{"id":2540,"date":"2020-02-04T11:39:05","date_gmt":"2020-02-04T16:39:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.shanafigueroa.com\/blog\/?p=2540"},"modified":"2020-02-04T11:39:10","modified_gmt":"2020-02-04T16:39:10","slug":"plotting-versus-pantsing-and-4-hybrid-options-to-plot-out-your-novel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.shanafigueroa.com\/blog\/plotting-versus-pantsing-and-4-hybrid-options-to-plot-out-your-novel\/","title":{"rendered":"Plotting versus Pantsing, and 4 Hybrid Options to Plot Out Your Novel"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"488\" height=\"419\" src=\"http:\/\/www.shanafigueroa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/pantsing-funny-pic.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2545\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.shanafigueroa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/pantsing-funny-pic.jpg 488w, http:\/\/www.shanafigueroa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/pantsing-funny-pic-300x258.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 488px) 100vw, 488px\" \/><figcaption>Sometimes pantsing is what&#8217;s best for you!<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The\nbiggest issue with writing a book is that you need to somehow fill up blank\nspace on a page with words. Specifically, words that form a narrative. Failing\nto do this means you\u2019ve failed to write a book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This\nis ALWAYS, 100% of the time, the reason people try and fail to write a novel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The\nproblem is it\u2019s quite easy to think a lot about writing a book, and then not\nput any actual words on a page. In a future post I\u2019ll discuss how to find the\ntime to write, but for now I\u2019ll address the beat before the actual writing,\nwhich is to have a plan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some\npeople can just sit down and write a book with no planning whatsoever, like\nspinning gold from thin air. The people who can do so and create something\nthat\u2019s not a steaming pile of shit, however, are extremely rare\u2026they may not\neven actually exist. So you\u2019re almost certainly not one of them, sorry. You\nneed to have SOME sort of plan. How detailed the plan needs to be depends on\nyour personal preference as a writer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First, you need to go through every step in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.shanafigueroa.com\/blog\/9-steps-to-start-your-story\/\">How to Start<\/a>\u2026okay you don\u2019t <em>need<\/em> to, like you\u2019re not doomed to failure if you don\u2019t, but your chances of success are much higher if you do. Once you\u2019ve done that, it\u2019s time to fill in the actual plot details. There are two ways to do this: you can either write down the details of your plot before you begin to write, called <em>plotting<\/em>, or you can create the plot as you write, called <em>pantsing<\/em>. Here are more details about the two, pros and cons, and hybrid options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Plotting:<\/em> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><em>What it is: <\/em>Plotting is when you write out scene-for-scene what happens in your story, ala \u201cScene (or chapter) opens with John going to the grocery store. While there, John meets Scarlet, who\u2019s shopping for beans. The two talk about the weather and other mundane stuff before they both realize they see the same therapist and decide to arrange a date to compare notes\u2026\u201d etc. [note: a \u201cscene\u201d is an event, or sometimes a series of events, that are connected by a singular time, place, or purpose; a \u201cchapter\u201d is one long scene or multiple scenes that complete part of a narrative arc\u2026I\u2019ll go into the details in a future post.] You can get as general or as detailed as you like, or write in narrative format (as in the example) or bullet format.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><em>Pros: <\/em>Lays out a roadmap for the story to follow, with a clear beginning, middle, and end; allows authors to ID potential problems before they start writing, such as a saggy middle or a missing piece of a mystery story<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><em>Cons:<\/em> Rigidly following a plot outline can result in inauthentic characters whose actions are based on what\u2019s required of the plot; removes opportunities for spontaneity that might\u2019ve taken the story in a more interesting direction; writers can get stuck in an endless plotting loop, where they spend all their time plotting out the story instead of actually writing it (Fantasy authors are most likely to have this problem, usually due to endless worldbuilding; I have a friend who excitedly told me he\u2019d written 75 pages (!) of a fantasy plot outline\u2026dude, just write the damn story!)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Pantsing:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><em>What it is: <\/em>Pantsing is when a writer makes up the plot as they go along, as in \u201cby the seat of their pants,\u201d <em>get it?