The Pocket Guide to Pantsing
Writer’s Digest|July - August 2023
How to write a novel without an outline (with confidence).
MICHAEL LA RONN
The Pocket Guide to Pantsing

I began my writing career as a devoted outliner, but I always felt like there was a better way. Despite developing a deep knowledge of the major outlining methods, something about fleshing out my story before I wrote it didn't jibe with my personality.

My 10th book exhausted my patience with outlining for good. I spent 40 hours on an outline, only to discover that I was deviating from it with almost every chapter.

My characters ignored everything I planned. The outline felt like wasted time.

After writing an outline that failed, I thought, Why am I spending all this time on an outline, only not to use it?

Suddenly, I found myself trying the pantsing method (also known as discovery writing, or, more simply, writing without an outline). It terrified me, but I knew that outlining wasn't the answer.

I wish I had done it sooner. Twenty novels later, I can say that mastering how to write a novel without an outline was the best thing that ever happened to my writing.

I am a serial pantser now, and I can't imagine going back.

To help writers unlock their inner pantser, I wrote a book called The Pocket Guide to Pantsing. I also published several videos on writing without an outline on my YouTube channel, "Author Level Up." These resources have helped thousands of writers master this unique and often-misunderstood writing method.

Here are the two most common problems I see with new pantsers:

1. They're terrified of the process.

2. They're not sure if they're doing it right.

The focus of this article is not to stoke the fires of that great plotting versus pantsing debate, but to empower pantsers with practical tips so they can write their next novel with confidence.

Let's Talk About Fear

It's easy to become overwhelmed when writing your first novel without an outline.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der July - August 2023-Ausgabe von Writer’s Digest.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der July - August 2023-Ausgabe von Writer’s Digest.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS WRITER’S DIGESTAlle anzeigen
Writing for a Warming World - Imagining the overwhelming, the ubiquitous, the world-shattering.
Writer’s Digest

Writing for a Warming World - Imagining the overwhelming, the ubiquitous, the world-shattering.

Climate change is one of those topics that can throw novelists—and everyone else—into a fearful and cowering silence. When the earth is losing its familiar shapes and consolations, changing drastically and in unpredictable ways beneath our feet, how can we summon our creative resources to engage in the imaginative world-building required to write a novel that takes on these threats in compelling ways? And how to avoid writing fiction that addresses irreversible climate change without letting our prose get too preachy, overly prescriptive, saturated with despair?

time-read
8 Minuten  |
July - August 2024
Kids' Author Meg Medina Inspires Readers
Writer’s Digest

Kids' Author Meg Medina Inspires Readers

WD chats with the National Ambassador of Young People’s Literature.

time-read
6 Minuten  |
September - October 2024
The Horrors of Grief
Writer’s Digest

The Horrors of Grief

Whether hot off the presses or on the shelves for years, a good book is worth talking about.

time-read
3 Minuten  |
September - October 2024
The Mystery of Growing Up
Writer’s Digest

The Mystery of Growing Up

New York Times-bestselling author Jasmine Warga tackles a new genre with her signature blend of empathy for her readers, agency for her characters, and the belief that art is the great connector.

time-read
5 Minuten  |
September - October 2024
Education
Writer’s Digest

Education

Even if it's not your thing, you're probably familiar with the term dark academia.

time-read
4 Minuten  |
September - October 2024
A Do-Over Romance
Writer’s Digest

A Do-Over Romance

Karin Patton, the first-place winner of the 24th Annual Writer's Digest Short Short Story Awards, shares a funny story about secondchance love and a brief Q&A.

time-read
7 Minuten  |
September - October 2024
Everyday Wonder
Writer’s Digest

Everyday Wonder

How to mine awe from the mundane

time-read
8 Minuten  |
September - October 2024
From Ordinary to Extraordinary
Writer’s Digest

From Ordinary to Extraordinary

Unveil the hidden beauty in the facts and transform your nonfiction with the power of wonder.

time-read
6 Minuten  |
September - October 2024
Childhood: Our Touchstone for Wonder
Writer’s Digest

Childhood: Our Touchstone for Wonder

How to get in touch with Little You and create big new work for today.

time-read
8 Minuten  |
September - October 2024
Agent Roundup
Writer’s Digest

Agent Roundup

22 agents share details, about what kind of writing will pique their interest and offer tips for querying writers...

time-read
6 Minuten  |
September - October 2024