My problem is that knowing every plot point beforehand makes me not want to write the story anymore, because I already know exactly what's going to happen and what my characters will do. Where's the fun in that? I've had multiple stories I was passionate about that I immediately lost interest in after I outlined them. That's why pantsing is also called discovery writing: because you get to discover your story and characters as you write them.
Yeah I'm kind of the same... I start thinking of writing as an assignment to get to the next plot point and it seems too... structural and mechanical at that point. I like to get carried away by the voice and character. And I find more fun and joy in that style, and I think that's fine. Maybe I won't ever get published this way? But I think everyone has a different style, too. Like maybe I can do a quick draft zero and then from there organize the structure better through a clearer outline based on what I've already pantsed... and it'll be a crap first draft but I have to be okay with that! :)
100% with you here. The thing that I realise is that I like solving the mystery of the story as I write and there's something so authentic about doing it on the fly, really getting that first reaction of the character and living it with them. As you said, if I plan it instead it's like ruining a plot twist for myself. I can never seem to tap into that genuine reaction if it's been pre-plotted.
This. This is me. Oh my god, yes! I really feel myself losing when I already know what's going to happen next. I seriously want MYSELF to recognize the next step and get creative!
If you're somewhere in the middle then loose outlining could be good for you. You can probably put some major scenes in order, have a central beginning, middle, and ending in mind. The outlining process can be as rigid or as loose and free as you want it to be.
@@xtonibx5770 Absolutely, and this is what I do. As I said on another conversation thread about this video, you put in the work on one side of the process or the other. You'll either do the work on the front end with outlining or on the back end in revision. Regardless of the process, nothing takes the place of a butt in a seat actively writing.
You should write a story where the protagonists misbelief is that plotting is bad and his/her fear that is preventing him or her from achieving their goal (which is plotting) is that plotting will take away their creativity and so the protagonist will make choices after their misbelief of plotting. Would be a banger, a bestseller, everyone would buy it :D
The advantage of pantsing is that the book never reads like the writer already knows the ending. Pansers don't lead the reader. Instead, the writer and the reader follow the story no matter where it goes. After the story is finished, then you go back and organize the misteps and easily disregard the parts that don't add to the ending, middle or beginning.
This is similar to my process. Whenever I finally get down to write, I just type whatever feels right. Like my "readers" (I don't publish my work) I have no idea what's gonna happen 😅 plotting has always been a struggle for me, because it's like I'm forcing the story into a template. It ends up not feeling natural
I usually don’t plot short stories but I’m working on a fan fiction that is becoming bigger than I’d thought. It started as a “I haven’t written for months and need to write SOMETHING” and turned into “Holy geez this is actually getting a bit serious”. So...outline time!
This happened to me last November. It was a sequel to a fanfic I wrote and it was supposed to just be this fun little project but then at chapter five, I realized that it was going to be a lot more complex and longer than the original and even the most complex story I'd ever attempt to write. I got so intimidated that I haven't gone back to it to date. But I'm letting it simmer because a lot more pieces need to be fit characterwise and worldbuilding-wise. With luck, it will be my debut novel, I HAVE been thinking about it a lot lately.
@@henrywayne5724 Feels exactly like mine. I too decided to write chapter 5 of my fanfic and boom, It's the most complex thing a person could ever think of. From dual dreams to zipping space-time, it's definitely a banger but I haven't made the character building.
Well, problem with being a pantser - you get bored while plotting easily and lost the excitment. I also can´t say how my character will behave without knowing how they would react in situations that appears in the book. Basicaly I need to write the book before actually writing it! xD
This is the hardest part about outlining. Losing the enthusiasm! But....i did ot then wroye and pantsed half way through it necause it wasn't working for me anymore and them changed my putline and then found that I'm still pantsing. I think the trick is to not go into details so you have plenty of room to pants while you draft and still have a general idea of the overall story lol
What rubs me the wrong way is that “plotting always helps”. It doesn’t. Sometimes plotting isn’t the answer, it’s brainstorming. Even the very bare bones of what Abby recommended is too much at times. The way my brain works is that I have landmark scenes, or, scenes that I know are important emotional beats for me to work towards. Sometimes I completely disregard those ideas. I get my best brainstorming/planning done while I’m writing. So I find out that X shouldn’t happen here but Y because I wrote Z. I can’t get that foresight from outlining. When I try to outline a book, I simply don’t know enough about the characters or story, so it never applies while drafting. I have tried to outline so many times and I ALWAYS disregard it because it doesn’t represent the story or characters because I didn’t know what or who they were while outlining! What helps is understanding emotional beats, story structure, arcs, all of that fundamental craft stuff and understanding it so well that it rests in the back of my brain while drafting. I’m hardly close to being an expert or knowing a lot about writing, but understanding the core of storytelling is so much more important than outlining. Don’t outline for the sake of outlining.
I agree with you so much! I'm in the middle of drafting my story while brainstorming and wondering what structure works best for me! My story is supposed to be a fairytale so I tell myself not to care about plotting and structure right away and I can always go back to it later- and it really helps me express my creativity in writing. I consider myself to be a panster but if I at least have a hook of what the story is about, then I can begin writing to explore the story even further,. (I also at least prefer to have character outlines like their personality and desires and then I'm done)
Hallelujah. Also, we all need to realize that we only need just a few lessons on story structure. Like, maybe a few craft books or articles and the rest is just watching tv and reading. Pantsers are people, too.
I completely agree with you! I like to focus more on fleshing out the characters. Of course I do try to plot some stuff. But in my personal experience, writing gets boring if I know every single detail that happens in the book. I like to plot just enough so things are coherent. Other than that, I treat each chapter kind of like an "episode". As a writer, I love surprising myself with what happens. It almost feels like my readers and I are on an even playing field. Plus, I grow a bigger attachment to the characters if I let them "write" their own fate.
Couldn't agree more. This is me. I'm a discovery writer, I get to know my story and characters while writing. So even when I outline, I end up throwing out at least 75% of it while writing. So I have to constantly update my outline to fit the changes I'm making, which ends up being more needless work. It's enough for me to know what the story will be about and roughly where I'm going/what I wanna say with my story. And I don't need to write that down, that's in my head at all times. So yeah, plotting/outlining is just a huge waste of time for me.
Yes! Same! About as far as an “outline” gets for me is a few rough plot points. What’s going to happen to get them there? How will my characters react? What are the consequences? All unknowns until I’m sitting there, writing that moment.
Hi Abbie, Can you make a video on debunking villain myths? With topics like: - Is it okay to romanticize the villain? - Is it possible to do a plot twist villain? (Even when using vicarious suspense) -How do you balance the good attributes of the villain with the bad ones? I hope this isn’t too demanding. Keep up the work. And Rock on!
Hi, not abby here: You mean like hummanizing them or make them likable? because it's always a good idea to make the villian a 3 dimansional character, the real problem would be to romanticize what they do. It also depends on your villian's baheavior and what the reader could take away from it
@@ardethjven813 To make them seem more appealing. It’s that feeling when you want the villain to win over instead of the protagonist. It’s difficult to explain, but I’ve seen some stories where the villain becomes the good guy, and the protagonist turns out to be evil.
@@kennedypatton7874 That's a very interesting concept, you could use corrupted concepts of "good" and "evil" it would be like taking a classic disney story and realizing that you rooted for a monarchy ( Princess, prince king and queen) and hated the outcasts (witches, trolls, monsters) as bad just because of who they are, take maleficent for an example. As long as you give an explanation for your villian's actions and change on behavior everything should be fine. Look for advice in redemption arcs and such to keep your characters consistent
@@mateosawyers6059 I haven’t watched mega mind but I do think that Mother Gothel from Tangled and the Evil Step-mother from 2015 Cinderella are interesting.
"Pantser's guide to plodding." Couldn't help myself, that's all I heard when I read the title and I just couldn't shake it. On a serious note, I fail at plotting. I fall right off the wagon and drown my sorrows in world-building.
i don't make outlines, i just write a lot a lot a loooootttttttt of comments on my story as i go so i can jot down ideas and not get insanely bored with the material of my story...
I really agree with your advice on the importance of a compelling protagonist! I always tell my clients the same -- ultimately, readers are looking to relate to something in your book, so the more 3-dimensional the protagonist is, the more readers will find in common with them!
My problem with plotting is once I'm done the basic outline portion I get to writing the first draft. Later on I feel like there is a lot I want to change but to do that I'll have to also change major details. It just makes the whole process messy.
I had this problem too. But now I write down the major points start the first draft and change things if i feel like it. Sometimes I have to start again but the process is more fun for me like this.
One suggestion, is having two outlines. The first outline is your first draft and the second will take the parts of the first that are needed, but not the unwanted parts. But if you ever want to add or change it again, but will end up having another messy plot change, go ahead and make another outline. It gives freedom of creation, without destroying the original.