<\/em> <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><em>Pros: <\/em>The story develops organically, with the actions of the characters creating the plot; endless opportunities for spontaneity and originality; gets words on the page a lot quicker than plotting<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><em>Cons: <\/em>Story can drag on with no direction or resolution; likely to require significant editing to tighten and hone the narrative; authors can get stuck if they write themselves into a corner, or start strong and then give up when they realize they don\u2019t know where they\u2019re going with the story<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Hybrid Options:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most authors use some combination of plotting and pantsing. For instance, George R.R. Martin uses a \u201cgardening\u201d technique, where he plants the seeds of his story\u2013meaning he spends a lot of time on the setup\u2014then lets the plot unfold organically based on the established <a href=\"http:\/\/www.shanafigueroa.com\/blog\/how-to-use-fiction-to-tell-the-truth\/\">themes<\/a>. JK Rowling, on the other hand, does significant plotting <a href=\"http:\/\/www.openculture.com\/2014\/07\/j-k-rowling-plotted-harry-potter-with-a-hand-drawn-spreadsheet.html\">in the form of a spreadsheet<\/a> that lays out what\u2019s happening with each plot thread in every chapter. Stephen King is a notorious pantser, but even he has a set of common themes that shape his narratives, ex: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.shanafigueroa.com\/blog\/all-about-genres-and-which-is-right-for-you\/\">universal horror tropes<\/a>, stories set in Maine, children in peril, weird sex stuff, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most\nbeginning writers who are serious about writing a book will do a lot of\nplotting; those who aren\u2019t serious will often try to pants it and give up after\na few pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even\nplotting can be a difficult task if you\u2019re not sure what you\u2019re doing, so here\nare a few options if you\u2019re at a loss of where to start:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Beat\nSheet Method<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This method grew in fame\u2014or infamy, depending on whether you like or dislike the results\u2014with the explosive popularity of Blake Snyder\u2019s Screenwriting 101 book <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.shanafigueroa.com\/blog\/writing-advice-good-books-to-read-if-you-wanna-be-a-better-writer\/\">Save the Cat!<\/a><\/em> in 2005. The original book was intended for screenwriters producing movie scripts, though there is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0399579745?pf_rd_p=ab873d20-a0ca-439b-ac45-cd78f07a84d8&amp;pf_rd_r=FMDFCBPH4V37T7K44SA2\">spinoff version specifically for novel-writing<\/a>. The beat sheet method described in Snyder\u2019s book is where a writer uses bullet points to outline the key sequence of events in the story, known as the \u201cbeats.\u201d Snyder describes what <a href=\"https:\/\/timstout.wordpress.com\/story-structure\/blake-snyders-beat-sheet\/\">exactly these beats should be<\/a>, aka \u201cTheme Stated,\u201d \u201cCatalyst,\u201d \u201cDebate,\u201d etc., up until \u201cFinal Image.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Snyder\u2019s book has been so influential to screenwriters that it\u2019s been blamed at least in part for the sameness of movies released in the last decade, i.e. everybody\u2019s following the same \u201cfailure-proof\u201d formula. I\u2019d say other factors are more to blame\u2014for instance, Disney buying everything and demanding the same mass-produced, originality-free product to ensure maximum sales, and big studios spending way too much on individual movies and known IPs to the point they won\u2019t take risks anymore\u2014but it does illustrate the dangers of following a formula too closely. Any creative method should serve as a <em>guide,<\/em> not a prescription. It\u2019s up to you to understand the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.shanafigueroa.com\/blog\/we-need-to-talk-about-the-darkest-minds-and-the-importance-of-choice\/\">basic principles of storytelling<\/a> to know when you can stray from the guide and still get positive results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Though Snyder\u2019s method was originally\nmeant for screenplays, it translates well into novel-writing because the\nstorytelling basics are the same (I\u2019ll go into detail about screenwriting vs\nnovel-writing in a future post). Therefore, you can use the method to outline\nyour novel as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>\u201cBaking\nBread\u201d Method<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This method is similar to the Beat Sheet Method, the difference being what the beats are. Basically, you write an outline filling in the details of each story point as I described in my <a href=\"http:\/\/www.shanafigueroa.com\/blog\/baking-literary-bread-part-1-the-basic-ingredients-every-story-must-have-to-succeed\/\">\u201cBaking Literary Bread\u201d series of posts<\/a> (originally described in <em>Story Physics<\/em> by Larry Brooks); for instance, \u201cInciting Incident,\u201d \u201cPlot Point 1,\u201d \u201cMidpoint,\u201d \u201cPlot Point 2,\u201d etc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Structured\nTimeline Method<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The\nstructured timeline method is ideal for a story premise built around a\nstructured event, such as a school year, contest, or election, where the story\nbeats progress according to a pre-set timeline. For instance, JK Rowling\u2019s\nspreadsheet plotting is a version of this method. Every Harry Potter story\ntakes place within one academic year, giving the story a predetermined\nstructure to build the story beats around. <em>The\nHunger Games<\/em> (first two books) is structured around a competition\u2014the\nHunger Games\u2014with a set sequence of events\u2014pre-game interviews and prep,\nopening ceremonies, game kick-off\/initial slaughter, contestants pairing up,\nshrinking of the arena, etc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In my own rom-com novel <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Spice-Love-Shana-Figueroa-ebook\/dp\/B00U63R5AO\/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1473472058&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=spice+of+love#nav-subnav\">Spice of Love<\/a><\/em>, the story closely follows the well-known sequence of events in the reality TV show <em>The Bachelor<\/em>\u2026with some dramatic liberties when necessary. To write that story, I began by listing the typical sequence of events for the show, including each dating event\u2019s duration and location, and from there determined the logical progression of the romance between the two main characters (a contestant and <em>a producer<\/em>\u2014naughty!). This might\u2019ve been the most plotting I\u2019ve ever done for a book, but I\u2019ve always been very concerned about consistent timelines in my books, so it made sense for this particular story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Rolling\nOutline Method<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is the method I use\u2026which means it\u2019s the best! (JK, you do you) After I finish the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.shanafigueroa.com\/blog\/9-steps-to-start-your-story\/\">How to Start steps<\/a>, I plot out the first four or five chapters of the story in narrative form, as I did above in the plotting example. They end up being summaries, ala \u201cThis happens, then this happens, then this happens.