Are You a Pantser or a Planner?

The upside and downside of both.

So this was supposed to be yesterday's post, but there was no post yesterday because I am a horrible person and @nobody_knows on Twitter got me reading a manga (again), and you should totally follow her because she is awesome and a writer and a NaNoWriMo'er and because I said so and you trust me right? Anyway, I would normally link you the manga (it's called Skip Beat if you're a glutton for punishment) but I won't because then you will be sucked into the same black hole I am in.

Anyway! To the post.
This one is unplanned as I am a horrible horrible planner and a pantser in all things.  

Planning

First, I think, we have to define what, exactly, a Planner is. So what is a planner?

Simply, it is someone who plans. A Planner may draw up all kinds of outlines and even model their characters off of pictures found on the internet or in magazines. Planner's will have their novel planned out to almost the minutest detail. 

The Pro's

The pro's of being a planner are, I think, quite obvious.

With a plan, one has less of a chance of hitting writer's block. (When you know where you're going, you can't come to a spot and go "what next?")

Well... that's really the only one I can think of at the moment, but it's a big one.

The Con's

Perfectionism. This may not sound like such a bad thing, but if you are a perfectionist, you will second guess yourself every step of the way. 

The lack of surprise. When you know everything from A to Z, there is no chance for your characters to surprise you, as you are far more liable to Railroad them. 

Writer's Block. It's the opposite of the Pro, but this is the reason I don't plan. If I plan, and I know what's going to happen next, it is impossible, sometimes, for me to continue because I feel I won't do it justice. 

Hum... Well, I never said I was an expert on Planning. 

Pantsing

Pantsing is a term used for writers like myself who "write by the seat of their pants." Often we go at the task with little idea of the outcome. I, myself, usually start with a beginning and an ending in mind, and some vague ideas of the middle. 

Pro's

Anything can happen. With limits. I love world building. (In that way I am a planner.) Normally I have clearly drawn lines of what can and cannot happen. However, within those limitations, anything can, and probably will, happen. 

The story, and characters, take on a life of their own. No, really. I've experienced this before. Without a plan, it is up to the characters to truly decide what they are going to do. As a writer, I often am bemused, befuzzled, or straight up confused at why my characters do certain things. But you know what? Their motivations always come clear in the end. 

Little Railroading. If you don't know how you're going to get to the end, how can you tell your characters what to do? It's that simple. 

Con's

Anything can happen. Yes, this goes in both categories. When anything can happen, some people can freeze, and so nothing happens. 

Writer's Block. Oh lordy, writer's block. My pantsing is probably the reason for 95% of my Writer's Block in the past, and that much in the future, too. Without a plan, it's quite easy to come to a spot and go... "What now?" 

Editing. I haven't gotten to this stage yet, but because I have had not plan, and my angle has change multiple times throughout writing, I know Mortality will need a MAJOR overhaul before I even THINK of getting beta-readers. 

The In-Between

Now, normally, no writer is entirely one or the other. 

Myself? I am most definitely solidly in the Panster group. However, I do LOVE world-building. And that falls entirely into the Planner category. Also, When I reach a point where I say "What now?" I will ask myself, what has to happen before the end. And a mental map is created. Sometimes I even right it down on paper. 

So. Happy Trails! Tomorrow will probably be another Character's on Couches session, because even though the blog spot was that one time... well, I've got more issues that need worked out! Thanks Murphy!

Cheyenne

Food for Thought

Are you a planner or a pantser? 

What works best for you?

Slow Down

Hello.

I'm mostly feeling better now, but not trusting myself to eat anything but crackers or drink anything but Ginger ale or Sprite.

Anyway, this blog post is brought to you by Wasteland Nomad, an interesting person, who, with one tweet, inspired me.

The tweet was as follows,

"Sometimes physically writing a story can slow you down and let you see things clearer. At least to my crazy brain anyway."

Which made me think.

Can You Write Too Quickly?

Unless it is during NaNoWriMo, or another WriMo, the answer is, surprisingly, yes.

NaNoWriMo is all about writing quantity over quality, and that's great when the goal is to just get something written, but outside of NaNoWriMo?

If you're working to a deadline, you want to write quickly, but not so quickly that you lose sight of where you wanted to go. Working with a go, go, go attitude is great and all, but too much of that, and you become derailed. Become derailed and we can become unmotivated. You may look back at what you've written and go, it's crap. Well, yeah. That's because you weren't paying attention to what you were writing.

How can we keep from writing too quickly?

Sometimes, we just need to take a step back.

If you feel you are becoming lost in your story/novel/post/fanfic or you've written yourself into a hole, take a step back. Look at it as if for the first time, take note of what you want to happen later, or how you want the scene/novel/fanfic to end, and try to figure out what happens in the meantime.