I don't mind plotting or writing down scenes (even though I'm more of a puzzler).. what harms my progress is the pressure to choose a story structure because none of them seem to be suitable for my stories (order and beat wise; some are restricting, some too loose). I'd prefer writing without any established structure in mind but then I worry about writing an unbalanced story. As someone with no experience writing an entire book, I'm confused, torn, and frustrated. I'll watch several videos on that topic. For now, thank you.
My problem isn't so much that I dislike plotting/outlining, it's that I'm bad at it. I can only seem to have plot ideas when I'm actually writing, because at that point things just seem to flow out of my head magically, or if I'm lucky enough for them to just "come to me" at some point out of the blue. I desperately need some advice on how to actually generate a plot, because I just can't seem to do it. I have no problems with premise, characters, world-building, etc, just can't seem to come up with what is going to happen.
How am I, as a pantser, supposed to come up with the answer to those questions BEFORE having written the story? That's crazy! Nobody knows the story, or how it will transpire, until it is written down. That's how pantsing works!!
First step; get out your characters and flesh them out. You might not know what happens but you should have an idea about what type of character you’re going to write. Second; map out their internal conflict if you’re having a problem with figuring out the plot. What is their desire, fear and misbelief. Hone on those three and let it drive their actions. You might already start to see a little bit of your story and not have to worry about where the story is going to end because you have an inkling of the cause and effect flow of the story. And lastly, once you’ve written down your first draft, go back and make editorial and plot changes to better fit your story. Voila!
Abbie, do you fly by the seat of your pants? Me: Nervous Laughter My Character: I HAVE TOO MANY MISBELIEFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My main character wen through like four thousand different misbeliefs in one book before I finally anchored her in one. LOL, I need help! Usually, my planning just looks like a lot of scribbles on my notebook that I thought would be cool and now have to shove them in somewhere in the story.
Love this IN THEORY. But I always end up abandoning any outline I've made. (My last project I tried a method similar to this. I ended up with a 3 act story structure, just not the one I originally planned.) It's just more fun to discover everything as the story unfolds. (ESPECIALLY backstory :) And yes, this means rewriting a lot later, but that's what writing means to a lot of pantsers --although it definitely is not the most efficient way, it keeps us writing. I think for pantsers, we're more willing to put in the work on the editing end, whereas plotters invest more time up front. It just comes down to preference :)
I used to be a pantser struggling with the same story for more than two years. Thanks to your awesome videos I am a happy plotter who has *just* finished her first novel in less than a month!
I just plotted an entire short story for the first time and I am in love. I've never been able to plot before because it just bored me, but now I just want to plot everything I write
I tend to mostly be a pantser, but I think I fall somewhere inbetween. I tend to plot out in my head where I want the story to go, & the main plot points, but I also tend to take the story in unforseen directions at times, if I happen to get an idea or brainstorm something really juicy. Sometimes, when I think of something, or brainstorm a particular plot point, it may be several chapters before I actually implement it, but once I've thought it out, I won't forget what I want to have happen.
I'm WAY late to this conversation, but: I was a pantser meandering my way to finding the story. Then I decided to write a novel as my thesis for grad school, and all of a sudden, I had a deadline. Plotting (+ Save the Cat: Writes the Novel) saved my bacon. Though, I wish I'd known about this channel at the time.
Using this has gotten me farther than I ever have gotten in my writing before. I thought I was a pantser but when I wrote without plotting I always gave up because I never knew where the story was going. Now I have a full written outline and I am so grateful for you and your videos. I always quit so early on but this has really helped me. Thank you.
Yeah. Wow. This is such an insulting video. I rarely come to this CZcams Channel but I certainly won't be back. I'm not afraid of outlines, and I seriously doubt Stephen King or George R.R. Martin are either. They just don't work for some people.
People have different processes. As long as what they do works for them, any method is perfectly valid. It's often overlooked that there's additional work on either side of the process debate. Pantsers may go back and rewrite parts of even all of their story. But as Abbie said in one of her Scrivener videos, she often makes multiple outlines with each one getting progressively more detailed as she goes. Her final outline may sprawl to 15,000 words. That's several chapters into a book for pantsers. So, outliners do work on the front end in setup and research; pantsers on the back end with rewriting. Regardless of the approach, you have to put in the time and work on your story. There is no magic story bullet to replace a butt in a seat working. I never denigrate people for their process or try to make them work like me. When you force square pegs into round holes, they get stuck. What works beautifully for one brain is crippling brain freeze for another. Bottom line: If your method causes you grief, change it. If not, do what you do and keep an open mind. And if it's not bringing you joy, do something else.
Thank you. Thank you thank you thank you There are literally no words to describe how happy I am to see this video come out (literally right when i need it oh my gosh)
As a preface, I write for fun… and I am absolutely a “pantser” (never heard that term till now but I digress) Ever had that feeling you’ve read this book before? That you can see what the protagonist is going to do before they do it? The “three act structure” and that “inner conflict narrative” is why. (It’s especially popular in YA) And hey if that’s you, go for it. Nothing against you or your writing. There’s big pros to it. It’s familiar and safe and marketable. Is definitely not me… but I write for fun. My work may never have more than friends read it. And I enjoy the rewriting. It’s an adventure of learning more about my characters. Not that what I’m writing can’t be broken down roughly into three acts or that my characters don’t deal with emotions but they’re not what the story is about. Many great novels have a protagonist that changes very little if at all. Serials are a great example. You don’t have to read Hardy Boys in order; they practically reset at the start of each book. And if that’s not haughty enough for your taste; Agatha Christie’s Inspector Poirot, Ian Fleming’s James Bond, and to some degree even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. Their stories are often more about the events and people around them than the protagonist themselves, much less their emotions. The protagonist simply serves as a vehicle. So if you’re feeling confined, don’t be afraid to break the chains, that’s how great art is made. Some food for thought.
I just finished outlining a book that I've been struggling to put to paper for the last five or six years. I can count on one hand how make times I've felt this accomplished. Thank you so, so much for making these videos!
I’m a pantser (I prefer “improviser”). That stems from experience as a journalist: when you’re on deadline in a newsroom, you don’t have time to outline or rough draft. You go directly from information to story.
Your plotting template is SO helpful. I used it a couple of weeks ago to plot a second draft. I love how you give contemporary fiction examples because I find a lot of plotting templates and advice are more geared toward plot heavy books. My characters are what creates the plot and prior templates have usually confused me.
I always feel inspired viewing your writing suggestions. Even before the end of your short presentations, I'm re-invigored to return to my manuscript. Maybe something you didn't think of, but thanks.
#AskAbbie I understand main characters and side characters, but what if you have a totally new “character” selection, like a made up animal or creature so-to-speak? How would you add these into a book, make sure they fit right and play the important piece into the story, moving it forward? Would you stick to the “side character layout/template” or jot down details? Thank you so much Abbie! I know you’ll do your best with all your questions and I appreciate that! You are so appreciated!!🤍
I know I'm 3 years late here, but holy heck if this didn't just save my story! I had a tangled mess of a plot that I had no idea how to fix because any outline I wrote ended up being a novel in itself 😅 Using the outline you gave as an example, I've finally made sense of it all 🥰
I think I am definitely on a journey to becoming a plotter, thanks to your videos :). It pushed me to try plotting and after I did, I felt like I fell a lot deeper in love with my story before and wile I was writing it than when I just went into it pretty blindly. It is definitely a lot more motivating to me and now I can feel more confident in my desire to be a writer.
Excellent video! I'm a pantser by inclination. But that tends to make me wander and write a LOT of content I never use or need. I've had instructors advise outlining, but that idea always makes me dizzy and confused. So thanks for giving me a simplified way to do it! I'm working a lot on "pre-writing" for my current project to make it easier, smoother, and stronger. Thanks again!
Oh my heavens. I have just plotted my project for NaNoWriMo. I've never plotted anything before--and I have a drawer full of half-finished novels to prove it. Thank you, Abbie, for making this so straightforward!
"Story is not about what happens. It's about how what happens affects and transforms the Characters." Wow, you are so right! That's why so many movies today are just so forgettable. They focus more on these big events happening and not as much on how what's happening affects the characters and they often lack that "journey of change". I have been very dissatisfied with so many movies over the past few years, almost always preferring older movies, and I couldn't really put my finger on WHY until I realized that we just don't get much of an emotional connection to most of the characters in many of the movies today. So I have trouble actually caring about what happens to them because they often don't take the time to help the viewer make that emotional connection to the characters. Particularly a lot of the "big-budget Hollywood blockbuster" type movies. But you really spelled it out and perfectly articulated the reason why many of those movies feel so empty and forgettable.
I've tried to be an outliner, but I always end up with way too much. No joke, last time I had an outline that consisted of over 200,000 words and is becoming a roleplaying campaign setting instead of a story. I get carried away. So now I allow myself 2 pages of hand written notes.
Girrrrl, you are the ONLY PERSON I visit for clarity. You videos are gold for me. Any time I have a problem with my ideas, I RUN To you. Thanks, kid, you are fantastic. And cute, too.
