I am a natural panster, but I want to become a planster more than anything!

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As many of you know, I am a natural panster along with being a spontaneous person as a whole. Thank you AuDHD, thanks for that! :sweat_smile:

So, with Project Succession, I am currently on the true first draft on chapter 11, currently breaking the 30k mark. I KNOW up and down that I am going to need to tackle asking myself questions for the story. Honestly, I can still do that, but the moment I go back to to story, I am in the zone then start writing. I don’t plot/plan ANYTHING I just write based on mood and motivation. There is not a certain time of the day that I write, I just do it. I don’t use a timer because once I start writing, I start and won’t stop until something distracts me or I am physical tired. Then when I go back it is the exact same all the time.

When I was pansting, I would waste hours and days plotting out thing and even world-building that when it came to the story, I won’t use it. It was weird telling myself how the story should go through chapter summaries. I HATE fleshing out my story, I just write and go along for the ride, I greatly dislike putting restrictions on my novel. It’s boring and exhausting work. I DON’T WANT TO BE BORED AND TIRED! I WANT TO HAVE FUN!!!

Still, I love the fact of asking myself questions for each chapter in the story for later, until I ask too many then get overwhelmed in answering them.

I prefer to planst my story, half spontaneous writing and half plotting/planning. I am never in the right mindset to do that. Once I write, I am focused on that until distractions stop me. I am a spur-of-the-moment writer and it’s been that way since I started creative writing.

Moving on, I just want to understand Project Succession entirely from the plot/story to the characters to the magic system and worldbuilding to more. I don’t want to have the story go all over the place towards the end, but when I do get ideas for what I would like in the story. I never write it down because I am not in the moment to do that.

I am not asking for help in a mental health sense, rather as a writer who is struggling to regain some serious love for becoming a published author in the future back to me.

What do you think about it?
I understand what works for you will probably not work for me! If that is the case, me making this topic thread was a waste of time and nothing will work! I WANT SOMETHING TO WORK FOR ME IN THE LONG RUN!!!

Thoughts and feelings?

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Welp, whatever you’re doing seems to be working for you!

No need to change your system if it’s working, but what about keeping a book bible with all the information you need for easy reference for when you need it? Like having a chapter on the characters, listing things like what they want versus what they actually need, stuff like that? You could have a different chapter for each aspect of the story: plot, worldbuilding, etc. ¯\_(ﭢ)_/¯

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Thanks so much! That really means a lot to me! I just worry that because I am just going with the flow and writing by mood, truly. I panst the whole story, I have zero outlines and charts, and nothing else. Just me and my ideas flowing.

I always want to do that, but it has to be in the spur of the moment, when I randomly do it. I hate that it has to be like that for me because I could get soo much done if I wasn’t dealing with things, whether writing or something else. I was trying to do that years ago, but I never went along with it for long.

Dearest me, I hope I don’t need to buy more paper, I have enough notebooks and such for that.

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I don’t see anything wrong with pantsing honestly. Especially with a first draft. You just figure out what direction you want your story to go in general and then write to try and reach that end. That’s good enough as far as planning goes, if it works for you. Some people like more structure but some people don’t need it and maybe you aren’t one of the people that need it.

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Really? I…never got into having structure…sorta.

:sweat_smile:

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I think all you really need is a goal for an ending and then you can figure out how to get there along the way.

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In hilarious hindsight, I believe I understood the plot far better than I thought I would.

I did this while writing either chapter 9 or 10. LOL!

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Ok i’m a methodologically intuitive plantser so my process kinda looks like this:

  1. read a bunch and get to know your characters by blending things you’ve read. keep a book bible so you remember everything.
  2. once inspired enough, don’t plan anything. be impatient af and just write. get to know the characters and get excited about your story. DONT, UNDER ANY CICUMSTANCES, OUTLINE AT THIS STAGE.
  3. realize the whole thing is falling apart, get your critique partner to tell you why. start outlining in a way that fixes your mistakes. also leave some room for invention but flesh out the main points (I uaually use bullet points) and do this especially if writing multiple POV.
  4. start writing the draft. this is you test running your outline to see what works and what doesn’t.
  5. edit as soon as it soon as your draft starts falling apart. get your critique partner to tell you what’s wrong and how to fix it.
  6. CONTINUE UNTIL BOOK IS COMPLETE

there. hopefully you can extract something helpful out of that.

