Plotter vs. Pantser?

Forgive me Father, for I have sinned...it's been over five days since my last blog post.

     So it's been several days since my last post, but with very good reason! I decided to take a week off from work for a mini stay at home vacation. Not only did I want a little rest and relaxation but I also wanted to spend a little extra time on my book. So last week I dusted off my copy of Book in a Month and tried to put as much of my thoughts and plan regarding my book down on paper so that I could spend this week writing up a storm.

     When it comes to writing I've always considered myself a Pantser not a Plotter--meaning I tend not to create outlines for the stories I work on. I've been like this since college. I've always written in a more free flowing kind of way so creating outlines always seemed more tedious than helpful. However, since I have this great opportunity of an entire week to focus on my writing I wanted to make every moment count so I decided try out the BIAM method to writing. I got my self reacquainted with the book and got started this morning. 

     Admittedly, I've already caught myself veering off track in regards to the method but I've stayed pretty much on task. My pantser soul gets somewhat inpatient with the need to think chapters ahead of the scenes I'm currently working on, but I have to admit--the method is so far...working. Having a skeleton outline has actually helped me advance through two more scenes because now that I've "declared" what will happen in my outline, my characters are now marching towards their fate somewhat easily now. After my first day I find myself thinking that maybe plotters aren't so crazy after all, but this is only my first day--who knows what the next four weeks may have in store? Could this be the start of a conversion? Will my pantser soul allow itself to be reined in? Maybe at the end of this month I might find myself becoming a hybrid plantser...

Write to you soon,

Laurel