tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913320553398550378.post8275890326816241114..comments2023-08-21T02:05:15.928-07:00Comments on Rachelle Ayala Blog: Confessions of a Pantster #writertipRachelle Ayalahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11407777410120117945noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913320553398550378.post-10539035548585827802012-09-09T10:39:39.952-07:002012-09-09T10:39:39.952-07:00Like Mood and others, I've become somewhat of ...Like Mood and others, I've become somewhat of a hybrid along the way. I'm actually a math person, usually very organized, so one would think I'd be a plotter, but I'm also the artsy-type, and somehow that's made pantsing much more natural for me. In pursuit of easier editing and greater productivity, I adopted a loose outline method that's working so far. Great post, Rachelle! I have that book, and I highly recommend it, too - plotter, pantser, or hybrid :-)Dariel Rayehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06636771393462118904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913320553398550378.post-84166036752197674002012-09-07T22:47:37.037-07:002012-09-07T22:47:37.037-07:00ha, ha, the ending. the scariest part is when the ...ha, ha, the ending. the scariest part is when the ending is 180 degrees from what you thought. But then you can't argue with your characters too much, you can only throw disasters at them, sort of like what Hera does to those she's jealous of. LOLRachelle Ayalahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11407777410120117945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913320553398550378.post-6673981790238911132012-09-07T22:45:12.138-07:002012-09-07T22:45:12.138-07:00I'll go take a look at your posts. Thanks!I'll go take a look at your posts. Thanks!Rachelle Ayalahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11407777410120117945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913320553398550378.post-83084378404481478612012-09-07T22:32:17.107-07:002012-09-07T22:32:17.107-07:00Great post. Very interesting to read through the c...Great post. Very interesting to read through the comments as well. <br />I consider myself a serious pantser, but I start out with a very rough synopsis. Then as I write the first draft, I see where the story takes me and makes changes onto my synopsis so I can keep track of what is happening and see how far I've drifted from the original idea. Sometimes that's fine and others, I try to steer my characters back into the ending I've 'forseen'. Of course, no matter what, that ending never works out. :)<br /><br />Thanks for the great tips, Rachelle. Keep it up!Lauren Stewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12887393856861966255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913320553398550378.post-78950888840024855692012-09-07T12:06:46.416-07:002012-09-07T12:06:46.416-07:00Haha! LOVE THIS! I'm a pantser too, but some...Haha! LOVE THIS! I'm a pantser too, but sometimes, I have to make my plot points in a disorganized outline of sorts. I call this a plotting-pantser or a pantsing-plotter. Wrote a blog post on this not long ago. :) <br /><br />Emerald Barneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08194470079199076574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913320553398550378.post-15307752378334329092012-09-07T10:22:47.170-07:002012-09-07T10:22:47.170-07:00Hi Chantel, I'm like you. I get bored if I kno...Hi Chantel, I'm like you. I get bored if I know too much of what's going to happen. But, gee! At least I think I know who the villain is. Or I aim for a villain but if a better one jumps into the picture, I'll take it. <br /><br />Thanks and good luck on your new project too.Rachelle Ayalahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11407777410120117945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913320553398550378.post-15923967996800914362012-09-07T10:20:56.516-07:002012-09-07T10:20:56.516-07:00Hi Larry, I dumped a manuscript that I had outline...Hi Larry, I dumped a manuscript that I had outlined. I had a spreadsheet, all the plot points and scenes laid out. I went into NaNoMoWri and whipped it out in two weeks. But I hated it. I felt like I was connecting dots in a coloring book.<br /><br />With half of NaNoMoWri still left to go, I pantsted Broken Build and used these two books listed above to structure it. Not saying it's the right thing to do, but does seem to get the best of both worlds.Rachelle Ayalahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11407777410120117945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913320553398550378.post-801952654981814062012-09-07T10:15:02.172-07:002012-09-07T10:15:02.172-07:00That makes a lot of sense and helps you write tigh...That makes a lot of sense and helps you write tight stories. :)Rachelle Ayalahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11407777410120117945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913320553398550378.post-48469733485147603312012-09-07T10:12:46.940-07:002012-09-07T10:12:46.940-07:00Hi Jess, the Plot Whisperer is more philosophical ...Hi Jess, the Plot Whisperer is more philosophical and Story Engineering is more practical. I like knowing the principles and milestones so I have a goal to aim for, but I can't get myself to write an outline or synopsis. For me, it'll spoil the fun of the unexpected.