So for those not in the know.
A plot is an outline of your story and ‘pantsing’ is to write just of the top of your head. I have a friend who actually wrote a 200k word story in one night (one long, long night) just because the idea ‘came’ to her. And yes I was insanely jealous when she told me!
I prefer to have a plot. I like to nut out the idea of the story as much as possible so I can ‘see’ it playing on the movie screen in my mind. That said I also like pantsing a bit, I feel it gives a more natural touch to the story. More intuitive.
At the moment, aside from when I’m re-working my MS I’m planning book two Feel The Burn in as much as detail as possible. I have some pretty intense fight scenes in the story and I want them as believable and ‘practical’ as possible. Yet I know that I won’t stick to the plot.
In The Arrival I actually plotted out the paragraph topics for a while. It was very helpful in keeping me on track but the paragraphs I ended up with never matched the plotted ones. I feel they sound better, as though the plot was just a first concept. And as long as I hit all the major plot points the story stays on track!
What do you do? Do you have a preferred technique or is it still a WIP?
I'm a plotter at heart, but with my current WIP i'm pantsing! Such a different thing for my poor plotter instinct which is constantly telling me to stop! hehe. But it is working really well so far so i'm going with it 😉 I think each story will be different.
Whatever works, works!
I read the Synopsis. In undergrad, I took an advanced english course on Scifi/Fantasy. If I may, you seem to be blending the two which traditionally are mutually exclusive. I tend to be a fantasy fan, but some of my techi friends gravitate to scifi. In the class, Jules Vern was the commonly held father of the Scifi genera and Tolkien of fantasy. In modern days, I do not know of many that straddle both. There are some, but most are either one or the other.
mostly i'm a pantser… but then, i edit/rewrite a lot as i'm plodding along, it's just the way it works for me, though i do some plotting here'n there, too…
Hi SH
I don't think it has any sci-fi in it to be honest. They get to the other planet via spell not spaceship. Am I missing something? It could certainly fall in the fantasy/romance section (NOT GUSHY!) but sci-fi.. i don't think so.. point it out if i've missed it 🙂
And advanced English hmm? You know I'm always on the look out for a good (as in thorough – not nice *grin*) critique…. interested?
Yes, it was the inter-planitary travel that I thought was Sci-Fi'ish. If it was via a spell, why not make it instead of another planet, some kind of dreaming other world. Just a suggestion. Other planet I guess brings up a little bit of sci-fi to my mind, but if it is via a spell, that may be okay.
I have two degrees and neither are in english (business & information technology), but am a life long fan.
at the bottom of my blog are my three reviews of the erskan trilogy books if you wish to read my review of those to get a style of my approach. I guess I would be available to review your furhter if you would find it helpful, but I am no where near any form of professional.