tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2303232661644308222.post6434286021662058913..comments2024-03-27T03:21:22.004-04:00Comments on Carrie Harris: Pantser, Plotter, or Gas Station AttendantCarrie Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14893023777471521703noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2303232661644308222.post-54792494244555611502010-09-24T12:55:10.200-04:002010-09-24T12:55:10.200-04:00I'm a pantster, but I'm starting to see th...I'm a pantster, but I'm starting to see the benefits of some plotting. Less rewriting.Lacey J Edwardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17930985573303127061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2303232661644308222.post-91786751075952641132010-09-23T12:32:26.808-04:002010-09-23T12:32:26.808-04:00I'm a pantser in the sense that I like to snea...I'm a pantser in the sense that I like to sneak up behind people and pull down their pants. I do develop very intricate plots to achieve this end.<br /><br />And in real life, I'm very by-the-seat-of-my-pants for my first draft. Once that's done, though, there are outlines and character bios and index cards pinned in a decipherable-only-to-me order all around my desk.bradyhttp://bradygolden.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2303232661644308222.post-53555838209642685212010-09-23T00:37:01.407-04:002010-09-23T00:37:01.407-04:00I was a Pantser but with little post-it notes.
No...I was a Pantser but with little post-it notes.<br /><br />Now I am a Pantser with really big post-it notes that contain rough outlines that I almost never stick with.<br /><br />I think that makes me a Pantsotter. I can live with that.Marsha Sigmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11095210839900479297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2303232661644308222.post-253007508904908462010-09-22T21:21:02.799-04:002010-09-22T21:21:02.799-04:00I'm a hybrid. I have to admit to plot points f...I'm a hybrid. I have to admit to plot points for fiction and outlines for research works. In both cases I don't see any other way to keep things coherent, and for fiction, it helps make things more interesting. My completely random scatterbrain Ooo! Shinny! . . . can't deal with things otherwise.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10316467565705513977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2303232661644308222.post-78046413584411007292010-09-22T19:29:32.388-04:002010-09-22T19:29:32.388-04:00I think I'm a pantser, as awkward as that soun...I think I'm a pantser, as awkward as that sounds!Mariah Irvinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15181111151756005743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2303232661644308222.post-53793528753695311912010-09-22T18:34:43.767-04:002010-09-22T18:34:43.767-04:00Actually a little of both. I plot and then I pants...Actually a little of both. I plot and then I pants...did that sound weird?Carolyn V.https://www.blogger.com/profile/15456210036213016603noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2303232661644308222.post-43892939468238468912010-09-22T14:26:06.619-04:002010-09-22T14:26:06.619-04:00LOL. I'm a mix, too. That conversation was a...LOL. I'm a mix, too. That conversation was awesome. Thanks for sharing.Stephanie McGeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16507025637411479409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2303232661644308222.post-43746351819891654752010-09-22T14:21:35.178-04:002010-09-22T14:21:35.178-04:00I'm both... But not a gas station attendant. T...I'm both... But not a gas station attendant. Things would go boom if I was left in charge of petrol. Actually, things tend to go boom even when I'm not.Cate Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05634397106201021055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2303232661644308222.post-29722636252590471902010-09-22T13:15:19.846-04:002010-09-22T13:15:19.846-04:00I think I want to start a club full of Excel-using...I think I want to start a club full of Excel-using Hybrid Gas Station Attendants. You guys in?Carrie Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14893023777471521703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2303232661644308222.post-31635903929568258212010-09-22T12:38:23.858-04:002010-09-22T12:38:23.858-04:00Pantser. Not good at spreadsheets. Doomed to BEC...Pantser. Not good at spreadsheets. Doomed to BECOME a gas station attendant. *sigh*Shannon O'Donnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17299313309059235876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2303232661644308222.post-44506509112103549772010-09-22T11:37:33.024-04:002010-09-22T11:37:33.024-04:00I think I'm a hybrid also. I'm a pantser a...I think I'm a hybrid also. I'm a pantser at heart, but my WIP just isn't working without some serious organization. :)BK Mattinglyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13758638245846622284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2303232661644308222.post-24991003156326191012010-09-22T11:35:45.470-04:002010-09-22T11:35:45.470-04:00Had an experience very similar to yours. I always ...Had an experience very similar to yours. I always wrote without any notes and discovered the story along the way, but now that there are agents and editors and deadlines and things involved, it doesn't feel like there's time for that.