Even as a pantser, I find taking a look at it this way helps. With my current WIP, Mortality, I wrote out the main plot points from where I am to the end, and have started figuring out what happens between now and each point.

It's making the writing itself flow much smoother. I don't plan to the last detail, I leave my characters a lot of leeway, and you should to.

Can You Write Too Slowly?

Most definitely yes. This is the other side of the same coin. 

It's great to know the specifics of what's happening and going on in your novel/scene/fanfic, but while you're writing don't worry about that. If you do worry too much about who's doing what, what's taking place elsewhere or how this effects the future or how the past affected this scene now, you're going to be so wrapped up in the past/future of your novel that writing RIGHT NOW, is going to be downright impossible. 

How do we keep from getting bogged down?

Well, there are many ways you could do this. 

For one, stop worrying. If it's a first draft, which is really all this post pertains to, there is so much editing going to be done that really, worrying now is a time waster, and nothing more. 

If you can't help but go back and reread what you've written (a BIG no-no, especially during WriMo's) the moment you open the file, turn the font color for everything previous, white. Or whatever background color you choose. 

Use WriteOrDie. (Really, it's a life saver). Especially on Kamikaze mode. 

Well, that's all I have for today darlings. 

Stay inspired,

Cheyenne

Food for thought

Do you write too quickly? How do you slow down?

Do you write too slowly? How do you speed up?

On Blocks and other writerly things

So.

Hello once more.

Today we will be speaking of the myth that is the Writer's Block.

Now do not rant and rave at me about how Writer's Block is real, and you've suffered through it. I am not, in fact, saying that Writer's Block does not exist, but that it is not some intangible, smoke-like substance that clogs the creative mind with no rhyme or reason. There is always a reason. And a way to break past them.

So what's your reason?

Stress

Stress is a part of everyone's life, none perhaps more so than the creative. Writers such as myself, who have never been published, never seen a penny resulting from their endeavors, worry. And we worry incessantly. Is this the right thing? Should I be doing this? Maybe I should put up the pen/keyboard/pencil/paper and get a real job. 

These are the thoughts that plague us daily. Those who are not *real* writers will give into them, and will hang up the mantle forever. However, if you are anything like I am, you cannot quit writing for long. You *have* to do it, because if you don't the voices of the unsung heroes and uncorrupting villian's in your head will drive you nutty. Well, nuttiER.

Honestly, the easiest way to get through a stress-induce block, for me, has been to just step away from it for awhile. Go do something that needs to be done. Feed the cat, take the dog for a walk, take out the trash that's been piling up, take a shower, read a book, watch a movie, eat something that doesn't come in a box ferchristssake. Try coming back to it at another time when you've got less on your mind. 

Railroading

I use this term for when an author is trying to *force* their characters to do something. In my experience, writing is like a fart, if you have to force it, it's probably shit. 

If you have a plan for your characters and they are just not doing what you tell them to, don't try to railroad them. Let Chris kiss that girl even though he's engaged, sell his car, and move in with his best friend. Let them take that dark, scary path in the woods even though it's clearly marked as dangerous. 

This is the easiest block to break, for me. If you want your characters to do A, but you want them to do B, let them do A. Perhaps start another file, or notebook, to keep them separate if you're not sure. Trust me, if you try to make them do something they don't want to, most character will rebel and find ways to do what they want to anyway. 

Lack of Planning

This is my biggest down fall. I am very much a pantser. Now if you don't know the word, it's someone who writes "by the seat of his/her pants". Or without a plan. 

I don't write outlines. I know many writers do, and it works quite well for them. I, however, cannot. I have tried before and writing an outline is too awkward for me and it takes away the element of surprise when it comes to the writing process. I do, however, start with a clear beginning, and something of a clear ending. Normally I have many possible endings in mind. They get shuffled around and changed as I write. 

I have hit this "Lack of Planning" block here recently. I know where the characters are (obviously) and I know where they need to get to. But what happens in the interim? I have slowly been working my way through it, and that's all you can really do. 

Work through it. Keep writing, no matter how much it hurts. To steal words from some author (Idon'trememberwho), "Kill your darlings." (Maybe it was Stephen King?) Put them through the wringer. I through a werewolf at my vampire and poisoned human. It revealed something of the vampire I didn't know. And neither did the human. It puts a whole lot into perspective and is something to keep in mind for future reference. So just keep writing. 

Fear

To me, this is the easiest, and yet most difficult reason to understand. What do we fear, you ask?

Not getting it right. Finishing. Not being perfect. Not being good enough. Making no sense. Any number of things. It depends on the author. 