I still don’t think this will work for me. Maybe I’m on the extreme end of pantsers, but I didn’t even know what my protagonist’s misbelief was until I was writing the 3rd act and realized she was overcoming it before my eyes. Only looking back did I see a full character arc in my wake. Even after I discovered your channel and learned about the desire, fear, and misbelief formula, I couldn’t identify hers. A few months later, I finally figured it out and felt so relieved. Prior to that, I feared that I would have to restructure my protagonist to better fit your structure, which would’ve felt awful because she’s been one of my comfort characters since high school. Now that I think about it, I think my problem is a rather unique one that may even be specific to this book: *My protagonist and I share a misbelief.* Thus, it took me years of therapy to even _consider_ her thought process as wrong, and I didn’t have therapy until I was 2 years into my manuscript. It has now been 4 years since I started that manuscript that was originally a Wattpad crackfic about the Area 51 Raid, and thus, I had no idea would ever need proper planning. I owe this all to my mom for seeing its potential and encouraging me to make it into a novel and my yearning for the summer of the Area 51 memes and my childhood dog still being alive.
I have a problem where I outline but then the characters kinda change the story as I write it and I just have to go with it, so I always had to leave it relatively vague just to have some type of structure to follow but not confine me. Scenes just kinda come at me, if that makes sense.
I absolutely despise outlining simply because of school. EVERY SINGLE essay required one to be turned in with it and I never really understood how to make one properly. So they always annoyed me and now I avoid them as much as possible.
I'm a 13 (will be 14 in 16 days) year old trying to write a fantasy Web novel. I must say, it's actually really hard to create a base to my novel without starting to think about the unexpected plot in the middle of the history and literally forgetting everything that is important in the start💀 I really hope I can actually finish planning at least the base until my prom of the 9th grade lmao-
Thanks for this video! I never found the idea of a plot outline too constricting, but I'm trying to write my first book, and a full-blown outline seemed intimidating even with your instructions, so a short simple version is helpful.
So I’m new at the writing thing BUT - I’ve learned that I’m a solid pantser with ocd haha I’ll write the book/story. Let it rest. Read it through. Find holes, issues, places where characters need development. Vague outline in a word doc to see it concisely. Go back and add/cut/replace. My brain is weird, sorry lol
the ONLY reason i'm watching this is because i have realized part of the reason i can never finish writing a longer story or...anything chapter based, is because i don't have a structure/don't know how to make one that doesn't feel rigid/overwhelming. i never really know how to build my characters but i want to feel like i did my best but it takes a lot to craft a story when you don't have the direction of how you want it to go on paper and it's all in your head. so i end up losing motivation. i'm thinking this could help me since i have a story i am passionate about working on and is a HUGE project that's gonna need research to come out right but i also want to start writing. i've written stories since i was a little kid and i feel like i have to improve the way i go about doing this to make it right.
I think I'm what I will call a PANTSLINER I do a bit of both, I'll outline (up to a point) then pants some and outline some. I kind of love the creativity I feel doing it that way. Yeh, I've some high numbers on the word score for outlining too... but 30K? I guess it takes all sorts to make a world. Thanks Abbie :)
Hi Abbie, I'm from the Philippines. I have been watching your videos since January this year. I'm writing a screenplay, from my college thesis story. I intend to produce and direct in 2022. It's about a college Engineering musician who is hindered by his mother to pursue his musical exploits. I'm still figuring out the climax since I need to talk to guitarists and musicians. But everything is done as what you have told in your videos. I'm almost done. I want to thank you for your videos I was able to write a good plot. From Meet Cute, to Scene Cards, to this video, I have watched your channel over and over and over again. What I do is I write verbatim how you say it and read it and keep it for future references. Thank you so much, Abbie. You are a BIG HELP
I'm watching this while outlining. I'm a sixteen year old rookie writer and I've got an amazing prompt. However, I was stuck on the first few lines of my prologue. Watching your videos enabled me to think of five chapters worth of content in a single sitting. Definitely trying all these tips.
My outline is my first draft - that's how I write as a pantser. Then I use the three act structure to revise. Some pantsers have internalized the three act structure so that their first draft already contains the elements of the three acts and they only need to tweak. The value you bring (which one else provides) is the questions to ask about your story and the emphasis on the character arc. Your explanations and analysis of the three act structure are gems; most writing classes and books rattle off the three act structure but never show how to use it with what you are writing. That is the genius in your method! Your videos have been extremely helpful and much appreciated! Thank you.
I'm kind of an in-betweener. I draw up a basic outline, start writing, and then one of the characters takes over the plot! Usually it's not the main plot, just a sub plot that kind of branches off on its own and inevitably makes the story much, much better. I love my characters!!!
The three act story structure which Abbie mentioned, I immediately thought of The Lion King when she started explaining it. It is one of the best character growth movies in Disney. It shows the hard journey of Simba from the time his father died till the time he confronts Scar. He has to face his greatest fear when Scar reveals to his family that he killed his father. But, there is that 'aha' moment when Scar tells Simba that he actually killed Mufasa. This leads to Simba's misbelief breaking into shards and finally pursuing his goal by pushing Scar off the cliff. Not only his fear is broken, but also he fulfills his wish of becoming king after his father. We see that Simba grows from a partially immature cub to a lion king who proudly has his own beliefs. I'm sorry for the amount of words, but I just couldn't help stating this example! And thank you Abbie, your videos are so helpful. To be honest, I am a pantser. I literally had no idea of this 3 act structure before, though we all subconsciously admire it in most books and movies. I'm going to use it in my story soon!
This video helped me soo much thank you! Sadly I'm a pantser. I've been doing it that way for a long time, until I realised that I wasn't finishing my stories because of my pantser problem. This is gonna help me write my new story that's called "Shadow Run" it's a fiction and I'm hoping to make it a novel someday and become an author! Again thank you so much for making this video!
For me, I know that everything I write down in the outlining process is subconsciously guiding me as I fill in the details later on. Once I've laid the solid creative foundation in the form of the outline, only the details and specifics that fit together with my outline like lego will naturally be attracted to my mind. Any idea that doesn't fit will either not feel right and I'll immediately know it or it won't come at all. In my opinion, to write a masterpiece, you need to start general and get more and more specific as you go.
This video was exactly what i needed. I'm currently making a fanfiction and its going to be a trilogy. I wanted to find a way to make a net and organized due to my stories character and plot. Thanks Addie as always for the help and have a great day.
Wow! Okay. I really needed this outline. My stories are complex and, yes, the first story kind of does some world building as I introduce my main character. Thank you for this outline. I'll do first story and then see how it differs from the screenplay outline.
I do note down important details and create some structure, but I'm definitely a pantser - and I'm happy for it. If I wasn't a pantser, my protagonist wouldn't have walked into his favorite coffee place to talk to a person who is THE quintessential piece in allowing him to stumble, heal, and rediscover himself. There are so many things I wouldn't know about my characters if I didn't allow them to lather my perceptions in gasoline and create a dumbsterfire emitting thick, grey smoke a.k.a character depth. Alright guys, who's with me? 1, 2, 3, Go Pantsers!
When I write short stories I'm a total pantser. When I write long form I do try and outline or plot but I'm always willing to let inspiration take me wherever, so somewhere in between I suppose.
Abby, you are amazing! You must write your own book on plotting! THE WORLD NEEDS YOU hahaha. No matter how many books I read on the subject, your videos will ALWAYS come back as the most comprehensive and open-minded references. I love your work! Thanks
Even when you do an outline by the time you get into it things begin to change anyways, but the outlines still good for the early stages because it gives you more direction then no direction at all
I'm a pantser, if I consciously know where it's going right away, it's not happening. However, I've been using a notebook, where I'll write a list of things that has to happen (never in order, but they fall in order), and that works for me. Maybe I'm a bit of both.
there is a lot of good information here when outlining it helps to allow the mind to tag music that you enjoy as being part of the soundtrack for the story that you want to write a consistent writing style should be used for the duration of the novel, and by syncing your mind to the sound of music it can help for consistency with writing style,, having a consistent writing style can help enable planned story elements made during the outline
I found out yesterday that I’ve been a Paster my whole life, never really knowing the correct way to write, its really amazing to know this. Maybe I can write my comics now. With more excitement!
I am a pantser and hate plotting, but I know it's essential for stories structure. Thank you so much for making this video! It's like you read what's on my mind! ❤️❤️❤️
I just wanted to stop by and say thanks. I've been struggling writing a sequel to a story I was a complete Pantser for, After I watched this video yesterday, it knocked loose the ice in my brain that kept freezing me up and I outlined the whole sequel in an evening. It's after midnight now, and I'm going to bed with the wonderful knowledge I have a clear path to follow. And despite my clear plot, I still see lots of room for creativity. An outline is not a prison like I used to think, nor is it a creativity killer. You just need to be mature enough as a writer to realize it. Thanks for helping me take the final steps to this big milestone. From now on, I'll always be outlining in some form or fashion. I'm glad my first story was done as a pantser. I'll always have that victory. But now that I've seen how inefficient pantser writing really is. from start to finish, I'm certain I'll never go back. I wear my new plotter title with pride.
