Plotter or a Pantser?

I’m Neither. Here’s Why.

What Plotters and Pantsers Do

Each time I join a webinar about writing, this question always comes up: Are you a plotter, or a pantser?

Plotters create a detailed outline before sitting down to write the story.

Pansters begin with only a general idea and discover the story as they write.

I’ve never felt comfortable labeling myself as either of these.

Why Plotting Did Not Work For Me

I’ve never been someone who wanted a detailed summary before beginning to write. There’s always been a bit of discovery necessary to flesh out my stories. But as I aged, I’ve had more difficulty figuring out what should happen in each chapter.

In 2025, I decided to outline my story idea for the first time, hoping that would help get me started and carry me through so I’d always know what came next. The result?

The result? The writing was really bad.

The story was thin, lacking a clear backstory, and the action felt disjointed with no clear goal. Outlines don’t carry nuance and weight. If they did, you’d just be writing the actual story.

Why I’m Not a Pantser Either

When I sit down to write, I need a goal. Without a clear destination, I don’t know where the story is supposed to lead. Even when you’re in creative mode, you still need the right tools to create.

My Actual Writing Process

For me, writing is a combination of both methods. I never write without an ending in mind. It would be like driving away from my house for a week of vacation without even knowing if I want to ski or go to the beach. However, I also don’t plot out everything that’s going to happen, because I still need to write to discover the story.

1.        I begin with the main characters, a setting, and the conflict.

2.        I decide where the story will end.

3.        I spend at least a year thinking about the story.

4.        I read, a lot, and collect ideas and inspiration.

5.        I write character sketches

6.        I begin drafting only once I understand the character’s transformation.

The Story Is the Character

The most important thing to remember is that the story is not the plot—the story is the character.

Your story is not simply a series of events. It is about how conflict forces a character to decide, respond, or change.

What Hamlet Is Really About

Hamlet is not a play about a man who kills his uncle—it’s a play about Hamlet’s inner conflict. His uncle killed his father. His father’s ghost asks Hamlet to avenge him. But Hamlet doesn’t have to. He must decide to, even though killing the king surely means his own death. The story is the external manifestation of his inner turmoil.

The story is the character, not the plot.

Why Writing Prompts Can Feel Empty

Remember those writing prompts from elementary school?

A surprising thing happens to a character. Quick, what do they do next?

Did you have a problem writing to one of those prompts? I did. Everything I wrote felt superficial. My problem wasn’t lack of imagination, but no sense of the character I was writing about.

Susan discovers a shell on the beach and when she picks it up a genie pops out. What happens next? Well, she probably wishes for something, but what?

·      Does she wish her grandmother was still alive?

·      Or maybe for her parents to get back together?

·      Or that her house hadn’t burned down?

I don’t know anything about Susan, so how do I know what she should wish for?

·      How old is she?

·      What has she lost?

·      What does she want?

·      What is missing from her life?

·      Why would this particular wish matter to her?

The story starts before Susan’s on the beach. Before I begin writing, I need to understand who she is, what she wants, and why the choice in front of her matters. This is why I am neither a plotter nor a pantser.

I begin with the character.