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That is a challenge. When I read books, it is never about finding the right book, because reading in general means I HAVE to be in the right mindset. If my mind is heavily distracted by a million different things, I am not reading it, I don’t have the capacity to finish it or start it. So, I am very much a manga/webcomic reader. I need medication to help me stick with reading, a medication like that doesn’t exist for someone like me.

I don’t have a critique partner. I can’t find anybody to read me work and give me their personal thoughts.I have nobody, especially in family. So, I am on my lonesome.

I am already on chapter 11 in Project Succession. Still, I am getting far enough. I just hate how my doubts are bothering me.

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To start, that excitement and having fun with it is an amazing thing to have. As long as you don’t get discouraged by the chaos when it comes time to clean it up, I don’t see anything wrong with what you’re doing in the slightest. It is important that you follow what feels good to you.

I know our situations aren’t 100% the same but I did come from a similar background regarding my writing. When i first began i was 100% a pantser I had that raw excitement and inspiration. But I’d always hit this point where I’d go off the deep end with things and lose the point. And I’d always get discourage. I have so many half-finished stories in the graveyard because I realized i took the wrong turn and I lose that inspo for it. I had to make some changes.

I’ve tried full on detailed planning and had epic failures where I’d get so excited and have an amazing story but get so scared that i wouldn’t execute that they never went anywhere. Perfectionism is real. Full planning wasn’t for me either.

So, i’ve kind of naturally settled in a planster way of doing things. And it’s not 100% fool proof yet, but i’ve had some luck with it so far. This may still be a little too planning heavy but maybe you can find pieces you like that you may wish to try.

I do this on a side document I keep for my story, though, a notepad would work too.

1st establish these 3 important things:

a) what is your theme(s)?
i.e. learning to love against odds. Just boil it down to a few words or a sentence.
b) What is your characters misbelief or inner conflict? What are they overcoming?
i.e. No one could ever love her because she’s a monster. All people are out to use her for her power.
c) How will she do this?

2nd make a little list of characters, important places, or world events/objects
This doesn’t have to be big or super detailed. You can write some then when you need a break just jot down a few little things. Names, ages, appearances, relevant facts. Or just muscle through it before you start even. And this doesn’t have to be everything and everyone unless you really want to. Just the important stuff so you have quick references.

Main plot points
I have a skeleton of a story structure outline I use from when I was planning in depth ( i could send you this if you’re interested to check it out) . But instead of hitting every event. I just hit the main ones. Inciting incident, plot twist, climax, victory.
Could be a scene in mind or just something as vague as:
Jane meets Jack at the movie theater. Janes ex shows up. Jack runs the ex out of town. Jane marries Jack.
Just so you know where you want the story to take you.

Extra
I always have a spot in my document where I write editing ideas and things I wish to include later jsut like random lines of dialogue or events that I want to have happen. It helps me get the inspiration out while its there even if it doesn’t actually fit what’s currently going on or isn’t something that makes sense to actually include in the story.

I’m not sure if anything of this would be helpful to what you’d like to do but it helps take away some of the overwhelm and keep things ordered and smooth. If you’d like I can send you some of the resources I find useful and lists and things that I’ve collected. Or examples of one of my outlines.

Best of luck with your writing journey. I know it can be frustrating to find what works 100% for you. And don’t forget, the best part of the first draft is you can be as messy and pure chaotic inspiration as you want. So if maybe pantsing your first pass and planning your second is more your style you’re still doing great.

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Also, I do my rough outline over multiple passes. Just get the idea in words. Then I walk away and come back and see if I still like it. Write a little and then adjust as I feel is right. Adjust your notes as you go to match what feels right.

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A. For this one, it is tricky because I am not sure what would even be a theme for this. Aeris is trying to balance being a Knight and becoming a newfound monarch to rebuild a nation, to bring her divided vast family. More importantly finding out about why her father disappeared, why she was targeted, and what caused her mother to die along with understanding her family, being an empress, and so much more.

B. Ouch…I mean a little ouchie. Aeris’s inner conflict is her trying to come to terms with being a Thornwood, realizing that she summoned a Saint (what gods are called in Alagossia), and unable to confront her past. She also doesn’t believe in what the Succession Trials is and is trying to understand what really caused her huge family to split into three large branches.