Ps. I'm shooting for the stars, dear, so I'm taking my time writing my masterpiece. Remember my name! You're an inspiration. I'm not settling for anything below Pulitzer.
Step #1: The Premise The preliminary premise for the series is the standard military sci-fi plot of the main character serving in the military and having to participate in one or more wars that have her traveling to various planets as she engages in different campaigns. The good guy nations are the Interstellar Union, the Anemoniskt Imperiet, and the Senesis Jamhuri. The bad guy nations are the Korbaniches Reich, the Confederación Verquat, the Je'daii Infinite Empire (provisional name until I can think of something that doesn't rip off Star Wars organization names), the Mamlakat Ranorg (token good teammate), the Nash'Rahk Paegwon, and the Zilvon Soyuz. The premise for my first novel is the protagonist (Kobayashi Fumiko) just became a legal adult and decides to join the Interstellar Union's armed forces. The Interstellar Union is at war with the Nash'Rawhk Paegwon, so Fumiko gets deployed to the front lines to help retake a planet (Thedon) the Nash'Rahk recently captured before the Nash'Rahk can fortify their position and use Thedon as a beachhead to attack other Union planets in the area. The Nash'Rahk forces turn out to be stronger than expected and the Union pulls back, abandoning Fumiko, the other survivors from the first assault wave, and the civilians still on Thedon. Fumiko and the other survivors have to survive behind enemy lines and protect the civilians on Thedon until either reinforcements arrive or they liberate Thedon on their own. Step #2: Meet Your Protagonist Fumiko desires to be a valuable and valued member of the team. Fumiko fears rejection, abandonment, and disappointing others. Fumiko's mistaken beliefs are that she's useless and nobody would want to be friends with the loser who's probably going to be just another casualty soon. Step #3: Story Structure Act 1: Fumiko enlists in the military out of a desperate need to finally please her abusive mother and make the pain stop. Fumiko is sent to Thedon to help retake it. Despite initial success, the Union is forced to retreat in the face of overwhelming resistance, abandoning Fumiko, the other surviving soldiers from the first assault wave, and the civilian inhabitants of Thedon. Act 2: Fumiko and the other survivors figure out how to survive behind enemy lines. They form a resistance movement against the Nash'Rahk occupation force. The resistance has some initial success and suffers some setbacks, including the discovery of their original hideout and the deaths of several members of the team. Act 3: The resistance discovers the location of the Nash'Rahk's main base on Thedon, which is currently doubling as their regional HQ. Fumiko discovers that the other surviving members of the resistance trust her enough to lead them in a raid the Nash'Rahk's main base to take out several high ranking members of their leadership. Fumiko leads the resistance to victory, but they suffer casualties in the process. Fumiko begins to question her original low opinion of herself. She doesn't immediately come to the realization of the truth because her failure to meet the impossible standards her mother conditioned her to hold herself to is also causing her to question if the rest of the resistance was justified in trusting her.
I don't hate plotting, I just find people who can plot well very amazing. I am the sort of people who really need to know there's no bug in the plots, but unfortunately the story I've been writing and updating online has a big setting problem already, and all I can do is just 'please, lovely readers, ignore the tragic problem with my plotting, just keep going on. "🤣
I wrote my first story without outlining and although it came out really wonderful, it was so stressful. I don't want to go through that process of having to sit down and bite my fingers while thinking for a long time about what I should write next. So, I want to start outlining, and hopefully, this great lesson would help. Thank you so much.
Amazing advice... Meet your character. Bullet point story structure.very pragmatic for the early stages. Abbie you Rock and you've got me rocking too 🎸🎶
I used to be a pantser, but I'm slowly turning into a plotter although I still feel a little confined by all the prep before actually starting to write
As a pantser, it's mainly because I can't see following the 3-act story structure with so many characters in my book (series). It's going to have at least 3 main characters in the first book who do interact at certain points, but the ensemble cast will all play important parts (we're talking over a dozen perspective characters) and that's all in the first book - 3rd person omniscient. The next book follows a new cast of characters again, on a different planet, in 4 main intertwining paths. I haven't decided if any characters from book 1 will make an appearance, or just be mentioned... depending on how that story ends. 3rd book may include from some characters of both prequels, but I haven't decided which yet (it's like the culmination of the big bad thing happening in book one is finally confronted, and mysteries are finally revealed, and the "why" gives them hope they can stop it all, and a "how".) I'm writing more from the point of the cool basis for what's going on in the story, more than the characters. I don't relate well to characters in books; I care more about what's going on than who's doing what and why. (I have a 41page appendix/glossary already written, and a massive history/setting document that probably rivals your 30,000 word outline.) However, I don't plot ahead, because I don't know how these characters are going to interact yet... and how that'll change what needs to happen. Even changing a conversation can have massive impacts on the flow as I've gone back and re-written/edited stuff... my characters surprise me all the time. (one of the intended bad guys turned into a good guy on me...)
I'm a panster but I noticed that I will reach a point in my book that I HAVE to sit down and flesh out the plot, which is when I will actually start to outline the book. I know, it's weird, but I can't outline before I start writing the book. My ideas and the story come to me as I write, so I write till I get to a point that I have to sit down and flesh out the ideas and plotline for the book. I'm sure I'm not the only one who does this though. 😊
I am something in between but more patser than planner since my characters 'tend to write their own story' and half of my plans were for nothing so I reduced it to few importenat checkpoints and how they get there is up to them. therefore I count myself to the plantser-type.
*Are you a plotter or a pantser?* 👇
Not sure :’)
Pantser😅 but I've been trying outline more often
Pantser. I'm not quite sure, though.
I’m a big fan
Bit of both,really
Random fact you didn't ask for: in Spanish, a pantser is called a "compass writer" and an outliner would be a "map writer" :)
wow I love that!
Me encanta ❤️
Como se diría eso en español?
@@Alexa-eo4tf Escritor de brújula y escritor de mapa
@@renelznicolas8659 Oooh!Genial !gracias por la traduccion😊
My problem is that knowing every plot point beforehand makes me not want to write the story anymore, because I already know exactly what's going to happen and what my characters will do. Where's the fun in that? I've had multiple stories I was passionate about that I immediately lost interest in after I outlined them. That's why pantsing is also called discovery writing: because you get to discover your story and characters as you write them.
Yeah I'm kind of the same... I start thinking of writing as an assignment to get to the next plot point and it seems too... structural and mechanical at that point. I like to get carried away by the voice and character. And I find more fun and joy in that style, and I think that's fine. Maybe I won't ever get published this way? But I think everyone has a different style, too. Like maybe I can do a quick draft zero and then from there organize the structure better through a clearer outline based on what I've already pantsed... and it'll be a crap first draft but I have to be okay with that! :)
Same. It also gets tedious for me because then I'm so impatient about the story reaching a pre designed plot point. And it takes away the surprise
100% with you here. The thing that I realise is that I like solving the mystery of the story as I write and there's something so authentic about doing it on the fly, really getting that first reaction of the character and living it with them. As you said, if I plan it instead it's like ruining a plot twist for myself. I can never seem to tap into that genuine reaction if it's been pre-plotted.
Same, totally same, my problem is I have tons of plots but no thrill to write the stories. I wanted to write them so bad but ughh
This. This is me. Oh my god, yes! I really feel myself losing when I already know what's going to happen next. I seriously want MYSELF to recognize the next step and get creative!
I used to be a pantser but now I'm in the middle. I need to know where I'm going but I like the freedom of just writing.
Same except I started out by feeling like I had to plan EVERYTHING. Now I'm more relaxed and I kinda write what I feel like writing at the moment
If you're somewhere in the middle then loose outlining could be good for you. You can probably put some major scenes in order, have a central beginning, middle, and ending in mind. The outlining process can be as rigid or as loose and free as you want it to be.
@@xtonibx5770 Absolutely, and this is what I do. As I said on another conversation thread about this video, you put in the work on one side of the process or the other. You'll either do the work on the front end with outlining or on the back end in revision. Regardless of the process, nothing takes the place of a butt in a seat actively writing.
Same 💜 I get so much done with just turning on my computer and letting go.
same
You should write a story where the protagonists misbelief is that plotting is bad and his/her fear that is preventing him or her from achieving their goal (which is plotting) is that plotting will take away their creativity and so the protagonist will make choices after their misbelief of plotting. Would be a banger, a bestseller, everyone would buy it :D
that's a bestseller right there
And at the end of the story the reader finds out that the protagonist is GRRM?
cool idea but pls use they and their instead of saying him or her every time lmfao
@@linzihan It's a habit, where I come from we always say: he she it the s muss mit.
