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The Path to the Page
Embracing Our Differences as Writers
I saw a debate on a Facebook post recently between pantsers (those who fly by the seat of their pants in their writing) and plotters (outliners). These statements got the group in a ruffle. “Pantsers were arrogant. They come off as they don’t have to outline because everything just comes to them right away. Their characters call the shots so there is no organization whatsoever. They make it sound like everything just comes so easily for them.”
Well, I’m a pantser. I have never intended for that statement to be one of arrogance. I’ve tried every trick in the book to attempt outlining. It doesn’t come easy to me. If I grab a pen and a notebook, I’ll sit and stare blankly hoping words will magically appear on the page. They don’t.
I’ve even tried opening a new document and creating some sort of logical sequence of what could happen in the story. My brain doesn’t work that way at all. However, when I sit down with the purpose of getting a story started, it’s like each one of my fingertips has a little brain, and they go flying across the keyboard until a story begins to develop. When the first draft is done, then I seem to be able to put things in better order.
I envy the outliners that have story boards prepared and Pinterest boards full of pictures showing what their…
