Plotting vs Pantsing: Pros, Cons, & How To Choose Your Writing Method
Compare plotting vs pantsing in writing and discover which approach best suits your creative process. We break down the key differences between these two popular writing methods, exploring how planning your story (plotting) compares to writing by instinct (pantsing). You’ll learn the strengths and limitations of each approach.
Hello there! I've been really obsessed with your blog lately. My question is, in what order do you like to plan on your next work. Do you flesh out the characters first, or outline the plot? (Etc.)
Hello! This is a really good question. I would say that it depends heavily on the story.
For my main WIP at the moment (The White King Prophecy) I definitely fleshed out the characters first because they were the idea that inspired me the most. The plot has changed drastically over the years. It's honestly unrecognizable from when I first started planning it out, but the characters are essentially the same two guys as they originally were.
For other works of mine, like the WIP I'm planning to work on next, it's different though. Sometimes I get really caught up in an idea for a specific world or just a specific vibe and that ends up being what I base the entire story on. It's not really a uniform system. I just get inspired by random things and try to run with it.
One of the only things I do like to do is come up with names very early on. I find that characters are much easier to remember and keep consistent once they have names, so I try to get that out of the way as soon as possible.
you've talked before about being a pantser who comes up with an idea and works on the story as it comes to you, but aren't you ever scared you'l write yourself off course or into a corner you don't know how to get out of? sorry if this is, like, asking too much or something but as an extreme plotter i just find it so interesting to see how other people's writing processes work.
i present u the original story i wrote myself into a hole with.
It happens!!! It hasn't happened with a MOTA fjc yet thankfully but of course it happens. I think the thing that helps me the MOST is having a solid understanding of the ending and how everything is resolved.
With kingdom for a kiss i knew from the get-go there would be an argument outside where john kisses gale, I knew it would end with him going back to wyoming with gale to live happily ever after (mostly happily) so as long as I knew the final direction and goal I was headed towards I could meander around as I pleased. Hence why the word count got so high.
I use playlists and music EXTENSIVELY to direct my plot and emotions.
meet me at the chapel was written entirely to Chapel by Adam Mac (all ten hours of writing)
the james arc in kfak was arguably my most difficult to write and I would not have been able to without listening to these two songs the entire time
my body is a cage by arcade fire and roman candle by elliot smith
(and one more but I cant remember what it is)
I do plot in a vague sense! i know the points i want to touch on in my head and just connect the threads between.
for kfak it was:
john showing up, the stargazing, the creek, the church, james arc, the kiss, ending. Everything else came to me as I wrote
Asking this as a British person BUT IS ASHLYN BRITSH?? If so I feel like in traditional 2010’s style the kids would constantly make the bohtle of wahter jokes and the like
Oh, they most definitely would! Probably with a few POH-TTAHs sprinkled in.
Honestly, Ashlyn's nationality isn't something I've given much thought to. Originally, in the very very early and unpublished version of this story, she was a self-insert (Oh the cringy shame! but I was in middle school... so valid excuse?) Then I re-discovered my old writing when I was looking for inspiration and decided to fix it up, create a proper plot, and post it. Part of that transition was remaking Ashlyn into a Y/N type character, where I kept the name only because I find Y/N very jarring, instead of purely a mask for my own individual voice.
She is no longer a mini-me, my child is complete with her own virtues and vices that have nothing to do with my previous 11-year-old brain but there are definitely some traces of my voice still left in her. Mostly in her creative swearing.
As the fic has developed, she's definitely grown into her own fully actualized character, and I am *this close* to removing the reader insert tag altogether. The only thing stopping me is that, other than her very striking personality, Ashlyn Moore is still pretty vague.
This makes sense because the story focuses on her transition and the after-effects of dimension hopping, but that means that other details are lost because they aren't as narratively important.
I think I'll continue to leave most of her background up to the reader's interpretation. But, considering the fact you lovable internet stalkers have sussed out that I'm British, her sharing some elements of that would fit with the origins of her character.
But yeah, I feel like Vince would have made a water bottle comment when they first met.
And then Ashlyn would have chucked the bottle at him.
Hello lovely writers of Tumblr - how are you today? I have a question.
How do you go about writing? (poll at the bottom)
I am not a planner - I write what comes into my head as it does, which also means I write totally out of order and fill-in/make-it-make-sense, once I go back. When I go back through to figure out what else I need to write in I'm lucky if I get a one line note down - sometimes it just says FILLIN.
Sometimes I get to a point where I have to create a timeline just to sort out what's going on in my head properly.
But my twin writes completely in order and plans so much before hand. Her scene notes often have so much detail!
So, how do you write?
From beginning to end, with planning
From beginning to end, no planning
Like a butterfly from random scene to random scene, but with planning
Like a butterfly from random scene to random scene, but with no plan
Some secret other way I will reveal in tags/comments
Oh no here she comes again with the fanfict she will never write=
Okay, I'm in the middle of a mess, trying to organize my first draft. I managed to write a short summary and a full synopsis, using the Snowflake method, and for now, I'd say it actually works.
Read more bellow if you dare.
I wanted to share with you my first Character sheets tests, (because I'm stupidly proud of it) but also, if you're in the same situation and looking for a model; here is mine. It's a mix of different results I found through many Youtube channels and google, and some of my own ideas.
The Snowflake method helps you to prepare your story step by step, starting from a simple sentence resuming your plot to a full detailed synopsis. Plus, creating your characters profiles. You can find many videos about it on Youtube, (I really had fun making this, but it might to not suit you as all writers have different way to work.) There is a full part on how to write your character description, but this is where I took some liberties;
I found all of the pictures on Pinterest, except for Lucas' face. I used the Artbreeder app, and with the few free credits I had, I somehow managed to mix two images to have a close result, then edited it on Procreate.
There is no spoilers in those descriptions, you can read them safely. (If you're ever interested in my story ^^)
The steps :
Some infos about your characters, size, eyes color, hair color, peculiar details of their bodies, fears, ect...
A short summary of their story and current status.
Their concrete goal, or what they want to do.
Their abstract goal, or why they want to do it. (those part can be tricky to discern, so I just asked myself what are they doing in the story, and then why.)
What is preventing them to reach this goal, external or mental obstacles, burdens and conflicts with themselves or with another element/character, past traumas ect...
How your characters are going to evolve to reach they goal, what kind of person they will become and what they have to do to get there. What they are going to learn through the story.
The status, alive or deceased at the end of the story. Add a short description in the second case. (I voluntary erased my answer here to avoid spoilers ! )
A page about whatever makes you think about your character. Think about details you haven't written in the description, but also ambiances, or even memories.
Remember that I'm a beginner/casual writer, maybe this isn't the best way to create your characters but I found this very fun to do and constructive. It helped me to think a lot about their personalities and choices, impacting the plot.
Feel free to give it a try, and share your results, changes, or even advice !
Thanks for reading ! And good luck for your projects !