Plotting vs. Pantsing: Navigating the Creative Process

Are you a plotter or a pantser? For me, writing feels like a bit of both. As an accountant in my other life, I thrive on plotting, getting organized and crafting a clear process. Yet, half the time, I veer away from my outline, rethinking and reworking as new ideas surface. This often happens during the first draft, though editing is no exception. New ideas can appear like golden opportunities, demanding attention and weaving themselves into the entire manuscript.

I once wrote a book in just two weeks. The words poured out like a river, carrying me along as if they had a life of their own. That 90,000-word draft felt urgent, as though it simply needed to exist. But here’s the catch: that novel, still unpublished, has taken me longer to edit than anything else I’ve ever written. Why? Perhaps because it required a complete overhaul after the initial surge of creativity. It was like building a house with haste and realizing later that the foundation needed to be rebuilt, a daunting but essential task for creating something enduring and meaningful.

These days, I stick to my plotting techniques. I might stray from the plan, but I always circle back. It’s like life, you follow a path, trust the process, and eventually find your way back to what’s meant for you. In my writing group, there’s one writer who does it differently. She doesn’t outline at all, trusting instead in a few key story points to guide her journey. Her results are inspiring. While she lets the story unfold naturally, I meticulously plan my chapters, crafting each scene with care. Her process is about discovery; mine, about architecture. I often wonder if her unexpected twists surprise her as much as they might a reader. For me, even when I deviate, I find comfort in knowing there’s a structure to return to, a creative safety net.

There’s no one-size-fits-all rule for writing a novel. We all veer off course at times, only to return to the story’s main thread. That’s why I anchor myself with themes: What do I want this book to achieve? What will the reader take away? These guideposts keep me grounded, helping me stay true to the story’s essence. Let’s face it: not all ideas, no matter how brilliant they seem at first, fit the narrative we’re trying to build. The challenge lies in knowing when to embrace a detour and when to return to the path. Sometimes, detours reveal profound insights about our characters, or even ourselves. Other times, they risk cluttering the journey if left unchecked.

In my experience, striking a balance between inspiration and discipline is key. It’s like walking a tightrope, swaying with creativity but never losing sight of the endpoint. There’s joy in letting a story surprise you, but there’s also immense satisfaction in aligning that spark of an idea with a greater vision. This interplay between freedom and structure makes the creative process both challenging and rewarding.

Every writer’s process is unique. For some, plotting feels stifling; for others, it’s a guiding light. What matters is finding what works for you and adapting as your story grows. Stories are living things; they evolve and surprise us. Whether you meticulously plot or embrace spontaneity, the goal is to create something that truly resonates.

Writing, after all, is as much about the journey as it is about the destination. So, whether you’re a plotter, a pantser, or a bit of both, enjoy the process, it’s where the magic happens.

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