Plotter vs. Pantser in Life and Writing by Debra H. Goldstein
When it comes to my everyday existence, I am a plotter. I make prioritized to-do lists based upon the tasks needing to be done, where I am going to be, and how long each activity should take (so I can squeeze in things so as to not waste time). It gives me great satisfaction to strike through each item on my list and know that at the end of the day, I’m ready to make the next day’s list.
Plotting is the last thing I like to do when I write. Oh, I may have an idea where the story or book may go, but the reality is I’m a pantser from beginning to end. It is only when I’m in the “writing zone,” where the words glide forth effortlessly, that I feel a sense of satisfaction.
I have friends who set a specific word count each day. Not me. I write when the muse strikes. For the past few years that worked well. Maybe my production wasn’t as good as some of those word-counters, but seven published books, one book in review, and almost fifty published stories isn’t something I am ashamed of. I puttered or pantsed, but things got done because somewhere in my head, I knew being a published author required balancing time with my computer, family, civic obligations, and playing.
In the song “Beautiful Boy,” on the Double Fantasy album, John Lennon wrote, “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” Different versions of this line have been attributed to many other people over time. Who said it first doesn’t matter. What is important is the realization that sometimes the best plot or plan we have gets shaken by life events. That’s what happened to me with some personal family issues during the past couple of years. They were events that often directly impacted my ability to write more than a story here, a blog there, or a few pages of the new book that I’d thought the world would see two years ago.
Recently, things reached a point that I had to lean on friends, blog mates, and even a few strangers to accomplish things that normally would easily be checked off my to-do list. I thank everyone who stepped up and gave me the time and freedom to address life without worrying about the plans I’d made. Today, the issue is resolved. I’ve taken a deep breath and accepted the changes thrown at me as I live life; and, I’ve regained the feeling of joy that writing gives me. I doubt I’ll ever be a person who knocks out so many words a day, but I know that that’s okay for me. Understanding the balancing of being a plotter and a pantser in life and writing is what it’s all about.
Do you use plotting and pantsing in life - or writing? Have you ever had everything unravel and did you find your way back to a state of balance?
In my daily life I tend to overplot in the first draft and allow my muse to guide me through the angst of not getting everything done.
ReplyDeleteIn writing I pants my way through the first draft and then spend considerable time banging the thing into plot-worthy shape.
I recognize that each of these approaches has serious flaws. Yet when I tried sitting down to plot a novel in advance, I hated the process and it left me with no novel I wanted to write -- exploration of ideas is what makes me happy -- and then polishing.
And I've tried underplanning my life -- but just becuase I don't have a list, doesn't mean it isn't taking up space in my brain -- probably extra space since it isn't written down. I now treat my overplanning as a wish list and don't beat myself up for not getting everything done.
I'm sure a pyschatrist would have a field day analyzing that mess of a solution, but they'd have to pay me first and find a spot on my to do list.
Like you I am the ultimate plotter in my daily life. Nothing would get done without my trusty lists. Do you add items you've done for the sheer pleasure of crossing them off? I do that from time to time.
ReplyDeleteMy writing is a different story. I've blogged about it here on several occasions. I envy outliners - how lovely to have a roadmap to follow. Alas, when I have outlined two things have happened - the story bores me - I know how it ends, or the story fails because I try so desperately to force the words into their outlined boxes. Nope, I'm a pantser (or discovery writer and they are now called). My favorite question is "if this, then what?"
I'm afraid I've been a pantster most of my life. When I was young, it just never occurred to me that I might actually have some control over where I went in life. I drifted along, clutching onto whatever seemed like a good idea at the time. I was mildly surprised by a number of things--babies, jobs, education, moves to a totally new area. Sometimes I'd muse about how I got there.
ReplyDeleteI'm a little better with writing. Not that I have a lot of control (my characters dictate an awful lot) but I usually have some idea of where I'm going. And, of course, I can choose how serious I want to be about writing a particular story (I don't feel like I can not write it, but I don't have to go back & do all the revision if I don't want to.)
I think the lack of feeling in control of my life was not unusual, especially for a woman, throughout much of history. I'm so glad my daughters not only get to choose, but they know they have the choices.
I've learned to be flexible, in both daily life and writing. When I open the fridge around five in the afternoon and find eggs, we have omelets for dinner. When I stall out writing, I write a short story or character sketch instead. In fact, one of my character sketches morphed into a short story. Didn't see that coming.
ReplyDeleteI stress out if I don't have a plan—for life or for the books. But I do find that, while I know the beginning, the ending, who died, and whodunit when I start, I can only outline about a quarter of the book at a time. Then I write, then outline some more, then write, etc. It took me four books to figure that out, but it seems to work. For me. For now.
ReplyDeleteSo happy for you that your life feels back on track now. And so glad you gave yourself grace when it wasn't.
I'm a planster all the way. I love lists and outlines and I love wadding them up and tossing them out.
ReplyDeleteDebra,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that life has settled down for you and that you're able to write again. We all have different approaches—to life and to writing. I've never planned out my life, other than my career and making plans as needed. However, I do know what I want to accomplish each day—not that I always reach my goal. As for my writing, I find that I am not as much of a plotter as I used to be. I know my main themes, my characters, of course, and a few basic plot points. Then I allow my imagination to run with it. So far this method has worked for me.