Plotter or Pantser?

Potato or Potahto

Tomato or Tomahto
Laughter or Larfter

("Let's Call the Whole Thing Off," a song written by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin for the 1937 film 'Shall We Dance')

Plotter or Pantser—or a little of both?

You’re considered a “plotter” if you outline the story of your novel.

You’re considered a “pantser” if you develop the story of your novel as you go along.

In REAL life, even though the best laid plans of mice and men/women tend to go awry, I’m a plotter. Planning my day from sunrise to sunset assures that I’ll make the most of every purpose-driven minute.

In stark contrast, when it comes to writing, I’m a pantser all the way. Although, I might jot down the names of a few characters, and visualize where the story is going from start to finish, nothing is engraved in stone—let alone written down! As soon as I start typing, the twists and turns navigated by my characters pull me along for the ride.

My latest WIP, rounding the bend to the finish line, and illustrative of utilizing the pantser process, is my Contemporary tale, “Mr. Wizardo,” loosely based on L. Frank Baum’s 'The Wonderful World of Oz.' A childhood favorite of mine in third grade, I’d repeatedly sign this book out of the school library to read it over and over.

In REAL Time:

Coming soon—an anthology, 'Once Upon a Fabulous Time,' comprised of the aforementioned tale written by me, Eva Pasco, and those contributed by my fellow Indie Fabs: Aliya DalRae, R.M. Gauthier, JB Richards, Lyra Shanti, and JoAnne Van Leerdam.

Most of us are scrambling by the seat of our pants to meet the self-imposed deadline.