Writing is a unique journey, and every writer has their own style. Some meticulously plan every detail, while others embrace spontaneity and write “by the seat of their pants.” As an editor who has worked with both types, I’ve come to appreciate the strengths and challenges each style includes. In this blog, we’ll explore the worlds of planners and pantsers, providing valuable tips for new writers on self-publishing and the various stages of editing a book.
Planning Your Path: Crafting a Literary Blueprint
The Planner's Playground
Planners, or “architects,” are writers who thrive on structure. Here are some tips for new writers who want to take this meticulous approach:
1. Develop a Detailed Outline
For planners, the key lies in crafting a comprehensive outline as a crucial stage. Break down your story into chapters, noting character developments, key events, and thematic elements. This roadmap will guide you through the writing process, minimizing the risk of getting lost in the narrative wilderness.
2. Explore Character Motivations
While planning is your strength, be wary of falling into the trap of a too-rigid structure. Take time to delve into your characters’ motivations. Understanding their desires, fears, and conflicts adds depth, preventing characters from feeling flat or lifeless.
3. Avoid Rushing Things
Planners may be tempted to rush through scenes because we know the outcome. Be mindful of pacing during these drafting stages. Don’t sacrifice tension. Ensure each scene serves a purpose and contributes to the narrative arc. During later stages of editing a book, you can trim or add as necessary.
Learning from Pantsers: Valuable Tips for Planners
While planners excel at creating structure, there’s much to learn from the spontaneity of pantsers. As a dedicated planner, I often work with pantsers who remind me of the magic of spontaneous creativity. During brainstorming or creativity sessions, often unplanned ideas emerge and transform the entire plot. These revelations can result in some of the best elements of a finished story. You’ve got to allow space for the unexpected.
Embracing Spontaneity: Tips for New Writers Who Write by the Seat of Their Pants
The Pantser's Playground
Pantsers, or “gardeners,” revel in the thrill of uncertainty. Here are some tips for new writers who find that this spontaneous approach works best for them:
1. Start with a Seed
For pantsers, begin with a single starting point – a character, an image, or a theme.This starting point can give you something to help your imagination run wild. Enjoy freedom from the constraints of a detailed plan, but give yourself a starting point as a seed from which your story can grow organically.
2. Embrace Plot Holes
Pantsers may find themselves overlooking plot holes, assuming that the narrative threads will magically tie together later. While spontaneity is your strength, be open to revisiting and filling in those gaps during later stages of editing a book. Your story should make sense to readers who don’t have the privilege of seeing everything in your head.
3. Balance Creativity with Structure
While celebrating your spontaneity, be mindful not to veer into overly indulgent or “purple” prose (or be prepared to edit it closely later especially if you’re self-publishing). Every reader craves a sense of overall story structure. Your narrative should be coherent and provide readers with a clear, engaging journey through your creative landscape.
Learning from Planners: Valuable Tips for Pantsers
Pantsers may be tempted to rush to put down all their thoughts, no matter where it leads the reader because they are enjoying the journey their characters take them on. Be mindful of losing your readers and having them drop out of the story because they couldn’t follow along. Don’t sacrifice clarity or cohesion. Make sure your wild ride still follows the standard “hero’s journey” or demonstrates a clear character arc by at least leading the reader to an end that makes sense based on the beginning.
Still got questions? Check out this video from Jenna Moreci with tips for new writers, “10 Best Tips for Plotting Your Novel.”
The Editor's Role in Different Stages of Editing a Book
Whether you meticulously plan or live the pantser life, both approaches benefit from a skilled editor’s touch and multiple stages of editing a book. One of my top tips for new writers is: Do NOT try to do all the editing at once. You will miss so many things.
As an editor, especially for self-publishing authors, my role is to enhance the manuscript while simultaneously respecting the writer’s unique style. Here’s how I navigate the challenges for both planners and pantsers during editing:
Guiding Planners through Editing a Book
- Addressing Rigid Structure: I guide planners to help balance their detailed plans with spontaneity. It’s important to encourage flexibility within their detailed (and sometimes very thorough) plan, which allows for authentic character development.
- Tackling Rushed Pacing: For planners prone to rushing through scenes during the drafting of their book, I focus on pinpointing areas where slowing down can heighten tension and emotional impact. Could the scene use more description? More emotion? More dialogue. Identifying and addressing these types of gaps ensures a more satisfying reading experience.
Supporting Pantsers when Editing a Book
- Filling Plot Holes: Pantsers may overlook plot holes or assume readers will connect the dots, but sometimes the manuscript benefits from a bit more obvious storytelling devices. My role is to gently guide the pantsers who resist structre and help them identify and fill in gaps so the reader sees how each scene logically builds from the previous one.
- Maintaining Coherence: While celebrating spontaneous and quirky action, sometimes this takes the whole plot in a totally unintended direction. Often, writers realize this and try to steer it back to its original direction, but they sometimes need help maintaining coherence. A cohesive structure doesn’t mean sacrificing creativity; it ensures readers can navigate the narrative landscape without feeling lost.
Developmental Editing & Beta Feedback during Self-Publishing for Planners & Pantsers
Regardless of your writing style, the journey is incomplete without multiple rounds of editing, which can include developmental editing, beta reader feedback, and separate steps for line editing and proofreading, especially when self-publishing. Among the best editing tips for new writers – planners and pantsers alike – is that they can benefit from these crucial steps:
Embracing Developmental Editing when Self-Publishing
- Strengthening Weaknesses: Developmental editing focuses on enhancing a manuscript’s strengths and addressing weaknesses. Whether it’s refining a detailed plan or filling in gaps left by spontaneity, this stage of editing a book is about refining your unique voice and making sure your message or story is clearly communicated.
- Gaining External Perspective: A skilled editor provides an external point of view, identifying elements that might be unclear or inconsistent to a reader who can’t see inside the writer’s mind. A fresh set of eyes ensures your unique story resonates with a broader audience.
Tips for New Writers to Harness Beta Reader Feedback when Self-Publishing
- Diverse Perspectives: Beta readers should be among your target audience. They can help highlight what works, what resonates, and where they felt disconnected from the text or confused by the story. Their feedback is invaluable in shaping your story so that appeals to your target readership.
- Testing Emotional Impact: Beta readers help gauge the emotional impact of your story, an essential consideration for self-publishing and something you can absolutely tweak during the stages of editing a book. Do they feel connected to the characters? Are your plot twists effective? Your beta readers’ responses guide you in fine-tuning your manuscript for maximum reader engagement.
Planning or Pantsing Your Writing Can Make for an Awesome Journey
Whether you meticulously plan every detail or let the words flow organically, your writing journey is a personal and evolving experience. Embrace your unique style, recognizing the strengths it brings to your storytelling.
As you embark on this creative adventure, remember that both planners and pantsers can learn from each other and there’s room for both in the traditional and self-publishing worlds. The careful architect can infuse spontaneity into their writing, while the adventurous gardener can benefit from the structure that ensures a satisfying reader experience. And both can address issues of structure or plot development in the stages of editing a book.
Ultimately, every tips for new writers list should emphasize how the magic happens in the balance – a harmonious dance between planning and spontaneity. As you refine your craft, celebrate your individuality, and let the words guide you on your journey to becoming a seasoned and versatile writer, you’ll find the special mix that is just right for you.