Plotting — May 2, 2025
Great Egret in Monterey Pine, — Dec. 2015 photo
“You can’t be farsighted if the road ahead is blurry.” – Steven Johnson
If you are a “pantser,” writing your novel without a clear outline, editing will be a lot more work than if you are a “plotter”. Knowing that, many writers still prefer to write by the seat of their pants, discovering the story as they go, rather than create a detailed outline first. That allows their characters the freedom to act in whatever way the writer’s imagination dictates in the moment.
Writing that way may be more fun at the outset, but it can cost you later. Backfilling plot holes can take a lot of time. Every change you make to your copy requires adjustments down the line. It can be maddening to edit a manuscript for consistency again and again. It can literally take the fun out of writing.
So which way to go? Create a detailed outline first or not? It’s up to you. Just like your characters, every writer has to hew to their own personality. And there is a middle ground. Plan the basic plot structure and the character arcs, but leave a lot for your imagination to fill in as you go. Good luck, whichever way you choose!
