Welcome back everyone to the Writing My World blog!
Today we are going to be discussing the three main types of story writing: planning, pantsing, and plantsing.
First, lets define all of these styles and do a little discussion about what they might look like, as well as giving some examples of famous authors who embrace said styles.
Planning or plotting is a style of writing that consists of more strict outlining, organization, and of course, planning. Writers who plan/plot will usually have a really good idea in place of what they want to happen in their story from beginning to end. They’ll know what their characters want from the start and all they’ll need to do is just write down the steps they’ve already made note of (the story.) Plotting/planning is of course, a spectrum. While some planners will write a handful of bullet points or a simple outline, others will write huge swaths of character sheets, outlines, and scenes in preparation for their manuscript. Famous examples of planners include J.K. Rowling, R.L. Stine, and Brandon Sanderson. Sanderson in particular has described himself as an “architect” because of how structured his planning is.
Pantsers or discovery writers are on the other end of this spectrum. As the name “pantsers” suggests, these writers “fly by the seat of their pants.” They may have a vague idea for a story in their head, or just general vibes depending on how hard core of a pantser they are. These writers will just sort of meander around, let a story unfold more organically, and see where things go. The most famous examples of pantsers are without a doubt George R. R. Martin and Stephen King. George refers to his writing style as “gardening” which is the opposite of Brandon Sanderson’s “architect” approach, and are additional names for pantsing and planning respectively.
The majority of writers are going to fall somewhere in the gray area between the two styles. This is where plantsing or planting comes in, which is a combination of the two ends of the spectrum. These writers might come up with a rough outline and then let their characters take over and lead the story in whatever direction they desire.
There are pros and cons to each of these styles. Planners/plotters tend to struggle less with writer’s block, because they have a plan for where to take the story next. But they also have to stick to their plan, or their entire story could be knocked off track, and if they decide there is something they want to add, it can lead to needing to go back and redo an outline. Pantsers have an abundance of freedom in their stories. They can take an idea in any direction they please. But in that same vein, the amount of possibilities for a story can be overwhelming, and it can be tricky for pantsers to get themselves unstuck if they run into a wall with their writing. Endings in particular can be very tricky for pantsers, especially in expansive and overarching stories with LOTS of different characters to think about (I’m sure you can guess who I’m referring to here.)
I see a lot of hate online for pantsers from planners, which makes me sad. While everyone is searching for the “right” way to write, a lot of these pantsers are actually writing, which is something I’d encourage any planners who have a problem with the style to consider. I would also encourage people to embrace the style that feels right for them, and build up other writers to do the same.
So, what is my writing style?
Well, I’d never really considered it until I started hearing buzz in the writing community of YouTube about planning vs. pantsing and what the “correct” way to write was.
And so I came up with my own word for what I consider my writing style, because I can and I want to be all avant garde and eccentric. If someone else has already come up with this idea it’s simply because they stole it from me first you see. (Please don’t sue me.)
I consider myself a “greenhouse writer.”
When I’m writing, I like to start with a vague idea, whether from a dream or just something I come up with. At this point, I write down every single detail I have in my mind about said idea. It can be vibes, plot points, characters, themes, a short little outline, scenes, feelings, tone, colors I associate with the idea (yes really) or literally anything else that could help me.
Then, I let the idea simmer. I leave things in a notebook or on my computer and I just save the idea. Over the next little bit, I usually come up with even more ideas to add, and I write those down as soon as they come to mind. This is also known as my “brainstorming phase” because I don’t actually do any writing aside from what most would consider the scribbles of a madman. When I’m in this phase, I do a lot of zoning out because I’m spending a lot of time in my own little world, imagining scenes and characters complete with theme music and incredible camera work. I can’t really describe the feeling that comes over me when I know an idea isn’t “complete” yet. But it’s almost a nagging feeling in the back of my brain that tells me I’m not done writing all my ideas down.
Once I feel like I have enough material to work with, I usually write a basic outline containing the big story points I want to touch on. I keep things pretty basic, not really detailing how exactly my characters will reach these destinations. This allows me to kind of show my characters their path, but with plenty of freedom for trailblazing.
I find that characters in stories written by heavy plotters can sometimes come across as plot devices or stereotypes rather than real beings. This isn’t always the case, as sometimes plotters do a good job of characterizing before they even get started with their outlines. But with this method I can always ensure my characters have room to bloom as much as they want to, with no limits holding them back from what they want to be.
My characters often tell me things about themselves when I’m in the middle of writing, and if I plotted too heavily, I think I would be tearing my hair out when halfway through a book a character told me they had a long lost brother that wants to be included in the narrative. Now he’s stepping forward and yelling at me and I’m in a big mess.
I have attempted more strict plotting in the past, but my stories always change so much from the “idea phase” to the “finished phase” that full on plotting just becomes more overwhelming to me than helpful. My characters are too loud and speak too much for me to be a dedicated plotter.
But at the same time, I can’t go full pantser either because that’s simply not how my stories manifest. My ideas condense into a sort of outline whether I like it or not.
And so I’ve found a happy medium that I’m calling “greenhouse writing.” I have the bare bones structure of an architect, with scaffolding and plastic stretched between it. Then I fill my creation with life, color, plants of all shapes and sizes, and breathe life into it through the wild overgrown beauty of my characters.
Whether you are a planner, a pantser, a plantser, or something in between all 3, there is no “wrong” way to write. Because the way to write is to simply write. And the only way you can do it wrong is to not do it at all.
Happy writing!!
Writing My World 