We all know someone who has a fantastic story idea in their head, but they’ve never gotten around to writing it down. Unfortunately, these people mark the difference between a storyteller and someone with a fantastical imagination. There isn’t anything wrong with either type of person, but only one of these options allows stories to take flight, landing in the hearts of a whole host of readers. But how do you even go about starting to write your story?

Plotters vs Pantsers

One of the first questions a lot of writers ask each other is, “Are you a plotter or a pantser?” And if you’re anything like I used to be, you probably don’t know what those two things are. Well, there are essentially two types of authors in this world: plotters and pantsers. Plotters are those people who plan out every section of their story before they even sit down to write it. Pantsers are known for “flying by the seat of their pants” and letting their stories come to them as they write them. Some people think one or the other is the “right” choice, but all authors have different methods. Personally, I refer to myself as a “reformed pantser.” I used to be a discovery writer, and then my whole world clicked into place when I found a plot outline that worked for me.

The Basics of Plotting

Although plenty of successful authors “pants” their way through their novels, some of us simply need a plan. Personally, I didn’t make a rough draft I was capable of editing myself until I started plotting. It was clear in my writing that I wasn’t sure where the story was going, and as such, many chapters and scenes meandered without a clear end in sight.

In many cases, authors would like to try plotting, but they’ve yet to find a method that works for them. Truth be told, there are hundreds of ways authors can plot their novels, and there isn’t a catch-all-end-all method that will work for everyone. The whole reason I was pantsing those old drafts was because I tried one method of plotting, hated it, and assumed the process of outlining wasn’t for me.

That was until I found the “Save the Cat” method. There were portions of this method that I really liked, and I used it to draft an entire novel. It worked in some places; in others, it felt very forced. So, when I went through a plot edit of my novel, I used a different option to fill in those holes: Lewis Jorstad’s “Reverse Outline” method, as described in The Ten Day Edit. Honestly, I’m likely to use Jorstad’s outlining method for the second book in the series. It’s all a matter of finding what works in the moment.

The Basics of Pantsing

Pantsing generally requires a lot less upfront work and allows authors to do what they love most, which is to write. However, if writers use this method without understanding the basics of story structure, editing their draft will be an uphill battle. Pantsers risk making it through their entire story without an internal arc, or in extreme cases, not even having an ending climax to their novel. When done right, though, this method can be extremely helpful. In fact, to some writers, it’s the only way their story will ever get written.

The Most Important Thing

No matter which method a writer chooses, the most important step is for them to get their story down on paper and out of their heads. They shouldn’t spend an exorbitant amount of time writing and rewriting chapters in this first stage. Instead, they should let the rough draft be rough. As the saying goes, it’s impossible to edit a blank page. So, the best advice I can give you is to pick a method that works and then write! I know, it’s a lot easier said than done, but it’s the only way.