You know what? STOP BEING AFRAID! It's *your* book. It's not going to bite you, it's not going to run away screaming, no one has to read it until you are one hundred percent happy with it, no one EVER has to read it if you don't want them to. 

I'm going to quote another author here. (AgainIdon'trememberwho, ifyouknowtellme.) "The first draft of anything is shit." (Was it Stephen King? OrdoIthinkeverythingisSK?) Don't worry about it not being perfect. I'll tell you what, I had a problem with this for the longest time. I didn't want to write anything if it wasn't perfect.

You know what that got me? An unfinished Work In Progress for eight to ten years. I could have finished it a *long* time ago if I had stopped worrying. So just STOP. And just write it ferchristssake.

Other ways to beat Writer's Block

Alright, so that's all the named causes for Writer's Block I can think of, if you have any, leave a comment below. 

I do, however, have means of overcoming writer's block that do not pertain to anyone type of block, but may help with any or none. Bear with me here, I know this post is long. 

Talk to People

Especially, especially, if you are writing fiction/fantasy. Remember, what is fantasy to you, may not be so to someone else. 

At work, I recently began asking questions of a gal there, she is a Pagan, and I realized, through the night, that a lot of her beliefs lined up with what I already had in mind or written. And talking to her some more gave me more ideas. So talk to people. Ask them questions, if they're alright with it. 

Google is your friend

This is another side of the same coin. But applies to nonfiction as well. 

If you want to know something, google it. Look for forums discussing it. Meet people. Talk to them. Learn from other people, not just the internet. 

Anything else

If you're stuck, and you're writing nonfiction, pick up a fantasy novel. And vice versa. Go for a walk/jog/run. Take a bubble bath, stand in the shower, talk to the cat/dog/rat/snake. Talk to yourself. 

Sometimes, the best thing you can do is to just do something else. I know I've said it before, but it's true. It works. Sometimes. 

I lied

The title says this post would contain "other writerly things" as well as on Writing Blocks, but I think I've typed enough tonight. I will get to the Other later. Maybe tomorrow. Oh wait, tomorrow I'm taking part in something a crazy girl named Murphy has called Characters on Couches. 

I will see you tomorrow. 

Food for thought

What form of Writer's block do you suffer from the most often? Why?

Do you never suffer from writers block (freak)? Why not?

Well hello

Greetings, and well met. 

My name is Cheyenne, and though I very much dislike my name, I would hate to write under any other. 

I am brand new to this whole "Blogging" thing, and just for clarification, I am not old, merely new to blogging. I have been considering it for awhile, though, and so here I am. 

I was not sure, at first, what to blog about. On the recommendation of S.M. Boyce, I have decided I will do book reviews. But, as I am lackadaisical by some definitions, I may meander through topics. 

I will not stay to one topic, such as book reviews, but will also post about writing, editing (when I reach that point), movies, politics, characters, plot, coffee, caffeine, other blogs, and whateverelseImaythinktoadd. 

This post is seeming a bit short at this point, and since I have managed to make it this far, it would be pointless to stop. So, a little bit about me, you ask? Well, there is not much to tell. 

I am just out of high school, living on my own (which in this day is a feat on its own), working nights, writing when the mood strikes me and sometimes when it doesn't, fighting with the characters in my head and the boyfriend (on occasion), not getting out of the house as much as I probably should, shying from the light of day (as I'd much rather sit under false light than the glaring sun, as many authors are wont to do), battling writers block and chronic laziness, training my kittens and my boyfriend, and trying to maintain my sanity on a daily basis. 

I believe I have failed on that last point, but you may be the judges of that.

How long have I been writing, you ask? (Well, you didn't, but I would want to know)

Well, I normally say about ten years, or since I could, but the truth is, I'm not sure. Obviously I've been writing since I began the great public school system of the United States. But writing fiction? My current Work in Progress, Mortality, which you will hear much more about, I recall having in mind eight years ago. I have been very spotty in my writing, and have a hard time with anything that isn't perfect, so it has remained unfinished. 

However, I reached the hundred page mark about a week ago, and have stopped worrying about perfection long ago, now I fight writer's block and the shiny internet on a daily basis. I hope to finish it before the year is up. Perhaps in a month so that I may participate in NaNoWriMo. I don't think that very likely, though I may do it if I put my mind to it. I don't plan on starting anything else until I finish it, though. 

Well, I can't think of anything else to go on about that you may even remotely care to read, oh, but my next post that will hopefully be up in an hour or so will be a review of the book Lichgates by the aforementioned S.M. Boyce. 

Farewell and fair travels, 

Cheyenne