Pantsing vs. Plotting – Write on the World

Valley of the Bees is the book that taught me I could actually finish a novel—or at least something very close to one. I wrote it right after finishing my creative writing graduate program, at a moment when I had plenty of ideas, plenty of ambition, and absolutely no completed long-form fiction to show for it.

*Get your copy of Valley of the Bees from my independent online bookstore today!*

Up to that point, I considered myself a pantser. I wrote by instinct, followed my curiosity, and trusted the story to reveal itself as I went along. The problem was that nothing ever made it to the end. Clearly, my preferred method wasn’t getting me where I wanted to go.

So, I set myself a challenge.

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Finish Writing Your Novel Now!

Pantsing vs Plotting: A case for the dreaded outline

July 14, 2024July 12, 2024 Mandy Webster

“Pantsing” and “plotting” are two very different approaches to novel writing. The term “pantsing” comes from the phrase, “flying by the seat of your pants,” which means to improvise or make something up as you go along. The phrase was first used in the 1930s in reference to airplane pilots who navigated without the aid of instruments.

Few writers are successful at pantsing their way to the end of a good manuscript. Those who can do it possess a certain kind of magic that most of us will never obtain. Image created with Canva Free AI Image Generator.

The term “pantsing” in the context of writing specifically refers to a technique where the author writes without a detailed plan or outline, instead relying on inspiration and improvisation to guide the story. This technique is also known as “discovery writing” or “organic writing.” It is unclear exactly when the term “pantsing” was first used in this context, but it is thought to have gained popularity in writing communities and workshops in the 1990s. It has since become a widely used term in the writing world, particularly in discussions about outlining and planning versus improvisation and discovery.

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Novel Writing

New novel worries: How do you know when an idea is worth #writing?

January 4, 2017January 4, 2017 Mandy Webster

As I run down the final stretch of publishing Valley of the Bees, I am itching to get started on my next novel. I don’t want to waste all of this momentum I have built while writing my last novel. After all, gathering and maintaining momentum seems to be half the battle of writing!

My first problem was what to write. Luckily, I had plenty of ideas. I just couldn’t seem to choose one. I was ready to write one novel one day and a completely different story the next. When I finally settled on an idea that held my attention for more than a couple of days, I thought the battle had been won. A vibrant story world has taken shape in my mind, and my main cast of characters is coming to life.

Then I realized: I have no plot! Continue reading “New novel worries: How do you know when an idea is worth #writing?” →