C. Aeris has to ultimately play two roles which is to continue her duties as a Knight while dealing with being an empress. She is trying to tackle both roles while succumbing to many obstacles that are testing her resolve. Aeris’s whole purpose is to utilize being a noble Knight who has to unravel what the hell is going on with her family and to use her abilities as a royal to understand what it means to be a Thornwood and search the truth about the world she was placed in.

I hope that cleared something. LOL!

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I would consider most of this to be plot. The theme is just a very basic main idea. Like if you reduced your story like a sauce and turned it to its most condensed form. Just something to look at what you’re writing and be hmm does it still fit this or did i go off track?
From what i understand yours would be along the lines of “coping with shifting responsibility/ power dynamics” “Navigating family drama” “Overcoming the circumstances she was born into”

How does this make her feel? How does her feelings and fears affect the decision’s she makes?

Also, extremely cool story idea :slight_smile:

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It makes Aeris feel like she needs to work extra harder than others which is a recipe for disaster. She wants to do EVERYTHING and not just wait on others. Aeris is a huge doer than a thinker, which is a prominent problem for Thornwood female heirs. They do rather than think and take their time. Aeris is going to be a bit different because she has her father’s blood and will grow into a doer AND a thinker.

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You know that Stephen King is a famous panster, right? If he can pretty much pants his story and have confidence in it, you can too. Don’t worry about planning the first draft. That kills the inspiration for it. I mean, must musicians don’t sit and plan a song and write 50 pages of lyrics and composition for it. It just comes out and they trust the process. First/zero drafts should be like that. You can tweak it, and make notes on the way for a second draft, and even edit the first as you go. Writing isn’t this laborious chore–well it shouldn’t be–you should let the characters lead, and not worry about hitting 50 plot points on the first go.

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I didn’t know that! I never knew that! WHY DID I NOT KNOW THIS!?

Stop playing with me! LOL! :rofl:

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I think the only thing I can really say is “if you want to plan, then plan” - that’s honestly all there is to it. I’m a fellow AuDHDer and I pants. Have done for 20+ years, will do until I drop down dead and I finally stop writing XD It is fine to sit down and write a plot out if you want to. If you don’t want to, then don’t. It’s also fine to do a mix of both. Just don’t worry yourself over the labels that you fit into or want to fit into, just do whatever method works.

My method, if you’re interested, might be beneficial for you as it provides /some/ structure… but still gives you freedom. I use Scrivener, and it’s the only thing holding my hodge-podge method together, but you can use physical sticky notes or something I guess.

I just write. No ideas, no plots, just write. Then, in Scrivener, I type up the summary for what’s happened in the chapter card, so I can easily see it in the corkboard view. If the next thing I write is a bit far from the first thing, I add a new card in between them and plan something that can go there. I write wildly out of order, only writing what strikes my fancy, so being able to do that and then slot in things to go in between is useful and somewhat of a ‘plot’.

Once the book is done, I rewrite. That rewrite is my finished product and I prune things that I didn’t need to write, add in extra sections where needed, etc.

This method might not work for you and it does hinge on having access to Scrivener or something similar (yWriter is a perfect and free alternative), but is a nice bridge where I get to learn everything about everything but by the time it’s finished, there’s at least somewhat of a cohesive plot.

I’m not sure is this helps you, but just do what you want and what feels best. If you don’t want to be a pantser, then don’t. Or, work within the constraints of your AuDHD and make it work for you. Outlining leaves me bored and I ignore the thing anyway, so it doesn’t work. Pantsing keeps it new and shiny.

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I am sorry, I tried this and could not vibe with it. I am far too used to Google Docs. I can’t even vibe with Word and I can’t figure out why. I am a serious stickler for simplicity.

Honestly, my mind is so weird because I am going based on gut feelings and instinct too. I am in no way that knowledgeable, yet I just have feelings on how I want the story to go without even plotting or pantsing, just pure thoughts only. I can’t explain it better than that.

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those were just suggestions, if you don’t want to take any of them you don’t have to. if your process wirks for you, then by all means feel free to continue using it.

that’s completely ok! use anything with a plot. books, movies, TV shows, manga, whatever floats your boat!

I didn’t have one until recently either. if you’re ok with being alone, then I guess that’s fine, but I wasn’t, so i found mine on Wacky… maybe you could try that? people seem to be interested in your work on here.

if you truly have no one, you could also just try letting it sit an coming back to it a bit later and being your own critique partner. more often than not it would make you realize exactly the quality of the writing you’re dealing with.

doubts of what kind?

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