It wasn't that long ago that I learned that there are two types of writers. Personally, I’ve always found the names for them quite funny. I mean, how can you not laugh at the terms plotter and pantser? When I hear plotter, I think grave yards and creepy old dudes with shoves. Pantser? I picture someone dancing with their pants around their ankles, and it ain’t pretty.
Seriously, plotters are those writers who plan
their stories from start to finish with all the details, story lines, events and
characters in place before they put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard. They
even make notes! On the other hand, pantsers are those writers who begin with
an idea or character and start writing, flying by the seat of their pants,
making it up as they go along.
Being the difficult person I am, as a writer, I am
a hybrid. I am fuelled by licorice allsorts and coffee or alternately by Vodka
and Pepsi, depending on the time of day. Oh wait, that’s not what I meant. What
I should have said, is that I’m part plotter, and part pantser. I start with a
scene in my head and maybe part of a plot. Then I wiggle it around until I have
a storyline going. Then the fun begins, and I start writing. I add details of
the characters’ lives, descriptions and conflicts as they come to me.
On a good day, I can follow the characters where
they lead me and writing is okay. On bad days, I scribble and scratch down
words only to delete them ten minutes later. This is the flying by the seat of
my pants part. I keep working and playing, hoping that my characters will lead
me someplace worth going. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Often, they
lead me to some place entirely different from where I was originally headed.
Last week, Jason kept talking to me. Now, you have
to understand that Jason isn’t a real person. He’s is, or rather was, a
character in my current erotic story. (Working title Tessa’s Trio.) Jason kept
telling me to change his name. His nagging voice grated on my nerves and
irritated me every time he appeared in the story. Eventually, I gave in to the
madness and changed his name. Thus, Mitch was born. Jason is gone, and so are
the voices. That’s good, right?
In the spirit of making it up as I go along, I’ve
been known to steal ideas where ever I find them. On occasion, I pick up an
idea from watching other people and can be found eavesdropping almost anywhere.
Many ideas come to me in dreams. Yesterday, I woke up thinking of one of my
many works in progress and words popped into my head out of nowhere. I scratched
them down as quickly as possible. I thought what came to me wasn’t bad . . .
Peter crossed the room, a slow smile lighting his
face. Stopping before Beth, he cupped her cheek in his hand, leaned down and
kissed her softly. “Hi,” he whispered, his eyes sparkling with happiness. “It’s
good to see you. I’ve missed you.” He leaned in again, kissed her senseless and
walked away, leaving her staring at his retreating back, listening to her heart
pound.
***
Beth watched him from across the room. Sweat glistened
on the back of his neck. The game was tied, and both teams were exhausted, but
she had lost interest in the game. All she could see was the sweat beading on
Peter’s skin. She could almost smell its enticing masculine aroma from here.
She licked her dry lips, closed her eyes and lost herself in the image of
licking the sweat from his skin.
So now, I have two paragraphs, and in my mind each
has fleshed out to a complete scene. I’m just hoping I can write them so they
read as steamy on paper as they do in my mind. As a bonus, each will actually
advance the romantic plot! Again, this is the pantser part. The story started
with a great opening scene between two people forbidden by circumstances to be
together. I had no idea where to go from there. But over time, their lives have
changed and Peter and Beth have fumbled their way into a relationship and what
might be a lasting love. All I have to do know is invent the ending.
So I’m off now, to plot or maybe to fly by the seat
of my pants. Have a good one!
Hugs
KatieHugs
