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I’ve now published a dozen books, most of them with suspense plots and every single one of them written by the seat of my pants. I start with the “what if” question and let the story unfold organically from there. I’ve always been happy sitting at the computer, letting my hero and heroine stumble into life-threatening situations, naively typing away, letting them roam through the story falling in love and bringing killers to justice.
Until a few years ago, I didn’t know there was another way.
Enter a plotting class taught by some writing pros. I was a scientist in my former life and I’d written countless outlines for research papers. I figured I’d give it a try. The instructors presented the plotting process one step at a time. I’m a good student. I’ve always done all of my homework and dutifully kept up the class assignments. We had to describe our hero, heroine and villain, I hadn’t written a scene, but I managed to muddle through. Then we had to talk a little bit about their childhood, their fears, their dislikes and goals. Okay, I started shaking. I’d never really “met” my characters in any of my books until they were thrown into some nasty situation. It was still okay, I pushed through. But *gulp* I was trying to discover who they were and what they wanted before chapter one and the “what if”.
Then, I had to write ALL of their conflicts, internal and external, along with the journey and character arc they were going to travel during the story. Whaaaat? Like I had to know before actually writing the scene at the warehouse what the heroine was going to do with the antique glass vase when she got to the lake? But she hasn’t told me! I was breathing into paper bags and bathing in calamine lotion to control my lack of oxygen and the hives breaking out on my skin.
When the instructors, all smiles and sweetness, nicely sent out spreadsheets so we could outline our chapters …that was my undoing! How the heck could I tell them what was going to happen in chapter 20, when I didn’t even know if the heroine’s best friend would still be alive past chapter 15? Heck, I didn’t even know if the story was going to get past chapter 10!
I. COULDN’T. DO. IT.
Sorry. *deep calming breaths …in through the nose, out through the mouth* It’s still a bit overwhelming when I think about it. I’ve filed all their pretty charts and spreadsheets deep in my writer box. I gave plotting a shot. More than one. My poor muse had an apoplectic fit every time I pulled out the prompt sheets. It’s not worth the pitchers of margaritas, boxes of chocolates and soothing music it takes to pull her off the ceiling when I attempt to plot a story.
So I’m going to admit it now. Hi, my name is Nina … and I’m a pantser. I’ve tried plotting because so many writers look so happy with all that information spread out in front of them. They smile as they gleefully take their characters on the journey they’ve taken weeks, sometimes months, to discover. I can’t do it! Please don’t make me! It’s just not in my wiring. I’ll happily sit down, blissfully unaware as to what terrible thing awaits my heroine in the next chapter. I don’t need to know why the hero hates ferrets or what motivates him to chase down the bad guy until he decides to tell me. My first draft is always an exciting undertaking as my characters lead me through a grand adventure all culminating with another villain in custody and of course two people hopelessly in love riding off into the proverbial sunset.
Nina Pierce is an award-winning author of a dozen sexy romance novels. She spends her days typing without a direction, her characters happily wandering the pages chased by villains and saving the world. The first book in her sexy romantic suspense series, BLIND HER WITH BLISS, is available in digital format at most retailers. You can find out more about her books at her website http://www.NinaPierce.com or follow her on twitter http://www.twitter.com/ninapierce and facebook http://www.facebook.com/author.nina.pierce
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