Today, we’re talking about pantsers. A pantser is someone who writes “by the seat of their pants.” In other words, they just start writing and go where the story takes them. Often, pantsers will have a few scenes or story elements in their head, and they connect those dots together as they write.

In my experience with other writers, pantsers seem to be the most common type of writer. They are generally more on the creative side (not that plotters aren’t creative), and they tend to work in organized chaos.

Many pantsers I’ve met are people who didn’t enjoy reading as a child (or maybe even have dyslexia), have higher energy levels, and think more emotionally than logically. They also might have trouble with procrastination, project-hopping, and transferring their ideas from mind to paper.

Often, people discourage pantsers from taking a career path like being an author simply because it doesn’t seem to match the rest of their personality. When many people think of a writer, they think of a slow-paced, tea-drinking, meticulous scribe. Because a lot of pantsers don’t fit that description, it can be hard for them to embrace their way of doing things.

However, pantsers are also some of the most creative people I’ve ever met. Get them talking about their characters, or listen to them spin a tale, or put an idea in their head, and you can almost see their love for stories shining in their eyes. While they are very different from plotters, pantsers are definitely true writers.

Does this sound like you? Then you might be a pantser.

If you’re a pantser, I heartily congratulate you. While you might feel less than other writers because you struggle to form sentences on paper, you have a huge advantage over them. Everything about the plotting method—structuring, outlining, and planning—can all be learned. But the wealth of creativity and the excitement over stories that you possess as a pantser… that is truly a gift from God.

I like to say that having the mind of a writer is about 75% of the battle. The other 25% is learning how to shape that creativity into words that flow and make sense. So as a pantser, you’re already three-fourths of the way to becoming a great writer… what plotters have to brainstorm and pour over for weeks and sometimes months, you can form in your mind in a matter of hours.

I said in my last blog post that plotters tend to be detail-oriented, which is why they must use outlines to help them get a bird’s-eye view of the story. Well, pantsers tend to look at the big picture. They already know in their head how things are going to end up—if not consciously, then intuitively.

So to hone your skills, you need to focus on the details. Meaning you should figure out the main points in your story (your theme, the beginning and ending, etc.), and then jump right into the writing. Your creative brain knows exactly how the story needs to flow, leaving you to focus on crafting the words.

What I would recommend for you as a pantser is to do a ton of experimenting. Just as the plotter must try new techniques, the panster should try new ideas. Use prompts, write a different genre, or find interesting inspiration from real life.

If you are a true pantser, don’t try to become a plotter. Sure, use outlines if they’re useful to you, but don’t force it. If you can craft an incredible story in your mind, you can craft it on paper, too. When all else fails, just start writing the story you would want to read. As you learn more from experience and research, you will know what you need to change in order to make your story better.

There are many tools out there that you can use to help you as a pantser. I would recommend doing research on specific topics that you struggle with… this will be less overwhelming and can help you focus more on the details of your story.

For those of you who think you’re not a good writer because you don’t have good grammar, spelling, or punctuation, don’t worry. There are a lot of different tools out there (including Grammarly, which I use) that help with all of those. You can also hire an editor (or ask a friend or family member) to keep an eye out for mistakes. That way, you can focus on writing the story.

On this blog, there are a ton of posts that can help you with whatever subject you want to research. I would recommend checking out this series on supporting characters, and this compilation of my more specific posts.

You also might find some of my YouTube videos helpful (especially if you prefer watching/listening to reading), which you can access on my channel here.

Of course, you will have shortcomings as a pantser. You might overgeneralize things, skip over important scenes because you don’t know how (or are scared) to write them, or accidentally contradict details because they’re hard to keep track of. You also might be tempted to think you know best just because the story sounds good in your head.

I would encourage you to seek good advice without letting it discourage you. Listen carefully to the critiques other people have… a lot of times, pantsers can get so caught up in a story that they need a fresh pair of eyes on it.

And it won’t hurt you to learn about story structure, outlines, and plots. While you might not use the information like a plotter would, having that knowledge in your head can help you create a more cohesive story.

So maybe try your hand at an outline, or do a character interview, or jot some thoughts down on a notecard. If nothing else, you’re training your brain to focus on the details… and you might get a glimpse of what it’s like to be a plotter.

And if you’re not a pantser? Well, maybe you can still learn something from them. Perhaps now you understand that their seemingly haphazard methods can produce some of the best stories ever written. Perhaps you’ve been encouraged to try your hand at a little bit of creative writing.

And maybe next time you talk to a pantser or read their writings, you’ll be able to see how much they love stories. Even in the worst books, short stories, and papers I’ve ever read (some of them so grammatically incorrect I could barely understand them), I’ve been able to see that love between the lines.

So instead of criticizing pantsers for their unconventional techniques, terrible spelling, or random ideas, maybe we can come alongside them and help them get better. And, along the way, perhaps they can teach us a thing or two about having true passion for our craft.

Comment below which kind of writer you are!