Pantsing vs. Plotting

What difference does it make which method you use? The debate rages on among writers.

What am I talking about? In the writing world, pantsing describes a process wherein the author writes her story in a carefree manner, flying by the seat of her pants with no outline or predetermined path. Plotting is a writing method that relies on an outline and/or deep consideration about how the story will go.

So which one is better?

That depends on the author. I’ve tried both methods and found that plotting works best for me. However, I’m actually pretty loose with my plotting and my outline usually consists of a basic summary of what needs to happen in the story. I’m currently writing my second novel and my outline is a bit more detailed than the one I used for the first novel. I expect that my plotting will get tighter the more books I write.

Some authors swear by pantsing, and I can see how that might be preferable, particularly if you do writing sprints. I imagine sitting at a keyboard and typing with abandon, with no outline to constrain you, results in a very productive writing session.

There’s really no right or wrong answer, just what works best for you.