Plotters And Pantsers Research Paper

Great authors can be split into hundreds of categories, including novels of manner, perfected by Jane Austen, and fantasy novels by J.R.R. Tolkien. However, every writer can be broken into two broad categories: plotters and pantsers. Plotters compose the plan of their story before ever penning the first word, but pantsers, a nickname derived from the saying, “flying by the seat of your pants,” simply take an idea and ferociously write. In their planning, writing, and proofing, plotters and pantsers greatly differ. The first difference between plotters and pantsers is found in their methods of planning. Plotters create extensive outlines for their stories in the form of character lists, plotlines, and scene sketches. Additionally, they map the story from start to finish, envisioning future plot twists and problem areas before these appear in writing. In contrast, pantsers begin their stories with little more than a raw idea and perhaps a scribble of the story’s direction. In this stage of pantsers’ novels storylines have not been established and characters are ambiguous; however, this is how pantsers naturally write. With little to no plan, these writers charge into the next step of writing. Although plotters and pantsers both formulate ideas during planning, only plotters establish a solid story at this point.
When plotters proofread, they do not expect massive plot holes to appear because their outline already detailed their final result. This stage is for perfecting storylines and characters and creating a compelling story. However, pantsers cannot claim the same ease of editing. Because these authors never planned their story’s course, the end result is often messy and full of unnecessary writing. Therefore, pantsers must rewrite their story many times before consummation. When proofreading their work, plotters and pantsers differ in how much they must edit and rewrite their