Panster vs Plotter

Comment

Comment by Kimberly on March 4, 2009 at 1:23pm

I usually start out with a general idea and two characters. The rest of the story writes itself.

Comment by Laura Hamby on February 15, 2009 at 10:14am

Hi Victoria,

I feel the same way---if I'm going to plot it, I might as well just start WRITING the darned thing!

For Stuck-In-The-Middle-Itis... by this point, I generally (not always) have at least a vague idea where I want to go, how the novel should end...if I don't, I just write. Sometimes for me, it's just a matter of looking where I've been to see if that's pointing out a nice direction to take. If all else fails, I do what my CP (Sherry) calls "throwing a bear into the canoe" and see what happens from there. The other great help... I brainstorm with Sherry. Brainstorming with a CP is an excellent way to get unmired from the Middleitis muck. :D I believe all pansters should be required to have an awesome CP.

Comment by Victoria Purling on February 14, 2009 at 9:22pm

Definitely a panster! I can't plot to save my life. In my opinion, plotting is writing the book. I'd rather get straight to the writing. But, maybe that's why I always get stuck in the middle of a book and don't know where to go with it. LOL!

Comment by Laura Hamby on February 3, 2009 at 9:54am

Hey, Josh, whatever works for you. I would say, tho, that that's more of a panster tendency than a plotter tendency.

I have the right to remain silent about the dry erase marker fumes.

Comment by Josh Lockwood on February 2, 2009 at 10:16pm

And I'm neither. I write in detached scenes that the muse feeds me in the middle of the night and, when I get to that part of the story, I insert the scene. I have to play connect-the-dots a lot, but it seems to work for me.

Comment by Sherry (Shara) Jones on February 2, 2009 at 10:10pm

I'm a plotter, something that causes my pantster crit partner, Laura, to beat her head against her desk, and develop an intense fear of white boards. (However, I think she sorta likes the dry erase marker's fumes). Jes sayin'

Comment by Laura Hamby on February 2, 2009 at 7:56pm

Hi, I'm Laura and I'm an unrepentant panster. Plotting mystifies the heckadoodle out of me, as my crit partner, Sherry, can testify.