@@AbbieEmmons { 53rd like 👍 } 🤷🇦🇺🇳🇴
And they all lived happily ever after!...
Except for Mrs. Rochester, who's conveniently dead.
Idk why I laughed at that
I did too xD
...Nice
😂
"I'm blind!"
"Yes, but your wife died!"
"And they _both_ lived happily ever after."
I come up with stories in my head during math class then go to quickly plot them down but by the time I get home I've forgotten half of it
that's so frustrating!!!
You need to take better notes in class ;)
Secret is....im not a math persone either
Mine too.
Most relatable comment ever-
The advantage of pantsing is that the book never reads like the writer already knows the ending. Pansers don't lead the reader. Instead, the writer and the reader follow the story no matter where it goes. After the story is finished, then you go back and organize the misteps and easily disregard the parts that don't add to the ending, middle or beginning.
This is similar to my process. Whenever I finally get down to write, I just type whatever feels right. Like my "readers" (I don't publish my work) I have no idea what's gonna happen 😅 plotting has always been a struggle for me, because it's like I'm forcing the story into a template. It ends up not feeling natural
I usually write little scenes that come to me throughout my day and before I know it, I've got a book!
Can't agree. I'm a pantser and I always include small hints that will blow the readers minds when they read the book the second time.
@@bunothebrains Thats the beauty of writing. After the sixth or seventh draft it looks like you knew what you were doing all along.
@@NinjaPenguin1108 I do that, too.
I usually don’t plot short stories but I’m working on a fan fiction that is becoming bigger than I’d thought. It started as a “I haven’t written for months and need to write SOMETHING” and turned into “Holy geez this is actually getting a bit serious”. So...outline time!
This happened to me last November. It was a sequel to a fanfic I wrote and it was supposed to just be this fun little project but then at chapter five, I realized that it was going to be a lot more complex and longer than the original and even the most complex story I'd ever attempt to write. I got so intimidated that I haven't gone back to it to date. But I'm letting it simmer because a lot more pieces need to be fit characterwise and worldbuilding-wise. With luck, it will be my debut novel, I HAVE been thinking about it a lot lately.
Same! It started as just a one off thing for me but it gained a lot of popularity so now I'm really stressed about it
Btw what fandom is it?
@@henrywayne5724 Feels exactly like mine. I too decided to write chapter 5 of my fanfic and boom, It's the most complex thing a person could ever think of. From dual dreams to zipping space-time, it's definitely a banger but I haven't made the character building.
I love that feeling!!
Not me trying to write a book at the age of 11, when I can't go 4 minutes without my brain transporting me to Hogwarts.
You can do it!💞
I thought it was supposed to be a train?
Ha! I’m around that age and it’s either hogwarts, the burrow or some where in wings of fire
I'm 14 trying to write a big Christian novel....its turning out great so keep going
@@davetaylor2088 DAVE NO
Well, problem with being a pantser - you get bored while plotting easily and lost the excitment. I also can´t say how my character will behave without knowing how they would react in situations that appears in the book. Basicaly I need to write the book before actually writing it! xD
Same, and then I abandon like 30 books mix half of them and the loop continues
@@dimwitteddingo You are describing my life T_T
This is the hardest part about outlining. Losing the enthusiasm! But....i did ot then wroye and pantsed half way through it necause it wasn't working for me anymore and them changed my putline and then found that I'm still pantsing. I think the trick is to not go into details so you have plenty of room to pants while you draft and still have a general idea of the overall story lol
@@dimwitteddingo I have given up on 10 books ideas per week. The last book I wrote I was 8 and that was Curious Gorge fanfiction.
I think keeping it pretty loose and changing accordingly may fit a pantser
What rubs me the wrong way is that “plotting always helps”. It doesn’t. Sometimes plotting isn’t the answer, it’s brainstorming. Even the very bare bones of what Abby recommended is too much at times.
The way my brain works is that I have landmark scenes, or, scenes that I know are important emotional beats for me to work towards. Sometimes I completely disregard those ideas. I get my best brainstorming/planning done while I’m writing. So I find out that X shouldn’t happen here but Y because I wrote Z. I can’t get that foresight from outlining.
When I try to outline a book, I simply don’t know enough about the characters or story, so it never applies while drafting. I have tried to outline so many times and I ALWAYS disregard it because it doesn’t represent the story or characters because I didn’t know what or who they were while outlining!
What helps is understanding emotional beats, story structure, arcs, all of that fundamental craft stuff and understanding it so well that it rests in the back of my brain while drafting. I’m hardly close to being an expert or knowing a lot about writing, but understanding the core of storytelling is so much more important than outlining.
Don’t outline for the sake of outlining.
I agree with you so much! I'm in the middle of drafting my story while brainstorming and wondering what structure works best for me! My story is supposed to be a fairytale so I tell myself not to care about plotting and structure right away and I can always go back to it later- and it really helps me express my creativity in writing. I consider myself to be a panster but if I at least have a hook of what the story is about, then I can begin writing to explore the story even further,. (I also at least prefer to have character outlines like their personality and desires and then I'm done)
Hallelujah. Also, we all need to realize that we only need just a few lessons on story structure. Like, maybe a few craft books or articles and the rest is just watching tv and reading. Pantsers are people, too.
I completely agree with you! I like to focus more on fleshing out the characters. Of course I do try to plot some stuff. But in my personal experience, writing gets boring if I know every single detail that happens in the book. I like to plot just enough so things are coherent. Other than that, I treat each chapter kind of like an "episode". As a writer, I love surprising myself with what happens. It almost feels like my readers and I are on an even playing field. Plus, I grow a bigger attachment to the characters if I let them "write" their own fate.
Couldn't agree more. This is me. I'm a discovery writer, I get to know my story and characters while writing. So even when I outline, I end up throwing out at least 75% of it while writing. So I have to constantly update my outline to fit the changes I'm making, which ends up being more needless work. It's enough for me to know what the story will be about and roughly where I'm going/what I wanna say with my story. And I don't need to write that down, that's in my head at all times. So yeah, plotting/outlining is just a huge waste of time for me.
Yes! Same! About as far as an “outline” gets for me is a few rough plot points. What’s going to happen to get them there? How will my characters react? What are the consequences? All unknowns until I’m sitting there, writing that moment.
Definitely a pantser but I realize I never finish books. So I will be an outliner now...thank you.
Hi Abbie, Can you make a video on debunking villain myths? With topics like:
- Is it okay to romanticize the villain?
- Is it possible to do a plot twist villain? (Even when using vicarious suspense)
-How do you balance the good attributes of the villain with the bad ones?
I hope this isn’t too demanding. Keep up the work. And Rock on!
Hi, not abby here: You mean like hummanizing them or make them likable? because it's always a good idea to make the villian a 3 dimansional character, the real problem would be to romanticize what they do. It also depends on your villian's baheavior and what the reader could take away from it
@@ardethjven813 To make them seem more appealing. It’s that feeling when you want the villain to win over instead of the protagonist. It’s difficult to explain, but I’ve seen some stories where the villain becomes the good guy, and the protagonist turns out to be evil.
@@kennedypatton7874 That's a very interesting concept, you could use corrupted concepts of "good" and "evil" it would be like taking a classic disney story and realizing that you rooted for a monarchy ( Princess, prince king and queen) and hated the outcasts (witches, trolls, monsters) as bad just because of who they are, take maleficent for an example. As long as you give an explanation for your villian's actions and change on behavior everything should be fine. Look for advice in redemption arcs and such to keep your characters consistent
Use your creative powers.....look at megamind
@@mateosawyers6059 I haven’t watched mega mind but I do think that Mother Gothel from Tangled and the Evil Step-mother from 2015 Cinderella are interesting.
"Pantser's guide to plodding."
Couldn't help myself, that's all I heard when I read the title and I just couldn't shake it.
On a serious note, I fail at plotting. I fall right off the wagon and drown my sorrows in world-building.
i don't make outlines, i just write a lot a lot a loooootttttttt of comments on my story as i go so i can jot down ideas and not get insanely bored with the material of my story...
This is... You literally make my process thousand times easier by this comment and I can't belive that I didn't think of that 😂😂
Like how?
I really agree with your advice on the importance of a compelling protagonist! I always tell my clients the same -- ultimately, readers are looking to relate to something in your book, so the more 3-dimensional the protagonist is, the more readers will find in common with them!
My problem with plotting is once I'm done the basic outline portion I get to writing the first draft. Later on I feel like there is a lot I want to change but to do that I'll have to also change major details. It just makes the whole process messy.
same here!
I had this problem too. But now I write down the major points start the first draft and change things if i feel like it. Sometimes I have to start again but the process is more fun for me like this.
You can definitely make big changes to your outline!! More rewriting for sure, but sometimes it's worth it. set your creativity free 👏
One suggestion, is having two outlines. The first outline is your first draft and the second will take the parts of the first that are needed, but not the unwanted parts. But if you ever want to add or change it again, but will end up having another messy plot change, go ahead and make another outline. It gives freedom of creation, without destroying the original.
