Writing by the Seat of the Pants

Writing by the seat of the pants means that an author doesn't do a lot of pre-planning on paper before beginning a novel. It's just one way of approaching the writing process. Neither doing a lot of pre-planning prior to writing nor writing with little work beforehand is right or wrong. Each author should find the style that works best for them.

Certain genres require more paper planning than others. For example, complicated non-fiction books or mysteries might require storyboards or extra planning to get everything in and to fit. Historical novels or romances could require less. However, it comes down to being more of a choice for the author to make and what works best for each individual. Either method can be overdone. I know a writer who has spend years and years in the pre-planning stage, making sure she has every detail right. It almost seems like she's afraid of actually starting her fantasy novel.

I admit I'm pretty much of a pantser. That doesn't mean I do no pre-planning. I've lived with the characters in my head for months, and scenes have played out in my mind. I just don't write a lot down before I begin. As I write, I take notes on characters' features and other information that I'll need to be consistent with throughout the book. If I did storyboards and a lot of pre-planning, I would know so many details of the story that I would lose my enthusiasm. You see, I write like I read - quickly to find out how my characters get from the beginning to the end. And I love it when they surprise me along the way.

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