Another False Binary
I’m certain this is apparent to anyone who’s read a single one of these entries before, but I make no claims of being any good at writing. I’ve written five novels now, each at varying states of completion, and zero have been published. This said, let’s all agree that you should heed my advice and opinions at your own risk. My only hope is that you also understand that I take the time to write these things merely out of love for this shit. Nothing else really.
My angst has lingered too long over the past few weeks. Perhaps this is why I’ve decided to indulge my innate and inescapable wells of edginess by way of setting my sights on a particular binary of writerly classification that seems to hold a lot of weight in certain circles. Of course I am speaking of the two diametrically opposed camps of writing, of which you may only belong to one - or so the internet would have you imagine. So what about you, dear reader? Are you a planner, or are you a pantser? Think carefully, as your entire self-perception and growth as a writer will depend entirely on which of these two most rigorous methodologies you belong to. If, by chance, you are so lucky to have no idea what I’m going on about, fret not, for I will be happy to explain - that is just after the monthly writing updates.
This month has been terrible, likely one of the least consistent productivity spells I’ve had in awhile - or at least since 2020. I’ve mentioned before that my current work in progress is the same one I began quarantine chipping away it - and just like at the beginning of quarantine, I’m having one hell of a time trying to get these words down. Perhaps even worse of a time, as thus far I’ve only managed a single chapter. It took a lot out of me. Again, I’ve brought it up before, but this particular project I’m flailing at is quite literally my oldest story - one that evolved from a dream I had in childhood. I wrote a complete iteration of this story for the first time back in the summer of 2016. It was my second manuscript, and it was very much touched by both the summer and by heavy drinking. The summer aspect of that has caused it to be a piece that I prefer to only revisit during the season - and the drinking part has assured that this old story is weighed down by more than just a few strange eras of my life. Sometimes I feel that if I could only complete the thing, then I could put it aside for good. I suppose it’s only a coincident that I’m reading Moby Dick at the same time.
Before I get back to the entry, I also want to state that the first draft I completed last month, my fifth novel, took quite a lot out of me as well. It was really more of a catharsis, or perhaps an exorcism in a way. It made me wonder if the time has come again for me to take a short, albeit slightly extended break from writing novels in order to recover from the process, which in many ways felt like self-surgery. Anyway, this monthly writing update segment has gone on for too long, and I don’t want anyone who may ever read this to think I enjoy spending time feeling sorry for myself, so let’s return to the topic at hand, because I could prattle on about anything at the moment.
Alright, time to get into it. I’m here today to break down the apparent absolute binary that is the planner versus the pantser. Let me begin by doing my best to summarize what these even refer to. Are you ready? It’s going to be quite a paragraph! So planners are folks who plan their story before or while writing it, with outlines, beat sheets, and that sorta thing. While on the other side of the aisle, we have pantsers, who don’t really do that. And that’s it! “So why should I care?” You might be asking yourself - and truth be told, no one should really give a shit in any regard over how other people write. That said, what gets me about binaries, especially once the internet gets involved, is how much weight folks can attribute to these things, and how much they seem to factor into some writer’s identities. Call me an old piece of shit, but I think writers, especially those who are still early on and learning their craft, would simply do well to take in as much knowledge on the matter as possible, rather than strictly adhering themselves to one concept or the other. I do want to take a moment to stress that I don’t want to be perceived as picking on any group, or worse, picking on young writers. I merely propose with all humility that strict binaries are no way to develop oneself, especially where it comes to a new craft. Nothing in life is so simple, rare is the thing in reality that is a true binary - most the good stuff is in between, and there is certainly value on both ends. Now that you’ve got an idea of what I’m on about, allow me to delve a little further into my thoughts on both.
