Do you know what it's like to be a pantser? It's feast or famine. Sometimes, I can write for hours on end and at other times, I have no idea what to write because the story is so messed up or it's stuck in a corner. Years ago, I tried to plot a story. After I finished, I stopped. In my mind, I told the story. That outline is somewhere in my writing materials collecting dust.
Since then, I made a semblance of a balance between plotting and pantsing, but I'm primarily a pantser. I write notes in outline form or in bullet point form. It works. It enabled me to get four of my five published books with decent quality.
But there are obstacles.
In book three of the Joel Brent series, I plotted the entire story in an outline, just to change my routine. But during Camp NaNoWriMo, I deviated from it and got stuck. The story went nowhere. I could break the story into two if I wanted. Even Lake Ramsey (Book 2) could be broken into two, but that's not happening.
My best work comes when I'm pantsing. It's okay if I do some planning, but not too much. The point is I'm always trying to improve as an author.
My day job is still taking all of my time, but that's okay. I wrote the outline to Book 3 by hand, so it's still there. At least that story is still on solid ground. At this time, I'm saving it for 2021's NaNoWriMo. If things work right, the the most time consuming part of my teacher training will be out of the way and I'll have the time to write a story.
But you know, since I'm a pantser, my plots will end up having lives of their own whether I like it or not. Then again, that's the beauty of being a pantser. Every time the story goes sideways, I embrace the sideways. More times than not, the stories are better for it. I'm looking forward to next time.
I also have something to say to those newbie authors who think they're not authors because trad pub companies won't sign them.
You're an author!
If you write a story from beginning to end, you're an author. It doesn't have to be literary genius work. It only has to be your best effort. If you did that, then you passed the test! So stop doubting yourself and embrace who you are.
You're an author!
Learn it! Love it! Be it!
We are authors!!!!
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