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?

Crit Group vs Beta Reading

Ok, so I'm pretty new to the online writing community.  I really used to think that there were no resources out there for writers, but that was BEFORE I started looking for them.  Seriously, people - resources abound!  Tips, tricks, advice...whatever you need.  Now, the only thing that you CAN'T find with the click of a button is something tailored to your exact needs as a writer.  That's where other actual people come in.  I've learned a new thing recently:  Critique Groups and Beta Readers are NOT the same thing!  See, I assumed that they were the same.

For the most part, a crit group works chapter by chapter (or at most a few chapters at a time).  Someone in the group will critique and look over your work while you do the same for another member of the group.  With beta reading, on the other hand, a few people might read your entire manuscript and give feedback.

What's the big deal?  Well, if you're the kind of person who likes to write the whole thing and THEN have it looked at - beta reading is probably the way to go.  If you're more like me and would like someone to read each part as you go along, then a crit group might be better.


OR - if you're REALLY like me, then you'll do both!  I'm in the market for a crit group or TWO (or THREE) and some beta readers.  I'm on mywriterscircle.com - and that's a good start, but anyone can critique your work there.  I'm a paranormal romance writer - a critique from a non-fiction writer may not be the best thing for me.  So, if you're in a crit group and you've got a spot open, please let me know!  OR if you're interested in starting a group with me that'd be great, too!  Or if you want to Beta read...I'll take what I can get!


Just shoot me an email at kiera@kierabryant.com !

SO, WHAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU?  DO YOU PREFER HAVING YOU MANUSCRIPT LOOKED OVER AS YOU WRITE IT, OR DO YOU PREFER TO WAIT UNTIL YOU'VE GOT IT ALL FLESHED OUT FIRST?