\u201d At the end of each of these summaries, I specifically list the <em>point<\/em> of the chapter, ex: \u201cPoint of this chapter: Geni realizes she\u2019s in love with Blaise, but believes he\u2019ll never love her.\u201d (Note that each chapter and section should have a specific purpose: either to build character or move the plot along, ideally both. I\u2019ll expand on this in a future blog) Then I write those chapters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When\nI reach the end of my plot outline, I do the same thing over again: plot out\nthe next three or four chapters, then write them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I repeat this process until I get to what I feel is the halfway point, or <a href=\"http:\/\/www.shanafigueroa.com\/blog\/baking-literary-bread-part-1-the-basic-ingredients-every-story-must-have-to-succeed\/\">midpoint<\/a>, of the story. Besides just feeling I\u2019m about halfway, I can tell because my manuscript word count is around 40K words (my average novel is between 70K \u2013 90K words). Then, I plot out the rest of the entire book\u2014I call it the endgame\u2014based on what came before. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I do this because, like George R.R. Martin, even though I have a general ending in mind, I don\u2019t know exactly what\u2019s going to happen when I start writing. In that way, I\u2019m closer to a pantser than a plotter (and pantsing is more fun&#8230;and funnier in physical execution, except that it&#8217;s technically sexual assault&#8230;damn you #MeToo!). I\u2019ll often veer away from my original plot summaries, which means the following chapters need to be consistent with what <em>actually<\/em> happened in the story, not what I <em>planned<\/em> to happen. By the halfway point, all the pieces of the story are in place and ready to start rolling toward the finale. It\u2019s like setting up a line of dominoes\u2014the midpoint is where I knock over the first domino in the chain I\u2019ve set up from Page 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\nprefer this method because, for me, it\u2019s the best of both worlds\u2014I give myself\na short-term outline to follow, while leaving room for spontaneity and\ncharacter actions to shape the plot organically. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every\nwriter will naturally settle on whatever method works for them. I came up with\nthe Rolling Outline Method myself, without thinking too hard about it. It just\nfelt right. You\u2019ll probably have a similar epiphany, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\nwill tell you that every time I start to write a book, I have strong doubts\nabout whether what I\u2019m writing is going to come together, like maybe I\u2019m\nwriting a book to nowhere, and I should just give it up already and accept that\nI suck. But then, somehow, it all comes together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s\nlike magic, every time, and that part I can\u2019t explain.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The biggest issue with writing a book is that you need to somehow fill up blank space on a page with words. Specifically, words that form a narrative. Failing to do this means you\u2019ve failed to write a book. This is ALWAYS, 100% of the time, the reason people try and fail to write a &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.shanafigueroa.com\/blog\/plotting-versus-pantsing-and-4-hybrid-options-to-plot-out-your-novel\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Plotting versus Pantsing, and 4 Hybrid Options to Plot Out Your Novel&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2},"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[495,567],"tags":[569,573,576,42,575,574],"class_list":["post-2540","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-construction","category-plotting-vs-pantsing","tag-beat-sheet-method","tag-breaking-bread-method","tag-hybrid-plotting-options","tag-plotting","tag-rolling-outline-method","tag-structured-timeline-method"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9Vyi8-EY","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.shanafigueroa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2540","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.shanafigueroa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.shanafigueroa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.shanafigueroa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.shanafigueroa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2540"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"http:\/\/www.shanafigueroa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2540\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2552,"href":"http:\/\/www.shanafigueroa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2540\/revisions\/2552"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.shanafigueroa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2540"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.shanafigueroa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2540"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.shanafigueroa.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2540"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}