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Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I admit I can't write very well without some sort of a plan. But I don't use an outline. I use a mind map. I first learned the technique from a Tony Buzan handout in a corporate training course decades ago. I've used the technique ever since, for taking notes, making a shopping list, planning a story.

There is a ton of information online about mind maps and mind mapping programs for computers. Me? I prefer drawing them by hand because I'm a doodler, and in my finer moments, I even use assorted colors. I find it gives me the bones, but still allows me plenty of seat-of-the-pants opportunities. (Example below not mine. Isn't it beautiful?)


How about you? Have you tried plotting this way? How are you preparing for NaNoWriMo? Are you a plotter or a pantser? Leave us a comment!
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Dani Greer is plotting a number of different projects this week and has a mind map for each one.

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Comments

  1. Love the evil-looking mind-map critters skittering across the upper right. That, alone, could provide inspiration for my seat-of-the-pants NaNoNoveling. Eeep!!

    If you're not artistic or inclined to shell out the big bucks for a fancy mind-mapping program, there's Freemind. It's a good tool for doing this - and it's free. (Yours LOOKS way cooler, though, Dani!)

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  2. Love the "pantser" concept, but makes me sound like a German tank. Then again, tanks make slow, crushing progress...

    I can't write outlines, but I think I do this, except I forget to write it down. Going to try mapping for my next book. Thank you!

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  3. I'm a mixture. When I work as a pantser, I tend to mindmap, even though I don't draw the pictures normally. I do give a broad mindmap and the go into more and more detail as I go.

    When I outline though, I like to write very detailed outlines.

    How do I choose which to use? I just know. Each story is different. When characters want to take over and run the show then mindmaps work well whereas outlines really don't.

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  4. I am absolutely, positively a pantser! But that mind-map idea looks intriguing. I might give it a shot and see if it could work for me. Great idea! Thanks!

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  5. Plotter or pantser? Yes. I did the first book pantsy-style. It's my beautifully written piece of crap. I outlined the second book. Got it published (Freezer Burn), woo hoo! The third book started out with a plot and an outline, but at some point in Act 1, I went rogue and pantsed the rest of it. We'll see if anyone else likes it, but I think it turned out pretty well.

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  6. I'm generally a plotter, but I'm taking a big plunge into the pantser pool this year for NaNo. We'll see how it goes.

    Regardless of how frustrated I get, I think it'll be fun. :)

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  7. I'm a plotter and I definitely use mind maps as one of my ways to plan! It's amazing what shows up on my mind map that I didn't even know was in my subconscious. It's great plotting tool!

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  8. I like the "note-card" approach advocated by Ken Achity in his book _A Writer's Time_. Cards can be arranged on a table like mind maps, arranged and re-arranged in various orders (in time sequence, plot order, theme, etc.), discarded, or just plain shuffled to mix things up and stimulate creative juices. These days I most use virtual notes card on Scrivener, the writers computer program, but I still carry bundles of the real thing in my pocket.

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  9. I'm a pantser! :) I may try plotting for NaNo though...

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  10. I outline. Nice neat lists of what's going to happen when make me feel a tad safer. Given that, however, for NaNo I'm planning on just letting it fly and see where it takes me. I've never written without a net before; it could be exciting. Or a disaster. I'll know at the end of November.

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  11. I'm a plotter. I can't write without having the story carefully plotted, and admire people who can.

    My NaNo novel is already plotted.

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  12. I'm caught between. I like to brainstorm, but I never ever want to know everything. :)

    Have a great halloween this weekend and thank you for all you do!

    Angela @ The Bookshelf Muse

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  13. Yikes, I can't read a road map, don't ask me to try to read a mind map. LOL

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  14. I write mini-outlines. They include short descriptions of the main scenes but leave out most of the detail. This keeps me on track but allows me the freedom to include sub-plots I discover along the way.

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  15. I need the big outline - where I'm going and the major points I want to hit. How I get there is pantser. At the revision stage, it's all planning.

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  16. Great post. That's a method I'll like to try, probably a computerized version, since I don't have anything on paper any more. I always scan my notes junk the paper original. Maybe that's the easiest way to make a mind map >:)

    Cold As Heaven

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  17. I tried using the pantser method for two years and never broke 30K words. This year, I finally realized I'm actually a plotter, and I have a feeling I'm going to have a lot more success this time around.

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  18. I think NaNoWriMo must have this on everybody's mind, because I just commented on this topic at Writing in the Dark.

    I'm a combo. I tend to outline the major plot points and goals for each chapter or section, but I leave the details up to the characters to figure out as they go.

    I love the mind map concept - I'll have to try that sometime. I love to doodle, too. :)

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  19. Wow, this topic certainly IS on everyone's mind! Lots of comments and not just here. We're all plotting to tackle NaNo by the seat-of-our-pants. Hehe.

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  20. I have wanted to get the hang of outlines for so long and yet they're worthless for me. Yes, mindmapping sounds like the way to go for me.

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  21. I've always been a pantser but have started outlining and will see where it takes me. Thanks for passing this along, I think I need to try it!

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