas or the characters themselves to answer all their questions. This often works partially but not completely, and can result in alternate bouts of progression and stasis (“fast” and “slow” sections), can result in a general lack of maintained progression and in an ending lack culmination.

 I hear you! This is what I like to call the Panster Method.

Panster alone ends in focus and progression problems for me. But using the Plotster Method (outline and details laid out before you write) alone ends in drab. Where is the fun? You’ve already told the story in your little plotting notebook. Where is there to go from there?

BUT if, you combine the two forces you can end up with something that needs very little editing and is still fun to write. I like to call it the Plotster-Pantster Combo. And by very little editing, I mean less wholesale yanking sections in and out and rewriting half the thing and end up hating it so much you would throttle it if you could. Instead, you end up just hating it. So, if you are like me and are going to hate whatever it is that you write by the time it reaches the ‘good stage’ anyway, try the plotster-panster combo.

So, you ask, what exactly is this plotster-pantster combo? Well, I am glad you asked. This combo involves a little work upfront, but still holds its fun factor. You need to do a bit of character work ahead of time as well as a bit of a plot highlights. Once you have the basics down–a foundation of sorts–you can go to town with your pantster writing. You’ve got the plotster part down, so go for it. You can always add a sunroom on in mid-build, but it isn’t likely that you will have to move the basement!

Yay! Let’s hear it for the plotster-pantster combo!

The First Five Pages: Focus Part 2

I think I have mentioned this here and there, but here it is all in one spot.

I find writing by the seat of my pants exciting. There is nothing more exciting. And you are hearing this from the girl who loved the free fall (80 feet) ride at the Calgary Stampede. (They take you up 120 feet and drop you into a net 40 feet from the ground. THAT was fun.) Anyway, I love being a pantster writer.

But I have seen the light.

I find writing with the plot in front of me to be a bit boring. And you are hearing this from the girl who loved writing essays in university. I loved having everything researched and just laying it all out on the paper. Everything fitting so nicely together. Ahhhh…

But as I said, I have seen the light. That means I may have to give up pantster writing.

<Sob>

The works I wrote pantster style have needed SO much editing. The one I wrote plotster style has needed surprisingly little. I didn’t really realise it until well, editing it. But honestly, I didn’t really SEE it until I reached the ‘focus’ chapter in Lukeman’s book. I then proceeded to pull my hair out of my head when looking at my one story. Everything has to be focused? But I don’t know what the purpose is! I don’t know where I was going! It was FUN! That’s all and I think I got a pretty decent story out of it. Then I looked at my other story. The Plotster story. It was heaven to edit. It all had a purpose. I knew where everything was going. Everything added up and propelled the story. And sure, there were some surprises as I wrote, even though it was mostly plotted out. For example, one of the characters wanted her own point of view. It wasn’t tantalising to write and it doesn’t thrill me in the same way as my plotster story. But then again, that could come down to characters. I have some nuts in the one story. In the other, people that I would know. Not so nutty. More real, average everyday. It is less humourous and light.

So, my lesson is this: I need to plot more. It helps in the long run. But I also need to leave room for pantster action. Ooo. That sounds dirty! I need to know my characters and their motivations and where they are going before I start writing. Or at least once I am a few thousand words in. Then I will have focus. Then my work will have focus. And then I will become famous. I will bore myself, but I will be famous.

Ha, ha.

Plotster-Pantster Combo

I’ve picked up an idea I’ve had kicking around in my documents folder for a few months and looked it over. I like the premise and I have a loose idea of what this book is going to be. Yet, this one is different from the other four manuscripts I’ve banged out on thee ol’ computer.

And it isn’t the plot that is different or the genre, it is me. This time, I am putting more thought into what I want each scene to accomplish and where I want the story to go, what I want the characters to do or say.

In other words, less pantster (writing and planning and plotting by the seat of my pants) and more plotster (planning out it).

I suppose all the things I’ve learned and picked up in the past few months is all jiving for space in my mind as I set out the backbone of the story. Theoretically, my story should need less editing and rearranging in the end and should flow with more purpose and direction this time. So far, I haven’t beaten out all the desire to write this story. I mean, I haven’t done any plotting or character motivation sort of exercises or really anything yet and I am already 12,000 words in. (Yikes, how did I get that many so quickly!)

I am hopeful for this one. I know I can make this one really good with several plot lines running through it. The only problem is that there is an awful lot to think about, plus whenever I type ‘say’ or ‘says’ I cringe due to the discussion line over in the ‘On Writing’ section on AgentQuery. Sometimes you just have to say it! 

So here’s to the plotster-pantster combo!