{"id":468,"date":"2026-07-15T12:02:06","date_gmt":"2026-07-15T16:02:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/riverladywrites.com\/?p=468"},"modified":"2026-07-15T12:02:06","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T16:02:06","slug":"plotter-vs-pantser-finding-your-ideal-novel-writing-process","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/riverladywrites.com\/?p=468","title":{"rendered":"Plotter vs Pantser: Finding Your Ideal Novel Writing Process"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Photo courtesy of Pexels\/Leah Newhouse<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You know where you\u2019re starting from, of course, and possibly where you want to end up, but it\u2019s the in-between that you leave open, allowing for wonderful discoveries along the way. Perhaps you\u2019ll stop for breakfast at a cozy little caf\u00e9 or just grab a coffee and donut on the fly. You want to visit the Ball of Twine Museum, but you\u2019ll leave other tourist attractions to how you\u2019re feeling as you go. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The only thing you know for sure is that you must reach your destination before dark, or you\u2019ll end up lost in the woods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plotter vs Pantser: What is Your Novel Writing Process?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Writing a novel is incredibly similar to my road trip analogy. In the creative writing world, there is an ongoing debate regarding the creative writing process: Are you a plotter or a pantser?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plotters map out their entire book, with every detail, twist, and turn recorded before authors put their pens to paper or their fingers to the keyboard. They meticulously plan the beginning, middle, end, and all the loops along the way. A strict plotter wouldn\u2019t stop at the Ball of Twine Museum if it wasn\u2019t already written into their story outline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understanding the Pantser Writing Style<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

And then there are pantsers: the group to which I belong. We write by the seat of our pants, letting the story structure develop organically. Yes, we know the beginning and the ending we\u2019d like to reach, but the in-between\u2014well, it\u2019s up for grabs. Perhaps we\u2019ll stop at the Ball of Twine Museum or just continue on our way to the Rubber Band Museum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes our characters will take us places we hadn\u2019t planned on going. It\u2019s fun. And exhausting. Because at these times, pantsing writers can find themselves stuck in the “soggy middle” of a manuscript with no gas left in the tank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finding the Middle Ground: Becoming a Plotting Pantser<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Because getting lost in the woods wastes time, I\u2019m working on a hybrid approach: becoming a plotting pantser (often called a “plantser”). My new strategy is to map out a flexible chapter outline but still allow my characters to offer suggestions for spontaneous side trips. I\u2019d really like to visit that Rubber Band Museum, but, just in case, I\u2019ll keep a basic map at my side so I don\u2019t lose my way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What about you? Do you prefer a detailed roadmap when writing, or do you like to see where the road takes you? Drop a comment below and tell me your style?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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