I’m a planner, not a pantser.
It wasn’t until I started doing NaNo in 2011 that I heard that phrase, “pantser or a planner”, and since I had just finished nailing together an outline made from the leftover splintery scraps from a previous project, I assumed I was a planner. And that hasn’t really changed. Not really.
But this summer I wrote Flash Bang by the seat of my pants, and it went well, and I began to second guess myself. Maybe there was room in my life for some pantsing. Maybe it was a good way to get me out of my head and to give me some extra benefits of serendipity. So I let it go. I let all of it go. Under the guise of Science I began to let go of my crushing fisthold on outlines. I wrote one short story using only the lightest of outlines, then Opposition Party, and then I started to write another short story. And everything started to crumble. I tried working on another fic, and the story dripped through my fingers. I tried working on one of my novels, and every time I tried to move forward without knowing what was going to happen next grit formed under my tires so terribly that everything ground to a halt. Thinking I needed a break, I switched to the Opposition Party sequel using only the lightest of outlines, and things were going fine until I got to the point in the first act when the plot is start to get underway.
Then everything fell apart.
Yeah, I know you process geeks are still out there in the audience. ^_^ Here’s a great essay from Mydwynter on his writing process and what he’s learned recently.
I think that along with what he’s outright saying, there’s also a great point here about experimenting. It doesn’t always work (clearly!) but it’s worth changing up your process sometimes to try out new things, and see what works and what doesn’t for you. Even when it goes badly, it can teach you a lot about what you SHOULD be doing.