Pantsing or Plotting ...... Craft talk

Today I'm talking writers craft.  This is not something I am particularly comfortable talking about as I don't consider myself an expert at all when it comes to writing so thus I can only speak for myself and what works for me.  In saying that, after talking to lots of other writers there doesn't seem to be a right or a wrong way when it comes to writing.  You just work out what works for you.

And then you write #obviously

I am by far a pantser.  I get an idea and then I fly by the seat of my pants, going full steam ahead.  I am kind of like the Titanic in this regards and yes, I eventually sink.  

My ideas come to me from all over the place and I am constantly imagining scenes and putting characters in them where ever I am.  Waiting in line at the checkout? What if he turns around and recognizes the one night stand from a week ago? Reversing the car?  Imagine reversing into your sisters ex boyfriend who you haven't seen for years?  My mind is working overtime and I am not short on inspiration, so when I get an idea, I do a brief sketch and plot key points (I cannot stress how brief this is - we are talking 15 minutes max) and then I start writing. Once I was so inspired I completed more than 30,000 words in one weekend.  Then I stopped.  And like the Titanic, I sunk.

I have so many half finished manuscripts I cannot count them.  That is what doesn't work for me as a pantser, so I am presently trying to reform my writing habits and become a plotter.  I write quick...I just need to spend more time plotting.

So for Drummer Girl I used the Snowflake Method of planning out a novel.  And I have to say that so far #touchwood I am pretty happy with how it is progressing. Like I said, I write first drafts quick, but the Snowflake method has helped me stick with the ms instead of running out of steam and letting it sink.  If you aren't familiar with the Snowflake Method of novel writing you can read about it here.  For now though, I will share with you my sentence that is the earlier step, for Drummer Girl, that I used as the building block for the story line.

Sentence
Shawna is torn between her two lives, that as good, obedient church ministers daughter and that of talented rock star for girl band Moonstone.

You aren't technically supposed to use names, but I find that helps me and keeping it to one sentence is tough.  This one doesn't sound very inspiring but I was able to elaborate on it for the paragraph.

For Drummer Girl and another novel I'm writing under a different name (which you can read about here) I have found the Snowflake Method to be a great tool.

Would love to know any other plotting tools that writers are currently using!

bye for now

Andi xx