Learning to (Not) Become a Plotter, Part III

So, I tried. I really tried. But it seems I’m just a pantser at heart.

I wrote out my outline. I followed it for a good 12,000 words. And I lost the passion. It seems almost like I can’t win. If I plot too much, I get bored. If I don’t plot, I lose direction.

So what am I going to do? I guess I’m going back to the pantsing method. The reason that I quit the plotted manuscript was because I got an idea to take the story in a different direction, a much more interesting direction. Maybe it’s just the shininess of a brand new idea, but I really am in love with this one.

I just…I need that spontaneity. That freedom from rules and structures besides the ones that I’ve trained into myself through the many drafts buried in the depths of my old laptops. I should’ve known from past experience that I really don’t do well when I have rules imposed on me. I’ve learned my lesson.

So I’m close to 5k now, and I think I’m going to do a sort of mini-NaNo to work on it through the autumn. Maybe with a 20k goal or something. I really do miss NaNo after not being able to do it for the past two years because of school and health.

I’m a pantser, through and through, and I guess I should just learn to love it.


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