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Today’s author blog hop question posed by author Tracy Cooper-Posey, (next week’s chat guest) is:
Are you a plotter or a panster? Do you plot your stories ahead of writing? Or do you write and see what happens? (Writing “by the seat of your pants”.) Why do you work that way? What are the benefits …and drawbacks?
My answer is complicated! I suppose the short version is that my writing usually starts as free for all to a certain degree, but because I love building fantasy worlds – much of the ‘unplotted’ story starts to arrange itself according to how the characters live and react to the world and the other characters within – often dictating where the plot should go.
I’m currently working on the second in the series and this is slightly different in a way where I am writing like a panster – but with limits – according to the world I have already created in book one!
The drawback of working both ways is that there does come a time where my writing branches off into the unlimited world of my imagination and clashes with the world I have written in book one and I have to wag my finger at it, tell it off and rein it back in to fit. All this whilst attempting to provide a completely new story!
In addition, I did introduce many (many) characters in book one as much of the book, although erotic, is based on a fantasy style collective group of people (Destaurian Guards) all working together to train their new Child of Destiny to fight the Pandora Witches and their mind-sucking minions. Of course, the girl being trained, is not happy about these freaks trying to make her into something she feels she isn’t. At first… (Sorry I digress!) So it’s taking all my effort not to find another character ‘pop up’ out of nowhere and make an beeline for the main story. 🙂
See, I told you my answer to this question was complicated LOL Over all, I’m an evil plotter and proud of it.
By the way, the writers expression of being a ‘panster’ conjures of the images of a me wearing a huge pair of pants – Y front style. Not an image I (or I suspect you) want to dwell on!
The Smut Hut | Angelika Devlyn | Author of Erotica 
Interesting comments, Angelika
I’m both a plotter and a panster, though I do agree, when it comes to sequels, I have to do a little more plotting than I like. 🙂
I think you have a lot of fun with your writing. Good for you!
I had a hard time reading your post. My eyes kept drifting back to the underwear. 🙂 Never been a fan of “tighty whities” but these looked pretty good.
I wish I could be an “evil plotter” Pantsing works well when it works, but if no one is talking, then I’m at a loss.
Finally! A fellow plotter! Your story sounds very intriguing I’ll have to check it out.
LOL I’m so laughing at your title, and what kind of imges the title of panster conjures up for you. Although, I’m not much of a Y-front kinda girl, I am a panster! I wish it was different, I wish I could plot and plan…but my writing really suffers when I do that. So fly by the seat of my, erm, lacy knickers, I do 🙂
Fun blog..so glad I joined in on the Blog Hop this week, so many interesting perspectives on an age old question.
Whatever coherent response I have to this post keeps getting drowned out by the voice in my head that keeps shreking “Lookie! Tighty whities!” 🙂
As my writing evolves, I’ve learned that there is some benefit to plotting and doing some homework. It’s still something I abhor and actually hampers my ability to get down to the business of writing, if I get too involved–so I tend to be as perfunctory about it as i can get away with.
Not all writing projects will let me get away with flying by the seat of my pants though, Is somethign I’ve learned over the years.
I’m doing the Author Blog Hop today too. This was my answer to today’s question:
“Plotter or Pantser – Does it Matter?”
http://www.tonyamoore.com/trm/misadventurous/plotter-or-pantser-does-it-matter.html