Why I'm a Pantser

When it comes to writing, especially novels, there are pantsers and plotters. Writers tend to retain qualities from both sides of the spectrum, but they will lean toward one side more than the other. In my journey to find my unique writing style, I first tried to be a plotter, and considering the way my brain works, I just can't do it. I understand how some people need to be provided a road map before embarking on a long journey, but for me I can't follow a road map. I don't know why, but my mind is always wandering, so whenever I try to follow one path, I end up straying down another. It's just the way my mind works and I don't think that'll ever change.

To me outlines are too restrictive because I don't like to be contained to one thing. I like to explore the imaginary world in my head and express those images through writing. Therefore, being a pantser was the best thing. It should also be noted that this is sometimes called "discovery writing" and that's because of the fact that almost nothing is planned. You are literally discovering where the story goes as you go along. To me it's one of the things that makes writing more fun, but there are problems with this method.

For instance, since everything comes out on a whim, it's easy to create plot holes and inconsistent character development. Therefore the first draft is more like a bunch of ideas loosely strung together on paper. The real writing comes during the editing phase. While this is also true for plotters, editing is even more important for pantsers. Many manuscripts written by pantsers require a lot of self-editing before it can even be presented in the eyes of a development editor or beta readers. But despite those set backs, I will always be a pantser and enjoy every minute of the process.