If one simply must take my current methods and level of expertise (hardly much at all), and give an objective measurement towards which side of the fence I myself fall on, then I would likely be grouped among the planners rather than pantsers. That said, I wasn’t always a planner, in fact, before I’d ever really become familiar with these concepts, I had written three attempts at novels, two of which were for National Novel Writing Month and were thus pantsed by design; the third (which was actually my second novel that I wrote between NaNoWriMo 2015 & 2016, and is the very same novel I referenced in the monthly writing updates section above) was mostly pantsed, though I would outline just enough of the current and often times next chapter to have an idea of where I was going with the story. Not having to worry about the strict daily word counts of NaNo afforded me enough time to plant the seeds of the planner. However, it was after spending a couple years updating that very first manuscript (2015’s NaNo novel), which I rewrote almost entirely from the ground up and was still unhappy with it, that I realized I needed to educate myself further on the craft of storytelling. From there, I began to devour books on story structure and other crucial elements of the craft. That era of time led me to realize how much I actually adore story structure and learning about the different forms (especially the structures of non-Western styles), which eventually led me to produce my fourth novel, which I still to this day consider my most successful first draft (even considering my recent fifth novel, but oh god, I don’t want to talk much more about that). Though I haven’t begun querying this particular novel yet (hopefully by the end of this year, if I can commit), I owe how swift and smooth my edits went on subsequent drafts solely due to my understanding of structure and other quintessential story elements. Thus, a planner I had become, though I never relished in the title.
Quick aside on planners and “rules for writing” in general: I don’t want to give the impression that I’m a huge stickler for things being done a certain way, nor do I wish to be perceived as any sort of gatekeeper. However, unless the writer in question is one of those rare one-in-a-million geniuses who truly can execute within their medium without ever needing to be taught, then I find it wholly appropriate and in every developing writer’s best interest to learn the forms of the craft. But this is not because I believe anyone should adhere solely to those forms, but I’ll get more into my feelings on learning and applying the rules in the next section.
If you’re a panster and you’ve made it this far, know that I didn’t set out to ridicule ya’ll. Quite the opposite in fact. I think you should be encouraged to write how you please - but that said, I would implore you to at least not shy away from picking up a trick or two to consciously add to your toolbox along the way. After all, don’t all of us bemoan the editing process when it comes around? Planning in so many ways is really just the front-loading of much of the editing in advance. Yet, as alluded to above, I believe the true value of learning the rules of the craft is so that you can fully and honestly transcend beyond them! That is the mark of the master, to internalize what works over years and years of practice until brilliance can be executed without overthinking. That’s my goal, and I think it’s a worthwhile goal for all those who love the craft more than their own egos (and it is indeed a close call for me). So please, understand that if anything, I’m envious of that earnest and indomitable spontaneity found in many devout pantsers. Though I don’t think I can ever return to a writing style without some form of advance planning, plotting, and premeditated character arcs - just know that the place I’m trying to get to is a hybrid form where I can pants with the expertise of a planner, without wasting the extra time on all those extraneous outlines and character studies.
In short, I merely implore writers of all experience levels and calibers (but especially those who are serious about having their words read and appreciated by others) to take what you will from either camp, but without ignoring those features from the opposite side of the spectrum that may also work for you - especially while you are still learning the craft, such as I am. There is no point, only pain, in ignoring the techniques that others have long figured out. Hell, even if you absolutely hate certain methodologies or mindsets, you can still extract an exploit those small elements that do contain universal truths - but of course, the specifics are really up to you. Just don’t be afraid to learn, don’t be afraid to challenge yourself outside your comfort zone, and don’t be afraid to view your method as more than just a single point on a false binary that is in all actuality more of a vivid and complex spectrum (like so many things). Play with the techniques, play with the tools, practice melding them until they become your own and elevate your unique style to the next level. Once you reach your final form, whatever that may look like, know that it will be your own and that it will be beyond categorizing within one of two shallow boxes. Then again, only take from my lessons what you find valuable - just know that as always I appreciate you taking the time to read and wish you the best of luck until we meet again on this long journey. Until then.