Marissa M, that is brilliant. Will try. Thanks :D
I don't mind plotting or writing down scenes (even though I'm more of a puzzler).. what harms my progress is the pressure to choose a story structure because none of them seem to be suitable for my stories (order and beat wise; some are restricting, some too loose). I'd prefer writing without any established structure in mind but then I worry about writing an unbalanced story. As someone with no experience writing an entire book, I'm confused, torn, and frustrated. I'll watch several videos on that topic. For now, thank you.
My problem isn't so much that I dislike plotting/outlining, it's that I'm bad at it. I can only seem to have plot ideas when I'm actually writing, because at that point things just seem to flow out of my head magically, or if I'm lucky enough for them to just "come to me" at some point out of the blue. I desperately need some advice on how to actually generate a plot, because I just can't seem to do it. I have no problems with premise, characters, world-building, etc, just can't seem to come up with what is going to happen.
How am I, as a pantser, supposed to come up with the answer to those questions BEFORE having written the story? That's crazy! Nobody knows the story, or how it will transpire, until it is written down. That's how pantsing works!!
First step; get out your characters and flesh them out. You might not know what happens but you should have an idea about what type of character you’re going to write.
Second; map out their internal conflict if you’re having a problem with figuring out the plot. What is their desire, fear and misbelief. Hone on those three and let it drive their actions. You might already start to see a little bit of your story and not have to worry about where the story is going to end because you have an inkling of the cause and effect flow of the story.
And lastly, once you’ve written down your first draft, go back and make editorial and plot changes to better fit your story. Voila!
Abbie, do you fly by the seat of your pants?
Me: Nervous Laughter
My Character: I HAVE TOO MANY MISBELIEFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My main character wen through like four thousand different misbeliefs in one book before I finally anchored her in one. LOL, I need help! Usually, my planning just looks like a lot of scribbles on my notebook that I thought would be cool and now have to shove them in somewhere in the story.
My character has two but a third one keeps trying to sneak in, oof
@@dimwitteddingo Yay, well at least yours only has three. In the first one, my main character had 4 or 5, I can't keep track. THER WERE TOO MANY!
I had this same problem, and I'm a plotter. T.T
Love this IN THEORY. But I always end up abandoning any outline I've made. (My last project I tried a method similar to this. I ended up with a 3 act story structure, just not the one I originally planned.) It's just more fun to discover everything as the story unfolds. (ESPECIALLY backstory :) And yes, this means rewriting a lot later, but that's what writing means to a lot of pantsers --although it definitely is not the most efficient way, it keeps us writing.
I think for pantsers, we're more willing to put in the work on the editing end, whereas plotters invest more time up front. It just comes down to preference :)
I'm usually an outliner but when I get hit with creativity, outlineing kinda kills that mood so this is perfect
I used to be a pantser struggling with the same story for more than two years. Thanks to your awesome videos I am a happy plotter who has *just* finished her first novel in less than a month!
I am a pantser, but will plot once in a while, never really following a structure. Your advice is SO helpful, thank you for all you have done!
THANK YOU SO MUCH! I am a 13 year old who loves to write and think about stories. This is great way to start my horror/sci-fi story!
Your Nail Polish Accentuates your Eye Shadow and Your Eyes!!!
Wow, No Wonder You Pay Attention to Detail!!!
I just plotted an entire short story for the first time and I am in love. I've never been able to plot before because it just bored me, but now I just want to plot everything I write
I tend to mostly be a pantser, but I think I fall somewhere inbetween. I tend to plot out in my head where I want the story to go, & the main plot points, but I also tend to take the story in unforseen directions at times, if I happen to get an idea or brainstorm something really juicy. Sometimes, when I think of something, or brainstorm a particular plot point, it may be several chapters before I actually implement it, but once I've thought it out, I won't forget what I want to have happen.
I'm WAY late to this conversation, but:
I was a pantser meandering my way to finding the story. Then I decided to write a novel as my thesis for grad school, and all of a sudden, I had a deadline.
Plotting (+ Save the Cat: Writes the Novel) saved my bacon. Though, I wish I'd known about this channel at the time.
Using this has gotten me farther than I ever have gotten in my writing before. I thought I was a pantser but when I wrote without plotting I always gave up because I never knew where the story was going. Now I have a full written outline and I am so grateful for you and your videos. I always quit so early on but this has really helped me. Thank you.
"are you a pantser? that's totally valid! except that it's not"
Thank you for saying it
@@nonolala9750 I find Shaelin Writes very affirming of pantsers
Yeah. Wow. This is such an insulting video. I rarely come to this CZcams Channel but I certainly won't be back. I'm not afraid of outlines, and I seriously doubt Stephen King or George R.R. Martin are either. They just don't work for some people.
People have different processes. As long as what they do works for them, any method is perfectly valid. It's often overlooked that there's additional work on either side of the process debate. Pantsers may go back and rewrite parts of even all of their story. But as Abbie said in one of her Scrivener videos, she often makes multiple outlines with each one getting progressively more detailed as she goes. Her final outline may sprawl to 15,000 words. That's several chapters into a book for pantsers. So, outliners do work on the front end in setup and research; pantsers on the back end with rewriting. Regardless of the approach, you have to put in the time and work on your story. There is no magic story bullet to replace a butt in a seat working.
I never denigrate people for their process or try to make them work like me. When you force square pegs into round holes, they get stuck. What works beautifully for one brain is crippling brain freeze for another. Bottom line: If your method causes you grief, change it. If not, do what you do and keep an open mind. And if it's not bringing you joy, do something else.
Oh, you all got that impression, too? Cool. Why are pantsers so unloved?
Thank you. Thank you thank you thank you
There are literally no words to describe how happy I am to see this video come out (literally right when i need it oh my gosh)
As a preface, I write for fun… and I am absolutely a “pantser” (never heard that term till now but I digress)
Ever had that feeling you’ve read this book before? That you can see what the protagonist is going to do before they do it? The “three act structure” and that “inner conflict narrative” is why. (It’s especially popular in YA) And hey if that’s you, go for it. Nothing against you or your writing. There’s big pros to it. It’s familiar and safe and marketable.
Is definitely not me… but I write for fun. My work may never have more than friends read it. And I enjoy the rewriting. It’s an adventure of learning more about my characters.
Not that what I’m writing can’t be broken down roughly into three acts or that my characters don’t deal with emotions but they’re not what the story is about. Many great novels have a protagonist that changes very little if at all. Serials are a great example. You don’t have to read Hardy Boys in order; they practically reset at the start of each book. And if that’s not haughty enough for your taste; Agatha Christie’s Inspector Poirot, Ian Fleming’s James Bond, and to some degree even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. Their stories are often more about the events and people around them than the protagonist themselves, much less their emotions. The protagonist simply serves as a vehicle. So if you’re feeling confined, don’t be afraid to break the chains, that’s how great art is made.
Some food for thought.
I just finished outlining a book that I've been struggling to put to paper for the last five or six years.
I can count on one hand how make times I've felt this accomplished.
Thank you so, so much for making these videos!
I’m a pantser (I prefer “improviser”). That stems from experience as a journalist: when you’re on deadline in a newsroom, you don’t have time to outline or rough draft. You go directly from information to story.
Your plotting template is SO helpful. I used it a couple of weeks ago to plot a second draft. I love how you give contemporary fiction examples because I find a lot of plotting templates and advice are more geared toward plot heavy books. My characters are what creates the plot and prior templates have usually confused me.
I love this! I was feeling lost without an outline but also overwhelmed by a full outline. This will be super helpful! Thanks Abbie❤
I always feel inspired viewing your writing suggestions. Even before the end of your short presentations, I'm re-invigored to return to my manuscript. Maybe something you didn't think of, but thanks.
I really needed this at the moment for some reason. Thank you, Abbie 🥰! Rock on!
Same lol
#AskAbbie
I understand main characters and side characters, but what if you have a totally new “character” selection, like a made up animal or creature so-to-speak? How would you add these into a book, make sure they fit right and play the important piece into the story, moving it forward? Would you stick to the “side character layout/template” or jot down details?
Thank you so much Abbie! I know you’ll do your best with all your questions and I appreciate that!
You are so appreciated!!🤍
Try asking K.A. Emmons. She writes in different perspectives with animal characters.
@@kennedypatton7874 alright, will do!
I know I'm 3 years late here, but holy heck if this didn't just save my story! I had a tangled mess of a plot that I had no idea how to fix because any outline I wrote ended up being a novel in itself 😅 Using the outline you gave as an example, I've finally made sense of it all 🥰
I think I am definitely on a journey to becoming a plotter, thanks to your videos :). It pushed me to try plotting and after I did, I felt like I fell a lot deeper in love with my story before and wile I was writing it than when I just went into it pretty blindly. It is definitely a lot more motivating to me and now I can feel more confident in my desire to be a writer.
