Pantser vs Plotter

Writers groups tend to split authors into two types – the pantser and the plotter. A pantser has a general idea of what they want to write and just start off, inventing details and plot as they go along. The plotter has a detailed plan of what will happen when for the whole of the story.

There is some debate about which is best but in my view those who say a particular approach is superior are just saying ‘this works for me so I prefer it’. I believe the approach is down to individual preference and temperament and after the all important first edit you should not be able to tell which approach has been used.

Personally, I’m a pantser by temperament. I do initial work on biographies of the main characters, research on the setting and any real people or incidents that will appear and have a general idea of what will happen and often a few key scenes. Then I just write, and have faith that inspiration will see me through. There will often be things I change my mind about but that’s what the first edit is for (although I will go back and make some alterations or add placeholder notes if something major changes). I think of it like the difference between creating a painting and doing a jigsaw. In one case you have a general picture in your head, in the other you have the picture on a box. I prefer the first because it means I can surprise myself.

What I recognise is that this approach doesn’t work for everybody. Some people will want to know exactly where the story is going and write towards it. Plus ca change, or vive la difference.

Some of my favourite writers are pantsers, including Raymond Chandler who famously said if he didn’t know what happened next in a story he had a man walk through the door with a gun. This approach did lead to the question of who killed the chauffeur, which was never resolved in The Big Sleep, but it still created some great stuff. I can only hope it does the same for me.