Introduce yourself!
Hello. My name is Shannon Lee Alexander. I am a pantser. I've tried for years to be a planner. I've read countless books, taken workshops, downloaded beat sheets and outline sheets and whatever other magical planning tools were dangled in front of me. None of them have stuck. Instead, I've cobbled together some brainstorming, pre-writing, and revision strategies that I've used with some success when writing. I'm the proud book momma to two young adult fiction novels, Love and Other Unknown Variables and Life after Juliet. I'm currently waiting for revision notes from my agent on a new novel, so obviously I'm distracting myself with lots of other projects, crafts, and busyness. Can't wait to meet some other SheWrites Pantsers!
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Replies
  • Hi all. My name is Marsha Mildon I didn't know the term pantser, but have been one for many years. Decades ago, I took a creative writing course that taught the 'free-writing' technique, that is, write, write, write and something important will emerge. Obviously this results in lots of rewriting, but I trust the approach. It means that all those moments of 'inspiration' can be included as they turn up, instead of trying to plan ahead for inspirations I don't yet know about. One revision techniques I've used to support the process is to revise one thing at a time... for example, I might do one revision just working on one character's speech patterns or decison-making process... It may sound slow, but it works faster for me than trying to revise 'everything'.
  • Grandmother of three here. Robyn Sinéad Sheppard, to be exact. Definitely a pantser: I'll have an idea for a story, but that's about if. I give the mule free rein and see where she goes. I just follow along behind and write down what she sees. Sounds crazy, I know, but it works for me, and has ever since I wrote my first story back in second grade.
  • Hi, I'm Lakeisha. I just joined SheWrites and I'm so glad I found this group. I've never heard of panters until right now. And now I know exactly what I am. I have been trying to learn the "proper and correct" way to write and it's been scaring me into not writing at all. Now I know that it's ok to just write what I feel. I can't wait to get to the point where I'm brave enough to share my work with others.
  • Hello everyone! I'm Hyba, and I'm currently an unpublished author hoping to publish my first book very soon. At the moment, I write fantasy, horror, suspense/thriller, and mystery. In high school I was definitely a pantser (and I think that has something to do with why I never actually finished anything I started). Now that I'm trying to be more serious about honing my craft and publishing, I'm seeking a balance between planning and pantsing - and it's definitely not easy! I still tend to fall into the pantser groove (I consider myself more of a pantser than a planner), and it's where my best ideas are created, but I often find myself involving little bits of planning towards the middle and end of my manuscripts. I'm happy to find an active writers group with writers who are also pantsers! Thanks for starting this up, Shannon!
  • Hello I’m Kathy Hampton and I’m new to SheWrites. I have not published but am working on a memoir and have ideas for three novels. I started writing without a plan with my memoir. I was getting stuck with transition and was told to make an outline. When that didn’t work in filling out the outline, I just write from my heart and that’s where I feel comfortable. My day job is as a law librarian which I’ve done for 28 years. I’m transitioning into something more heartfelt which includes writing and much more. I really want to publish but need to share my work so I even know if I’m good at this. Wishing you well as you wait for your edits. -Kathy