First book pantsed, worked good, second book pantsed, got 1/3rd quit. Doing an outline & will take that third and use what I can. This was helpful.
Excellent video! I'm a pantser by inclination. But that tends to make me wander and write a LOT of content I never use or need. I've had instructors advise outlining, but that idea always makes me dizzy and confused. So thanks for giving me a simplified way to do it! I'm working a lot on "pre-writing" for my current project to make it easier, smoother, and stronger.
Thanks again!
Oh my heavens. I have just plotted my project for NaNoWriMo. I've never plotted anything before--and I have a drawer full of half-finished novels to prove it. Thank you, Abbie, for making this so straightforward!
"Story is not about what happens. It's about how what happens affects and transforms the Characters." Wow, you are so right! That's why so many movies today are just so forgettable. They focus more on these big events happening and not as much on how what's happening affects the characters and they often lack that "journey of change". I have been very dissatisfied with so many movies over the past few years, almost always preferring older movies, and I couldn't really put my finger on WHY until I realized that we just don't get much of an emotional connection to most of the characters in many of the movies today. So I have trouble actually caring about what happens to them because they often don't take the time to help the viewer make that emotional connection to the characters. Particularly a lot of the "big-budget Hollywood blockbuster" type movies. But you really spelled it out and perfectly articulated the reason why many of those movies feel so empty and forgettable.
I've tried to be an outliner, but I always end up with way too much. No joke, last time I had an outline that consisted of over 200,000 words and is becoming a roleplaying campaign setting instead of a story. I get carried away. So now I allow myself 2 pages of hand written notes.
Girrrrl, you are the ONLY PERSON I visit for clarity. You videos are gold for me. Any time I have a problem with my ideas, I RUN To you. Thanks, kid, you are fantastic. And cute, too.
I still don’t think this will work for me. Maybe I’m on the extreme end of pantsers, but I didn’t even know what my protagonist’s misbelief was until I was writing the 3rd act and realized she was overcoming it before my eyes. Only looking back did I see a full character arc in my wake.
Even after I discovered your channel and learned about the desire, fear, and misbelief formula, I couldn’t identify hers. A few months later, I finally figured it out and felt so relieved. Prior to that, I feared that I would have to restructure my protagonist to better fit your structure, which would’ve felt awful because she’s been one of my comfort characters since high school.
Now that I think about it, I think my problem is a rather unique one that may even be specific to this book: *My protagonist and I share a misbelief.* Thus, it took me years of therapy to even _consider_ her thought process as wrong, and I didn’t have therapy until I was 2 years into my manuscript.
It has now been 4 years since I started that manuscript that was originally a Wattpad crackfic about the Area 51 Raid, and thus, I had no idea would ever need proper planning. I owe this all to my mom for seeing its potential and encouraging me to make it into a novel and my yearning for the summer of the Area 51 memes and my childhood dog still being alive.
As someone who hates plotting and struggles to organize, this is wonderful. THANK YOU.
That intro is literal gold😍it’s awesome and brings such a great message with it
7:51 (this is for me)
Abbie, thank you so much for all this.
I have a problem where I outline but then the characters kinda change the story as I write it and I just have to go with it, so I always had to leave it relatively vague just to have some type of structure to follow but not confine me. Scenes just kinda come at me, if that makes sense.
Love your profile pic
I sympathize. My characters hijack parts of the story and take off with it!
I absolutely despise outlining simply because of school. EVERY SINGLE essay required one to be turned in with it and I never really understood how to make one properly. So they always annoyed me and now I avoid them as much as possible.
I'm a 13 (will be 14 in 16 days) year old trying to write a fantasy Web novel. I must say, it's actually really hard to create a base to my novel without starting to think about the unexpected plot in the middle of the history and literally forgetting everything that is important in the start💀
I really hope I can actually finish planning at least the base until my prom of the 9th grade lmao-
Thanks for this video! I never found the idea of a plot outline too constricting, but I'm trying to write my first book, and a full-blown outline seemed intimidating even with your instructions, so a short simple version is helpful.
So I’m new at the writing thing BUT - I’ve learned that I’m a solid pantser with ocd haha
I’ll write the book/story. Let it rest. Read it through. Find holes, issues, places where characters need development. Vague outline in a word doc to see it concisely. Go back and add/cut/replace.
My brain is weird, sorry lol
As a pantser I appreciate the resources you provided.
the ONLY reason i'm watching this is because i have realized part of the reason i can never finish writing a longer story or...anything chapter based, is because i don't have a structure/don't know how to make one that doesn't feel rigid/overwhelming. i never really know how to build my characters but i want to feel like i did my best but it takes a lot to craft a story when you don't have the direction of how you want it to go on paper and it's all in your head. so i end up losing motivation. i'm thinking this could help me since i have a story i am passionate about working on and is a HUGE project that's gonna need research to come out right but i also want to start writing. i've written stories since i was a little kid and i feel like i have to improve the way i go about doing this to make it right.
I think I'm what I will call a PANTSLINER I do a bit of both, I'll outline (up to a point) then pants some and outline some. I kind of love the creativity I feel doing it that way. Yeh, I've some high numbers on the word score for outlining too... but 30K? I guess it takes all sorts to make a world. Thanks Abbie :)
Hi Abbie, I'm from the Philippines. I have been watching your videos since January this year. I'm writing a screenplay, from my college thesis story. I intend to produce and direct in 2022. It's about a college Engineering musician who is hindered by his mother to pursue his musical exploits. I'm still figuring out the climax since I need to talk to guitarists and musicians. But everything is done as what you have told in your videos. I'm almost done. I want to thank you for your videos I was able to write a good plot. From Meet Cute, to Scene Cards, to this video, I have watched your channel over and over and over again. What I do is I write verbatim how you say it and read it and keep it for future references.
Thank you so much, Abbie. You are a BIG HELP
I'm watching this while outlining. I'm a sixteen year old rookie writer and I've got an amazing prompt. However, I was stuck on the first few lines of my prologue. Watching your videos enabled me to think of five chapters worth of content in a single sitting. Definitely trying all these tips.
My outline is my first draft - that's how I write as a pantser. Then I use the three act structure to revise. Some pantsers have internalized the three act structure so that their first draft already contains the elements of the three acts and they only need to tweak. The value you bring (which one else provides) is the questions to ask about your story and the emphasis on the character arc. Your explanations and analysis of the three act structure are gems; most writing classes and books rattle off the three act structure but never show how to use it with what you are writing. That is the genius in your method! Your videos have been extremely helpful and much appreciated! Thank you.
I'm kind of an in-betweener. I draw up a basic outline, start writing, and then one of the characters takes over the plot! Usually it's not the main plot, just a sub plot that kind of branches off on its own and inevitably makes the story much, much better. I love my characters!!!
I don't hate plotting, I just don't know how and have a VERY short attention span. Lol loving these tutorials!
The three act story structure which Abbie mentioned, I immediately thought of The Lion King when she started explaining it. It is one of the best character growth movies in Disney. It shows the hard journey of Simba from the time his father died till the time he confronts Scar. He has to face his greatest fear when Scar reveals to his family that he killed his father. But, there is that 'aha' moment when Scar tells Simba that he actually killed Mufasa. This leads to Simba's misbelief breaking into shards and finally pursuing his goal by pushing Scar off the cliff. Not only his fear is broken, but also he fulfills his wish of becoming king after his father. We see that Simba grows from a partially immature cub to a lion king who proudly has his own beliefs.
I'm sorry for the amount of words, but I just couldn't help stating this example!
And thank you Abbie, your videos are so helpful. To be honest, I am a pantser. I literally had no idea of this 3 act structure before, though we all subconsciously admire it in most books and movies. I'm going to use it in my story soon!
This video helped me soo much thank you! Sadly I'm a pantser. I've been doing it that way for a long time, until I realised that I wasn't finishing my stories because of my pantser problem. This is gonna help me write my new story that's called "Shadow Run" it's a fiction and I'm hoping to make it a novel someday and become an author! Again thank you so much for making this video!
For me, I know that everything I write down in the outlining process is subconsciously guiding me as I fill in the details later on. Once I've laid the solid creative foundation in the form of the outline, only the details and specifics that fit together with my outline like lego will naturally be attracted to my mind. Any idea that doesn't fit will either not feel right and I'll immediately know it or it won't come at all. In my opinion, to write a masterpiece, you need to start general and get more and more specific as you go.
This video was exactly what i needed. I'm currently making a fanfiction and its going to be a trilogy. I wanted to find a way to make a net and organized due to my stories character and plot. Thanks Addie as always for the help and have a great day.
Thank you abbie! You help lost souls without scaring them away!❤
Wow! Okay. I really needed this outline. My stories are complex and, yes, the first story kind of does some world building as I introduce my main character. Thank you for this outline. I'll do first story and then see how it differs from the screenplay outline.
I literally love you , nobody in my life has ever given me such a clear direction with spot on instructions to get me through as you did.🎉
I do note down important details and create some structure, but I'm definitely a pantser - and I'm happy for it.
