Oh, now to my tribe: PANTSERS!

Not sure you are a Pantser? This means you are the writer that doesn’t make an outline before you write. And you continue writing until your mind tells you to stop. If you have followed this space for any time, you would be familiar with the terms flash fiction and freewrite.

A freewrite is when you write the down an idea–no outline, no expectation. This can be as short as a a paragraph, but a normally not longer than two pages.

Flash fiction is when you down and idea for the express purpose of developing that idea into a draft. This is different than a freewrite. How? It is written with the intent of developing into a short story or a longer story! Don’t despair over these things! These are tools as well! These tools are as important (or if not more important) than an outline! If anything it can work en tandem with your outline.

Work the tools that you have at your disposal!

Note: Depending on the topic, depending on the nature of what you are writing, you may actually need to do both, or one before another. Or one after the other. It is also okay for you to be a Pantser and then become an Outliner. It is also okay to be an Outliner who becomes a Pantser! Writing allows for vacillation and change! Be open to that! In being open, you will be able to better handle the creative obstacles that writing/book writing can bring.