Author: Seana Moorhead

Is anyone else secretly enjoying end of the world planning? To clarify, I mean this only in the context that we know that it isn’t actually the end of the world. Let’s stick with the story version where we think it could be the End but in the final moments of the story, we’re saved. Hopefully by some greeky scientist–and what the hell, a female scientist — a woman, her colleagues have previously belittled. Our plucky heroine creates a cure with the help of a sidekick who never passed grade 10. Because if I was writing this story, that’s what would happen. 

So while we wait for Alice–yes, let’s call her Alice–to save us, we can prepare for the end of the world. In complete safety. 

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I’ve struggled with the labels,  “planner” (or sometimes referred to as “plotter”, which sounds even worse) and “pantser”.  For me, a planner sounds boring even though I love plans and structure.  But in writing context, the term conjure up images of plodding along like the fabled turtle and although you might win the race, it’s kind of a boring journey. Where’s the excitement, the thrill? A pantser should be more fun but in the writing context, it sounds irresponsible. Like a partier who may be having the time of their life while writing their book but will wake up the next morning with a wicked hangover and realize most of what they wrote had nothing to do with their book and rambled in nonsensical manner in the light of day.  I don’t like either label. 

Then I heard someone use the words: “a discovery” writer verses “an architect” writer in an online lecture.  These are the same concepts but the words helped me understand why and when you may choose one method over the other.  Most of us are likely somewhere in between or may vacillate between these two methods in different stages of writing.  Moreover both words sound so much better than planner and pantser.