<br /><br />What I like a PlotWriMo (Martha's December project) is the set of exercises to "do-over" a pantsed manuscript. So you get the fun of pantsing and the discipline of putting some structure to it.Rachelle Ayalahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11407777410120117945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913320553398550378.post-10172453209102550822012-09-07T10:09:45.162-07:002012-09-07T10:09:45.162-07:00Hi Mood, my pantsting gets me into trouble. I'...Hi Mood, my pantsting gets me into trouble. I'm now stuck trying to cut and tighten. I think a rough outline puts you in the plotting side. :)Rachelle Ayalahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11407777410120117945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913320553398550378.post-31608986965283782692012-09-07T09:18:32.325-07:002012-09-07T09:18:32.325-07:00I'm a pantser mostly, but I do have to know qu...I'm a pantser mostly, but I do have to know quite a bit about the characters before I start writing. My stories are very character driver, so knowing their beliefs and secrets and dreams helps my plot form. <br /><br />I've taken a lot of Holly Lisle courses (including her How To Think Sideways bootcamp). She is funny and informative, and I think you'll like a lot of the tools and tricks she provides. However, she is very much a plotter, so some of her techniques don't work for me. <br /><br />If I already know the story before I write it, I get bored, so I just have a hazy idea and let my muse go from there. I suppose we are all different. Happy writing! So excited about your new project!Chantel Rhondeauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12796339007150166408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913320553398550378.post-29172675660843162692012-09-07T08:59:47.291-07:002012-09-07T08:59:47.291-07:00My two-novel set (first one available, second is d...My two-novel set (first one available, second is drafted) was a pure pantsing exercise. I sat down with the first part in mind, not quite sure what the characters were *really* facing, and started writing. At some points, it was like I was taking dictation for the voices in my head. I figured that I'd have it wrapped up after 30,000 words or so… and the story turned out six times larger than that. A spinoff has already suggested itself. Have I ever mentioned that my Muse has a sadistic streak? The scary part is that I have this entire world in my head, and it's not the only one.<br /><br />My next major project, a YA modern fantasy, I have mostly plotted. The idea dropped in right in the middle of writing the above, and I didn't feel like I had the mental bandwidth to handle both at once. Rather than to lose the main points, I mind-mapped as much as possible so I can tackle it when I'm ready.<br /><br />So I can see the advantages of either method. I guess that's the mark of a true pantser, do whatever is most comfortable and gets the story written!Larry Kollarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08317037795075278427noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913320553398550378.post-59351976050157500702012-09-07T08:09:37.328-07:002012-09-07T08:09:37.328-07:00When I'm ready to write, I'm a plotter and...When I'm ready to write, I'm a plotter and outline where I want the story to go, but I sometimes spend months (even years) thinking about a novel before I sit down to get to that writing stage. I think that's the time I'm more pantsing (daydreaming the plot and characters), if that makes sense.Cherie Reichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16663147386014122939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913320553398550378.post-20215755691827433902012-09-07T02:53:13.137-07:002012-09-07T02:53:13.137-07:00I tend to be a pure pantser through the first 3/4t...I tend to be a pure pantser through the first 3/4ths of the manuscript, and than I can't wrap things up until I have perfected the first half, which can take awhile. I tried reading the Plot Whisperer and really didn't find it to be much help, but I might give the workbook a whirl. Good luck!Jess Schirahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04930756756945812094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913320553398550378.post-42714389181402546372012-09-07T02:45:23.288-07:002012-09-07T02:45:23.288-07:00Great post, very interesting read. I do a rough ou...Great post, very interesting read. I do a rough outline and then see what i can do to make it more interesting as I go. Not sure what that is.<br /><br />mood<br /><a href="http://moodywriting.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Moody Writing</a>mooderinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.com