As I’m sure you’ve probably heard, in the writing world, there tends to be two kinds of writers. Outliners and Pantsters. Outliners pre-plan and organize their work to get the most out of their talent. Pantsters are those fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants creatives, who build their stories while their characters are whispering in their ear. There are ups and downs to each approach. Although most people will staunchly defend their drafting approach, I also think most writers will tell you there are positives and negatives to each style.

I’ve always considered myself a pantster. I’m allergic to outlines. Seriously, even with the book written–I have trouble writing the outline. *not-so-fondly-remembers-a-27-page-outline-while-on-submission* But this week there has been a revelation. I’m not a pantster or and outliner.

I’M A WEBBER!

What is this???

It’s that gray middle ground between pants and outlines. As I’ve been researching and brainstorming my WIP, I’ve come to realize that I don’t write without a plan, but my plans don’t look or act like outlines. They aren’t rigid and they don’t have a lot of structure. They look more like story webs, lists and thought bubbles. They are thought stew. They are bits and pieces of ideas I move around until a pattern of connections emerges. 80% of this happens in my head and about 20% of this gets scrawled on paper in a very messy fashion. (Mostly to indulge my love of notebooks) but also to ground the thinking process with the motion of the hand. I draw timelines. I dash out thoughts that interest me, even when I have no place for those thoughts in my current web. But I store them anyway, because I believe they might eventually belong–when I’m smart enough to understand my own story.

I’m a webber–plotting and planning in a pattern that is all my own.

Who are you?

Tags: drafting, Kim Sabatini, Kimberly Sabatini, outlining, pantster, plotting, webber, writing style

Comments

I did that brain fart thing and forgot I blog on Tuesdays now. *head thunk* In fact I was laying in bed (enjoying the humidity-NOT!) and letting my mind wander. Book 3 has been calling me to start from scratch and reinvent my previous ideas. This morning those ideas started percolating. *fist pump* I’ve been reading some fabulous articles on writing lately and it’s really helped me to grow with my writing. I love that inspiration and great content are out there for the taking. *hugs whole world* But I digress–back to my brain fart. I’m lying in bed with my brain whirring away when BAM!

**BLOG POST ALERT**

I forgot to write my Tuesday post. Now it’s like–oh, crap–what do I write about? *No you can’t have coffee until you finish* But *insert whiny voice* All I really I want to do is concentrate on the last of my revisions and continue to day dream and mind plot my next novel. I can’t be witty or helpful when that much of my brain is in use. In fact sometimes I can’t be witty and helpful with a lot less of my brain in use. But this must get done ASAP!  So, I flip to YouTube, looking for a life-altering vlog that will make you forget my incompetence and I find this…

http://youtu.be/efAUCG9oTb8

And I know it doesn’t have anything to do with anything, but I found it pretty darn amusing. And since it isn’t even hump day yet, its very humid, I’m tired because I’ve been up since 6am plotting and I planned on revising in a park around my kid’s schedules today and it’s RAINING–I’ll take the little things. Enjoy the chuckle. What would be your criteria for naming hurricanes and what would you name the next one? Have you been day dreaming about your plots? Any great writing advice or inspiration that you’ve been reading about?

Tags: blog, drafting, Hurricane, Kim Sabatini, Kimberly Sabatini, plotting, Pondering, writing

Comments