If I wasn't a pantser, my protagonist wouldn't have walked into his favorite coffee place to talk to a person who is THE quintessential piece in allowing him to stumble, heal, and rediscover himself. There are so many things I wouldn't know about my characters if I didn't allow them to lather my perceptions in gasoline and create a dumbsterfire emitting thick, grey smoke a.k.a character depth.
Alright guys, who's with me? 1, 2, 3, Go Pantsers!
Amen. Thank goodness I am not a pantser outcast.
When I write short stories I'm a total pantser. When I write long form I do try and outline or plot but I'm always willing to let inspiration take me wherever, so somewhere in between I suppose.
Somewhere along the spectrum between outlining and organic spontaneity depending on what stage of the writing process I’m currently involved with.😊
Abby, you are amazing! You must write your own book on plotting! THE WORLD NEEDS YOU hahaha. No matter how many books I read on the subject, your videos will ALWAYS come back as the most comprehensive and open-minded references. I love your work! Thanks
Even when you do an outline by the time you get into it things begin to change anyways, but the outlines still good for the early stages because it gives you more direction then no direction at all
Tysm! Everytime I tried to freewrite my story it felt like it had too many random plot points, and this will help me.
I'm a pantser, if I consciously know where it's going right away, it's not happening. However, I've been using a notebook, where I'll write a list of things that has to happen (never in order, but they fall in order), and that works for me. Maybe I'm a bit of both.
Holy cow that was great! I stopped the vid and did a quick outline. Never did that before.
there is a lot of good information here
when outlining it helps to allow the mind to tag music that you enjoy as being part of the soundtrack for the story that you want to write
a consistent writing style should be used for the duration of the novel, and by syncing your mind to the sound of music it can help for consistency with writing style,,
having a consistent writing style can help enable planned story elements made during the outline
Abbie you read my mind. Thank you. You were also the only person who made save the cat make sense to me
I found out yesterday that I’ve been a Paster my whole life, never really knowing the correct way to write, its really amazing to know this. Maybe I can write my comics now. With more excitement!
I am a pantser and hate plotting, but I know it's essential for stories structure. Thank you so much for making this video! It's like you read what's on my mind! ❤️❤️❤️
I just wanted to stop by and say thanks. I've been struggling writing a sequel to a story I was a complete Pantser for, After I watched this video yesterday, it knocked loose the ice in my brain that kept freezing me up and I outlined the whole sequel in an evening. It's after midnight now, and I'm going to bed with the wonderful knowledge I have a clear path to follow. And despite my clear plot, I still see lots of room for creativity. An outline is not a prison like I used to think, nor is it a creativity killer. You just need to be mature enough as a writer to realize it. Thanks for helping me take the final steps to this big milestone. From now on, I'll always be outlining in some form or fashion. I'm glad my first story was done as a pantser. I'll always have that victory. But now that I've seen how inefficient pantser writing really is. from start to finish, I'm certain I'll never go back. I wear my new plotter title with pride.
Ps. I'm shooting for the stars, dear, so I'm taking my time writing my masterpiece. Remember my name! You're an inspiration. I'm not settling for anything below Pulitzer.
Step #1: The Premise
The preliminary premise for the series is the standard military sci-fi plot of the main character serving in the military and having to participate in one or more wars that have her traveling to various planets as she engages in different campaigns. The good guy nations are the Interstellar Union, the Anemoniskt Imperiet, and the Senesis Jamhuri. The bad guy nations are the Korbaniches Reich, the Confederación Verquat, the Je'daii Infinite Empire (provisional name until I can think of something that doesn't rip off Star Wars organization names), the Mamlakat Ranorg (token good teammate), the Nash'Rahk Paegwon, and the Zilvon Soyuz.
The premise for my first novel is the protagonist (Kobayashi Fumiko) just became a legal adult and decides to join the Interstellar Union's armed forces. The Interstellar Union is at war with the Nash'Rawhk Paegwon, so Fumiko gets deployed to the front lines to help retake a planet (Thedon) the Nash'Rahk recently captured before the Nash'Rahk can fortify their position and use Thedon as a beachhead to attack other Union planets in the area. The Nash'Rahk forces turn out to be stronger than expected and the Union pulls back, abandoning Fumiko, the other survivors from the first assault wave, and the civilians still on Thedon. Fumiko and the other survivors have to survive behind enemy lines and protect the civilians on Thedon until either reinforcements arrive or they liberate Thedon on their own.
Step #2: Meet Your Protagonist
Fumiko desires to be a valuable and valued member of the team. Fumiko fears rejection, abandonment, and disappointing others. Fumiko's mistaken beliefs are that she's useless and nobody would want to be friends with the loser who's probably going to be just another casualty soon.
Step #3: Story Structure
Act 1: Fumiko enlists in the military out of a desperate need to finally please her abusive mother and make the pain stop. Fumiko is sent to Thedon to help retake it. Despite initial success, the Union is forced to retreat in the face of overwhelming resistance, abandoning Fumiko, the other surviving soldiers from the first assault wave, and the civilian inhabitants of Thedon.
Act 2: Fumiko and the other survivors figure out how to survive behind enemy lines. They form a resistance movement against the Nash'Rahk occupation force. The resistance has some initial success and suffers some setbacks, including the discovery of their original hideout and the deaths of several members of the team.
Act 3: The resistance discovers the location of the Nash'Rahk's main base on Thedon, which is currently doubling as their regional HQ. Fumiko discovers that the other surviving members of the resistance trust her enough to lead them in a raid the Nash'Rahk's main base to take out several high ranking members of their leadership. Fumiko leads the resistance to victory, but they suffer casualties in the process. Fumiko begins to question her original low opinion of herself. She doesn't immediately come to the realization of the truth because her failure to meet the impossible standards her mother conditioned her to hold herself to is also causing her to question if the rest of the resistance was justified in trusting her.
I have a pal that I type all my ideas to, so when I need an idea, I can go back to our chats and our idea bouncing to get inspiration:)
I'm writing the outline for my entire series before I begin writing a page. Kinda inspired from Hajime Isayama planning AOT before he started drawing
I'd be interested to see what the desire + fear + misbelief of Jane Eyre would be and how it ties in with the outline you wrote :)
I don't hate plotting, I just find people who can plot well very amazing. I am the sort of people who really need to know there's no bug in the plots, but unfortunately the story I've been writing and updating online has a big setting problem already, and all I can do is just 'please, lovely readers, ignore the tragic problem with my plotting, just keep going on. "🤣
I wrote my first story without outlining and although it came out really wonderful, it was so stressful.
I don't want to go through that process of having to sit down and bite my fingers while thinking for a long time about what I should write next. So, I want to start outlining, and hopefully, this great lesson would help.
Thank you so much.
Plantser Here, but I lean *heavily* towards panting. Trying to keep an open mind as I learn more about writing. Thanks for the great videos, Abbie!
Amazing advice... Meet your character. Bullet point story structure.very pragmatic for the early stages. Abbie you Rock and you've got me rocking too
🎸🎶
I used to be a pantser, but I'm slowly turning into a plotter although I still feel a little confined by all the prep before actually starting to write
As a pantser, it's mainly because I can't see following the 3-act story structure with so many characters in my book (series). It's going to have at least 3 main characters in the first book who do interact at certain points, but the ensemble cast will all play important parts (we're talking over a dozen perspective characters) and that's all in the first book - 3rd person omniscient.
The next book follows a new cast of characters again, on a different planet, in 4 main intertwining paths. I haven't decided if any characters from book 1 will make an appearance, or just be mentioned... depending on how that story ends.
3rd book may include from some characters of both prequels, but I haven't decided which yet (it's like the culmination of the big bad thing happening in book one is finally confronted, and mysteries are finally revealed, and the "why" gives them hope they can stop it all, and a "how".)
I'm writing more from the point of the cool basis for what's going on in the story, more than the characters. I don't relate well to characters in books; I care more about what's going on than who's doing what and why. (I have a 41page appendix/glossary already written, and a massive history/setting document that probably rivals your 30,000 word outline.) However, I don't plot ahead, because I don't know how these characters are going to interact yet... and how that'll change what needs to happen. Even changing a conversation can have massive impacts on the flow as I've gone back and re-written/edited stuff... my characters surprise me all the time. (one of the intended bad guys turned into a good guy on me...)
I'm a panster but I noticed that I will reach a point in my book that I HAVE to sit down and flesh out the plot, which is when I will actually start to outline the book. I know, it's weird, but I can't outline before I start writing the book. My ideas and the story come to me as I write, so I write till I get to a point that I have to sit down and flesh out the ideas and plotline for the book. I'm sure I'm not the only one who does this though. 😊
I am something in between but more patser than planner since my characters 'tend to write their own story' and half of my plans were for nothing so I reduced it to few importenat checkpoints and how they get there is up to them. therefore I count myself to the plantser-type.