Saturday, September 20, 2025

Plotter or Pantser?

 

Here we are in September all ready, and today is our day for another Round Robin Blog post. This month's topic is Plotters vs Pantsers: Do you plan your books before you start writing, or do your characters drive the plot? 

Hmm. Plotter or Pantser? First, let’s take a look at what each of them involves.

A Plotter is very organized. They will create the characters with likely an extensive character checklist (likes, dislikes, etc) and backstory. They will work scene by scene, often using post-its or recipe cards. They can look at these and move them around as needed to make sense of their plot-driven story.

A Pantser, on the other hand, starts with maybe a couple of characters and a rough idea of the story and goes for it, working with what comes to the surface as they go along. This method is typically character-driven.

After that, you get the Plotser, a combination of both. A bit of plotting here, a run of freefall writing there, and it all gets smoothed out in the editing. Oh yes, let’s not forget that part!

The upshot is, if any new writers are reading this, there is no right or wrong way to write a book. It is a matter of whatever works for you as the creator of the work. Of course, there are the usual guidelines to consider for character and plot development, the arc of the story from its beginning through its middle to the climax and resolution, and good, basic grammar. Learning how to handle dialogue, subtext, rising tension, and pacing can be learnt along the way through workshops and conferences, or online if necessary.

I have never been a plotter per se. My first books were historical romances, so I always started with a couple. It was usually the heroine who came into my mind first. Once I had a handle on who she was, I then started imagining the love interest for her. After deciding on which year to use as a setting, I would research events for that year to see how I might incorporate them into the story. And after that, it was pretty much a case of go with the flow. I always took the lead from the heroine.

Things started to change slightly when I began writing contemporary western romance, as I began to produce pages of bullet points of what I wanted to happen when. It wasn’t exactly plotting, but I found it easier to keep track of where I was in the story. I’m not sure if it was an age thing for me, as I found myself having a few senior moments of forgetfulness. Having the bullet points beside me was far easier than having to go back through the pages to determine where I was in my story.


Now I am writing a series cozy mysteries, Sixpenny Cross Murder Mysteries, and I definitely need to plot them more carefully. My amateur sleuth and her supporting characters won’t change from book to book, but the murders obviously will, so that needs more research and plotting. IE: Who was killed? How were they killed? Why were they killed? Who dunnit? Then there are all the clues and red herrings to keep track of, and without plotting, they would be all over the place and possibly make no sense at all.

So now I think I am maybe definitely a Plotser. Check out what my Round Robin colleagues have to say about themselves here: 

Helena Fairfax helena.fairfax@gmail.com

Belinda Edwards bee@booksbybelinda.com

Sally Odgers https://behindsallysbooksmark2.blogspot.com

Anne Stenhouse http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com

Connie Vines http://mizging.blogspot.com/

Diane Bator http://dbator.blogspot.ca/

Bob Rich  https://wp.me/p3Xihq-3xy

Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea

Saturday, September 13, 2025

What I Am Reading

 

I first came across The Regency Town House https://rth.org.uk/ when I was doing research for one of my Regency romances. 

Image looking up at the facade of The Regency Town HouseThe Regency Town House at 13 Brunswick Square, is a grade 1 listed terraced home in the heart of Brunswick Town, a Georgian estate in the City of Brighton & Hove on the Sussex coast.

Built in the 1820s, the Town House is today being developed by staff and volunteers as a heritage centre and museum. Its activities are funded through The Brunswick Town Charitable Trust, a registered charity set up to support the project in 1994. To discover upcoming exhibitions and events, browse snippets of local history or to find out what our volunteers have been up to, please subscribe to our monthly newsletter.





The information about the house and the era, plus all the activities available, had me signing up right away for their newsletter. Each time I have been home to the UK for a visit, I have wanted to visit Brighton and The Town House, but dates and times for me to accomplish that have so far proved elusive. However, I am kept abreast of news not only from their newsletter, but also from an additional newsletter produced by their redoubtable housekeeper, Mrs. Finnegan, aka Bridget Whelan.

I loved all Mrs. Finnegan's snippets of gossip, opinions on butlers and house staff, sometimes even (shock, horror) comments about her mistress. Many a time, she informed her readers on what to do in a given month or season, and provided solutions for many problems, not least of them on false teeth and how to survive on two hundred pounds a year. I long thought she should write a book. Now she has! I am so happy that she has now produced Love, Life and Laxatives.


 Although the era is 1820s in Brighton, Southeast England, some of the topics contained in her pages reflects today's issues, such as from where to source good meat: Oxen and cows should be pastured on open situations, on high lands, extensive downs and heaths where the air is pure and the grass short and sweet, to: Our ancient bachelor uncle is in danger of making a terrible blunder. He never gave a thought to marriage before meeting a young woman who has a powerful sway over him. Now, at the age of 69, he can talk of little else. We believe she is after his money.

Give Mrs. Finnegan a chance to amaze you with her wit and wisdom. I'm sure you won't be disappointed.