Plotter vs. Pantser: Which Novel Planning Style Fits You?
Years ago, I attended a Romance Writers Conference where I had the privilege of hearing Nora Roberts and Susan Elizabeth Phillips discuss their writing habits. Two of the most successful novelists in the world, sitting on the same stage, and they couldn't have been more different in how they approached their work. That conversation stayed with me, because it answered a question I had been wrestling with for years: why does the way I write a novel feel so different from the way I write a research paper?
The answer, I eventually learned, comes down to whether you're a plotter, a pantser, or something in between.
What Is a Plotter?
A plotter plans before they write. They outline their story, develop their characters in advance, map their scenes, and know, at least in broad strokes, where the story is going before they type the first sentence. Plotters tend to feel more confident starting a project because they have a roadmap. They spend less time stuck mid-draft wondering what happens next, because they already know.
Plotting works especially well for complex stories with multiple plotlines, large casts of characters, or intricate timelines. Mystery writers, thriller writers, and epic fantasy authors often lean toward plotting because the structure of their genre demands it. If you've ever stared at a blank page and felt paralyzed, plotting might be the approach that frees you.
What Is a Pantser?
A pantser writes by the seat of their pants. They start with an idea, a character, an image, or a feeling, and they follow it wherever it leads. There is no outline, no predetermined destination. The story reveals itself in the writing. Pantsers often describe their process as discovering the story rather than inventing it.
This approach can produce some of the most surprising, alive, and emotionally resonant fiction, because the writer is genuinely discovering the story alongside the reader. The risk, of course, is getting lost. Pantsers sometimes write themselves into corners, lose the thread of their story, or produce first drafts that need significant structural revision. But for many writers, that's a trade-off worth making to protect the creative flow.
My Approach: A Little Bit of Both
I'll be honest with you. I'm a little bit of both, and I think that's more common than writers admit.
When I have a story, I write. I don't stop. I follow the characters, I follow the scenes, I let the story move. Stopping to outline mid-flow feels like putting a dam in a river. The creative energy dissipates. So I write first and organize later.
What I do after that first draft is what some writers call a reverse outline. I go back through what I've written and map out what actually happened, chapter by chapter. This helps me see the structure I created intuitively, identify gaps, and reorganize scenes that belong in a different order. The reverse outline gives me the organization I need without interrupting the creative process that got me there.
But when I'm writing a research paper or a structured nonfiction piece? I plan first. I organize my thoughts, build my argument, and outline before I write a single sentence. The difference is that fiction, for me, lives in discovery. Nonfiction lives in structure.
Knowing that about myself changed how I write and how I teach writing.
How to Figure Out Your Writing Style
The best way to find your style is to try both and pay attention to what happens. Here are a few questions to help you figure out where you land.
Do you feel energized or anxious when you start a project without a plan? If anxiety wins, you may be a plotter at heart. Do you feel constrained or liberated by an outline? If constrained, you may be a pantser. Do you tend to finish projects or abandon them mid-draft? Pantsers sometimes need a loose structure to keep from losing momentum. Do you enjoy revision, or do you prefer to get it right the first time? Plotters often produce cleaner first drafts; pantsers often do more structural revision.
There is no wrong answer. The right writing process is the one that gets you to a finished draft.
The Plotter's Toolkit
If you lean toward plotting, invest time in your pre-writing process. Develop detailed character bios, map your major plot points, and outline your chapters before you begin. The BoldlyWrite Novel Planner includes prewriting tools, including outlines and concept maps, designed to help plotters build a strong foundation before chapter one.
The Pantser's Toolkit
If you lean toward pantsing, your most important tool is a place to capture everything after the fact. Use a reverse outline to map what you've written, identify your story's structure, and plan your revision. The BoldlyWrite Novel Planner works just as well for reverse outlining as it does for forward planning. Use it to organize the story you've already written and find the shape inside it.
Final Thoughts
Nora Roberts and Susan Elizabeth Phillips are both at the top of their field, and they write completely differently. That's the most important lesson I took from that conference. There is no single right way to write a novel. There is only the way that works for you.
So what's your writing style? Are you a plotter, a pantser, or a little bit of both? Whatever your answer, the most important thing is to keep writing.
Whether you plot, pants, or reverse outline, the BoldlyWrite Novel Planner was designed to support your process. Questions? Reach out at support@karinacadora.com.