Do you know the difference between plotting and pantsing?
Plotting is when you plan out the whole book. “Pantsing” is when you fly by the seat of your pants, and just start writing until you finish.
So, what is all the furore about the Ps of writing? It’s about whether to plan your book or “just do it” as the running shoe brand would suggest. There’s another P that belongs in this debate, says author, Yamini Naidu. It’s procrastinating. That’s when you can’t decide if you are a plotter or a pantser and so you get nothing done. That is sad.
I am a fan of plotting (or planning in my framework) for one simple reason. I hate rework.
I wrote my first book by pantsing. I wrote 1000 words a day for 50 days. The result. Spaghetti. I could not unravel anything from that book that was useful. I couldn’t even begin to try. Instead, I started again. That is rework.
Okay, so not a complete waste of time in my world because I invented my Brain to Book in 90 Days program – all about planning – as a result. But it was a painful way to learn.
Pantsing is painful. So why be a pantser? Well, it can be fun. It’s exhilarating. Like slipping down a grassy slope without knowing what’s at the bottom—a tranquil pool or a cliff over jagged rocks.
🤔 Would you like to write a book with me this winter? Click the link below to book a call with me.
