Are you a Plotter or a Pantser?

bysynaptik

527 followers

10 years ago

Reading a book about novel writing a few years ago, I finally learned the terrible truth. I am, and always have been, a Pantser.

Because the world, you see, is divided into two types of people: plotters and pantsers.

The plotters are those wonderfully organised individuals with neatly planned lives. You can spot them down at the supermarket walking up and down the aisles with a list of groceries. They have their meals for the week all planned out and colour coded. On vacation, they have daily itineraries and never get lost.

We pantsers, as the name suggests, do everything by the seat of our pants. We figure things out as we go. We struggle to get that new appliance to work for six hours before agreeing to read the instructions. We set out on journeys without really knowing where we’re going.

As a pantser, I have discovered unvisited neighbourhoods of Rome (the one in Italy), but never quite made it to the colosseum. I have to improvise meals from the random selection of ingredients that I grabbed off the shelves of the supermarket. And, I’m used to looking at the future as an unknown country that I’m about to visit without a map.

Being a pantser seems to make life interesting. When you plan nothing, everything comes as a surprise. You have to stay on your toes.

Yet, I nurture a secret envy for the plotters with their plans and maps and carefully drawn lists. And, I feel as though deep within myself there’s a plotter who wants to express himself. He wants a chance to come forth and, armed with felt pens and rulers, to finally get me organised. He knows that business is all about thinking ahead and making sensible plans.

Perhaps, it’s time for me to give him a chance?

Are you a plotter or a pantser? Do you plan ahead and organise or just go with the flow? Please drop me a comment. I’d love to hear your thoughts.