Pantsing vs Planning?

[Jo Zebedee]

Planning is always a good idea, I think.
Some writers claim not to plan in advance, but then they are, one supposes, figuring out a functional plan (Hero's Journey, or whatever), as they go.

Um, no. I know this is really hard for the planners to comprehend, but some of us do write with no plan for where the book will go. I don't follow any journey, I don't have a format in mind, I literally start writing. I often don't know if it'll be a short or a novel, what tense it will be, who the main character is. In fact, often I start with the tone that Phyrebrat mentioned recently and nothing more. By the third draft, I will have an idea of the journey and will start to plan a little more, but in that first rush of words nothing is in my mind other than sticking enough down in draft form (usually about a third of the eventual length) that I can hone it. And for that draft, it's a splurge of words and a journey that I hang on for and nothing more.

Whilst being contrary, my first novel/trilogy was a rehash of an old idea. I did start from scratch, but the idea had been around a long time, and it worked fine. But it really did have to start from scratch.

 

[lonewolfwanderer]

Um, no. I know this is really hard for the planners to comprehend, but some of us do write with no plan for where the book will go. I don't follow any journey, I don't have a format in mind, I literally start writing. I often don't know if it'll be a short or a novel, what tense it will be, who the main character is. In fact, often I start with the tone that Phyrebrat mentioned recently and nothing more. By the third draft, I will have an idea of the journey and will start to plan a little more, but in that first rush of words nothing is in my mind other than sticking enough down in draft form (usually about a third of the eventual length) that I can hone it. And for that draft, it's a splurge of words and a journey that I hang on for and nothing more.

That is how i write. i didn't get to where i am now with my current WIP by planning. Although i wanted to plan it out, i couldn't. I didn't know what to put into the planning, so I sat down, started with the first word and let the story show me where it wanted to go. Half way through, the plot just clicked and now i know exactly where i want to go but need to go into planning mode to get a better sense on where to put everything, which is what i'm doing now.

But i still don't really know in which category that places me

 

[Mouse]

I don't follow any journey, I don't have a format in mind, I literally start writing. I often don't know if it'll be a short or a novel, what tense it will be, who the main character is.

Yup. I have no idea what a "Hero's Journey" story even is. I hear the how-to readers talking about things like that, and arcs and other stuff that goes way over my head. I just open a new document and write down whatever comes out of my mind. Sometimes, I'll sit and ponder a character first to get a feel for them, but that's pretty much it.

I would love to be able to plan, though. I'm kinda of the opinion that if I wrote to a plan, I could write the story quicker.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

so I sat down, started with the first word and let the story show me where it wanted to go. Half way through, the plot just clicked and now i know exactly where i want to go but need to go into planning mode to get a better sense on where to put everything, which is what i'm doing now.

But i still don't really know in which category that places me

Whatever it is, it's the one with me in it!

That pretty much sums up my process for at least a couple of things -- somewhere along the line, things start coming together and I realize what it is that I've been building up to. That fascinates me, when I discover that those things meant something I wasn't aware of when I wrote them. There must be a plan in the back of my subconscious.

 

[Nick B]

Kind of a plantser here, a brief plan with some outcomes then wing it from here on in. The plan usually goes out the window until the real plot develops itself and the story comes to life.

 

[barrett1987]

Yup. I have no idea what a "Hero's Journey" story even is. I hear the how-to readers talking about things like that, and arcs and other stuff that goes way over my head. I just open a new document and write down whatever comes out of my mind. Sometimes, I'll sit and ponder a character first to get a feel for them, but that's pretty much it.

I would love to be able to plan, though. I'm kinda of the opinion that if I wrote to a plan, I could write the story quicker.

You blow my mind! different strokes for different folks i guess