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Thursday, October 18, 2012

Plot Bunnies and other disturbances of the writing realm

A recent Facebook discussion about being a Plotter, Pantser or Plantster brought up the unexpected appearance of plot bunnies while writing. They seem to appear no matter your writing style.

I was sure I was a plotter, even though I didn't go to the depths of others. I saw one writer who had spreadsheet after spreadsheet of information about characters, scenes and more. Made me feel like a piker!

I had my first romance novel completely outlined but by chapter three I was already adding scenes and whole chapters as well as many more characters. Hmmmm, left me wondering if I was truly a plotter when it came to writing.

Then I participated in Camp NaNoWriMo, working on a new mystery novel. I started with nothing more than a dead body, a location and a couple of sketchily defined characters. Off I merrily went, writing away. I ended the month with two dead bodies, a couple of kidnappings, a heart attack, two arsons and more. Yup, the plot bunnies were rampant during the month of August.

Now that I'm planning for NaNoWriMo, I've come to the realization that I am a plantser - I like a little planning to be done, characters defined (main and a few supporting) as research about the area as well. In a mystery it's good to have researched about the type of crimes and any forensics you might incorporate. But other than that - plot bunnies, take me away!

So, are you a Plotter, Pantser or Plantster?

5 comments:

  1. I'm so looking forward to plot bunnies helping me out next month. I don't plot yet have managed to get a few things on post-its, Mainly prompts so if I flounder next month I can jog my mind :)

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  2. I'm a plotter trying to loosen up and become more of a pantser. Can I borrow some bunnies?

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  3. I'm definitely a pantser. Every once in a while I feel I should plot, but what I really do is analyse (even to the extent of those spreadsheets) the pantsing result. Then I might turn tickler for a while.

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  4. I start out as a pantser but if I am working on a longer project like a middle grade or young adult novel, somewhere around 20,000 words in I start becoming something of a plotter...oh, for a happy medium...:~)

    Donna L Martin
    www.donnalmartin.com
    www.donasdays.blogspot.com

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  5. Finally theres a word for plantsing it! definitely a pantser, though I try to keep track of planning things in my head... spontaneity just helps me avoid writers block, when I plan too far ahead it ends up as 'but I dont know what path they take?'

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