Wednesday, September 29, 2010

I like plotting, yes I do! I like plotting, how 'bout you?!

So, today over at Roni Loren's AWESOME blog, *The Fiction Groupie*, she brought up a good question.  Does the mind of a plotter and a panster really differ that much.  Can a panster become a plotter and vice versa.  Roni says that she's a plotter in every other aspect of her life outside of her writing.  Now that she's shopping her work to publishers, she's thinking that she'll need to learn to plot in order to shop future projects to them.  She's worried that she won't be able to do it.

There are a LOT of ways our there to plot.  She even provides a link to an interesting post by another author on an index card method

I love plotting.  It's actually one of my favorite things about the whole writing process.  I'm an organization and office supply junkie, like Roni, so I think that's part of it.  I keep a notebook that goes with me EVERYWHERE in my purse.  The purse I have is big enough to fit the notebook, my Nook, and all of my other crap.  It's specifically why I bought this purse, lol.




Since I write paranormal romance, so to keep everything together for myself, I split the notebooks into sections (plot, characters, random musings (this is where I jot down things as they come to me), and a monstropedia where I keep track of all of my immortal beings traits.








In my notebook, I can highlight and post-it tab to my heart's content. Plus, it's nice to have something I can just grab if I need to reference something. I'd be more inclined to tell you to keep a binder and use loose-leaf paper because you can put things in order, even if you make revisions later.

I think you'd enjoy plotting. It's nice to be able to just sit and think, let words just fall out of a pen, and know that the notebook is really just for your eyes only.

Plus, one added thing. As I'm writing, I'm scrapbooking my journey through the process. The things that are in my notebook, when I finish, will go into the scrapbook. If I ever get published, maybe one day my writing scrapbook will be worth something to someone other just me.

SO, ARE YOU A PLOTTER OR A PANSTER?  HAVE TRIED THE OTHER METHOD AND DO YOU THINK YOU'D BE ABLE TO SWITCH METHODS EASILY IF YOU HAD TO?

4 comments:

  1. Way off topic, but let me just say that you have GORGEOUS penmanship.

    Now, about the plotting and the pantsing. I am a devout plotter, meaning I need three xanax and a bottle of Jack to even get over the anxiety that comes with even thinking of plotting something. My friend Victoria, on the other hand, is a pantser and she has the same reaction to plotting. The funny thing is, in our every day lives, that's reversed. She's probably the most put together person I know, considers and plans for every detail meticulously. And I went through most of yesterday thinking it was Sunday. So maybe Roni's onto something.

    I love your notebooks, and as a future reader, let me thank you in advance for doing what you can to keep things consistent! ;-)

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  2. Hi Elizabeth,

    Thank you so much for the compliment about my penmanship! I'm really particular about my handwriting, always have been. I'm kind of OCD about it. Thanks for noticing (the peacock in me is very proud right now, lol.)

    I'm pretty organized in my regular life, but when I get disorganized I go all out with it. I become completely disfunctional. That's how I know that I could never be a panster. I'd need some serious medication and booze to write a book that way. No seriously, I'd have to be simultaniously high AND drunk for the duration of the process.

    I'm big on keeping things consistent. There's nothing worse for me to come across in a series than something totally outside the realm of believability because it breaks the set rules. I'm that way with personality traits for characters, too. Unless something happens that causes a change in their personality, they should be the same person from book-to-book.

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  3. This post cracked me up. You and I are so much alike and yet when it comes to plotting, we're total opposites. Like TOTAL. hehe :)

    Back when I used to write everything in Composition Notebooks before I typed it up, I had more notes because I could scribble things in between chapters or in the margins. Now that I pretty much write as I type though, I don't have that. Sometimes I'll have a notes file to reference, but even then, that's not a regular occurance. :)

    I have something new I'm working on and you wanna know where my notes are? They're on a ripped out notebook page stuck in the pocket of my nook cover. LOL No freaking idea why it's there, but at least I haven't lost it. I used to have this great little indext card flip book that had stuff in it and I actually really loved that... but I would always misplace it. It's in my room somewhere with notes on reallllly old stories in it. :)

    Oh and seeing your pictures of your notebook totally reminded me that I never finished your Kellie Notebook! I started it but then was not happy with the results and it's still in my scrapbook bag either waiting to be fixed or trashed. You WILL get one though, I promise! :)

    Mwah!

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  4. I f*cking better get my Kellie Notebook, Kel!

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