<br /><br />Oh! I love excel too! I can't believe more people don't talk about what a great writing tool it can be. Plotting each scene out on a spread sheet helped me immeasurably on my last book. It really makes the structure plain as day. Can't wait to put the new book in there!Jeff Hirschhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15358790876179003623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2303232661644308222.post-60525022858450847942010-09-22T11:27:10.258-04:002010-09-22T11:27:10.258-04:00I'm trying out pantsing after being a die-hard...I'm trying out pantsing after being a die-hard plotter for so long. I still need to know generally how the story is going to end, though, so I can write toward it.Tere Kirklandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13562750950130316280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2303232661644308222.post-9978570498814424002010-09-22T10:03:34.493-04:002010-09-22T10:03:34.493-04:00Pantser by nature, but I turned a bit plotty durin...Pantser by nature, but I turned a bit plotty during WIP 2. It had multiple POVs and was set in another world, so there was a stack of stuff to keep track of.Claire Dawnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14354840714847021685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2303232661644308222.post-67226840267308135552010-09-22T10:01:15.111-04:002010-09-22T10:01:15.111-04:00I'm a Panster taking detailed notes along the ...I'm a Panster taking detailed notes along the way. I use a word doc. to store them in.<br /><br />Everyone is invited to a Viking Blog BBQ...see Tuesday's post on my site for directions.<br /><br />Nancy<br /><a href="http://nrwilliams.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">N. R. Williams, fantasy author</a>N. R. Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02174506528962095858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2303232661644308222.post-85739835511413781692010-09-22T09:48:52.178-04:002010-09-22T09:48:52.178-04:00For my first ms I was a plotter. It sucked, felt t...For my first ms I was a plotter. It sucked, felt trite. The next ms turned out pretty well, and that was a pantser. The one I'm working on now I guess would be a plontser. I decided what my main characters looked like, made some decisions about structure, and key plot issues, but not outline.Beth Fredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13494316048252190314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2303232661644308222.post-46753725851238675602010-09-22T09:38:15.345-04:002010-09-22T09:38:15.345-04:00I am a plotter. I have spreadsheets and I have so...I am a plotter. I have spreadsheets and I have software for writing and I have whiteboards with timelines and I am not happy unless I know who the first girl my MC had a crush on and at what age he lost his virginity.Kelly Breakeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07170230808730463954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2303232661644308222.post-76840079485507233162010-09-22T09:24:19.809-04:002010-09-22T09:24:19.809-04:00A bit of both, depending on the story. This reply...A bit of both, depending on the story. This reply, however....total panster.Barry Napierhttp://www.barrynapierwriting.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2303232661644308222.post-57908541865384426472010-09-22T09:22:29.604-04:002010-09-22T09:22:29.604-04:00i was a plotter, but not nearly to the extent that...i was a plotter, but not nearly to the extent that you Excel. maybe i should try that?<br /><br />i just started my new WIP and i'm pantsing it all the way. it's scary! maybe i should put some shorts on to make it less creepy?abby mumfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15945527585028871186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2303232661644308222.post-39651031243040536022010-09-22T09:07:02.198-04:002010-09-22T09:07:02.198-04:00Well I was definitely a pantser until recently whe...Well I was definitely a pantser until recently when I realized all it got me was thousands of deleted words and big plot holes. (Though who doesn't love a big plot hole really.) Now I use notebooks, index cards, calendars and fancy diagrams (ok maybe not fancy, maybe just...scribbly messes). Switching to Scrivener has been a huge help too. But for me, it's impossible not to be a bit of a pantser because, as you said, writing should be fun. And I'm not sure there's anything more fun than writing a random make-out scene! (Oh, or a random things-explode scene!)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08336620988477268104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2303232661644308222.post-4204914153487426272010-09-22T08:51:33.936-04:002010-09-22T08:51:33.936-04:00I used to be a pantser, but now I'm a bit of b...I used to be a pantser, but now I'm a bit of both too. I like to plot out the main structure, sketch out key scenes and then pants my way to join the dots. <br />haha. <br /><br />Although I do love creating a good spreadsheet...Lindsayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04313619484424363895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2303232661644308222.post-54586994217652437352010-09-22T08:49:54.480-04:002010-09-22T08:49:54.480-04:00I think I'm a little of them all. I mean why n...I think I'm a little of them all. I mean why not? Life is supposed to be fun, so I like to mix it up.<br /><br />My panster loving ways is what makes revision such a fabulous nightmare. (fabulous and nightmare? How can that be... even I have no clue, ask my brain later)<br /><br />I've started to outline... haven't thought of spreadsheets... but now *opening excel*Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03667521490706435608noreply@blogger.com