[No money or consideration changed hands for the kind and generous words Brooke bestowed upon Becky and her book. But only because Brooke didn’t ask for any, and Becky is cheap. So very cheap.]

Pantser or Plotter?

If you asked me, I’d say I was a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of girl. As a completely solo parent of two lovely, sometimes challenging, mostly adult children, you might think I’d be more of a cautious planner. I spent the last 26 years teaching math, after all (though don’t ask me to set up a basic spreadsheet – I literally have no idea!). Alas, my creative (ADHD?) spirit often leads me to suddenly quit jobs and relationships, start several new businesses, decide to travel across the world with a few weeks’ notice, or even retire from a career with a decent steady paycheck and okay benefits, while one child is in college and one is about to be, to pursue several more creative ventures, with no money in savings.

I’m known among friends and family as the rash decision maker and as The Stubborn One. My long-term friends know (and my father is just now starting to figure out after 50 years) that if you tell me I need to do something a certain way, I’m probably going to rebel…or at least roll my eyes and complain. Blanket policies, one-size-fits-all procedures, doing it because it’s just what we do (or the hated “because I told you so”) really, really bug me. I want to know the rationale. I want to know what makes you the expert or the boss of me. The thing is, you won’t always know this is what I’m wondering. If you’re lucky (or maybe not?), I’ll ask questions to get at your reasoning. I may even ask genuine questions in a very respectful and conciliatory manner. Then again, I could unleash the full I’m a well-educated, confident, independent smarty pants woman of a certain age and don’t care what you think kind of condescending tone on you…usually not my finest moments, but they sometimes feel pretty good.

Yet despite outward appearances and my own stubborn pronouncements, I’m actually not that much of a “pantser.” I do plan and research extensively, when it suits me. Aside from my avid use of lists (most of which don’t reflect what I really spend my time on) much of my planning is done in my head. My online research can often be a procrastination tool or at least a way to justify a decision already made, but I do complete some of it. And I’m not one to ask advice (though I am serial enroller of online courses…that don’t get finished), especially not of the people who have known me the longest. I’m sure there is a whole series of therapy session conversations that could be had over that!

So what does this all have to do with writing?

As you may know, November is National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo. I’ve been dabbling with creative writing some over the last two years, mostly in the form of speculative fiction short stories, after taking a 35-year hiatus from writing. I’ve been a flaky hanger-on of my Colorado Sisters in Crime group for about two years as well, mostly because I LOVE reading mysteries and thought I should work on writing some mystery novels, and who wouldn’t want to hang out with the amazing Colorado SinC ladies?

Being NaNoWriMo, I decided now is the time to start said novel project. And while my earlier writing pieces have been more of the “pantser” variety with only some snippets written down in an old notebook when an idea hit me, I am now convinced that a “plotter” approach is useful (thanks Becky Clark and your super helpful Eight Weeks to a Complete Novel book and session!!). I even “Saved the Cat” and wrote down my 15 beats of my story and planned out my writing before starting my 50,000-word NaNoWriMo challenge.

And I vowed to do it without my usual eye-rolling, internal shouts of how stupid this idea is (because, duh, it’s not), and general smarty-pants 8-year-old girl kind of reaction. I’m already convinced that some smarter and more successful writers know what they’re talking about, and I (insert audible gasp here) may not.

So, dear readers, what are some areas in which you can fly by the seat of your pants and where do you plot and plan your way through? And does it matter who is paying attention?

Brooke Craig is the prepublished author of an upcoming amateur sleuth series starring Grace, a spirited, independent decluttering expert and mother of two humans and two tiny canines who loves problem solving so much she gets herself involved in several local murder investigations. Brooke is also working on a speculative fiction novel starring Anya, a sixteen-year-old with—you guessed it—some serious girl power. Brooke’s day job and other creative passion is being the solopreneuer in a home staging, styling and organizing business in the Denver area. When she’s not writing or styling homes, she is walking her feisty, fearless, and tiny Chihuahua and Mini Pinscher; trying to hang out with her super busy 17-year-old daughter, who works too much after school; and talking to her 20-year-old son, who is going to school in New Zealand. Otherwise, she is thoroughly enjoying being a single, retired teacher who gets to do whatever she wants, whenever she wants.

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/brooke.craig.1217

https://www.instagram.com/brookecraiginteriors/