Plotters, pantsers, editors and rough drafters.

by Deborah Finn
24th April 2013

If you are a pantser, are you able to write really rough first drafts and just get to the end of the story before you start revising and editing? Or is it possible to be a pantser whilst also being an edit-as-you-go writer? i would think that typically pantsers are rough drafters, and plotters are edit-as-you-go. But perhaps it's possible to have a hybrid? Let's have a little survey! What type are you? I think I am the slowest of all creatures - the plotter who is an edit-as-you-go writer.

Replies

I am a Pantser. The corporate world has terms for team members-the red type are creative folks and blue are analytical (there is another colour too). Typically people who are red are strongly red and blue are strongly blue. I think the same is true of the creative process. There is a time to put the creative hat on and then the analytical hat. Put both on at the same time and one might end up typing oneself in knots!

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Sonya
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Sonya Kar
25/04/2013

I'm definitely a pantser. I never correct anything until I get to the very end of the story. I'm just like Victoria, I have very little planned when I start writing my novels.

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Andrew
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Andrew Atkinson
25/04/2013

I had to look up pantser. Love that it's a Nanowrimo term! I'm a definite pantser and rarely correct easily spotted typos until I've finished the chapter. And my idea of planning tends to be a destination I want my characters to end up at by the last page with only a vague idea of how to get them there :D Admittedly it take extensive editing but 'by the seat of your pants' is so much fun!

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Victoria
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Victoria Whithear
25/04/2013